NEW ZEALAND FRONT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25430, 11 January 1944, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND FRONT

ENEMY PATROLS ACTIVE (N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent) _. DIVISIONAL H.Q., Jan. 7. Strong enemy patrols have been active on the New Zealand front in the past three nights, and although they have caused some casualties they have not been able to penetrate far. They have suffered casualties themselves. but in the darkness have been unable to take back most of their wounded and dead with them when forced to withdraw. One of these patrols consisted of men wearing white clothing and probably snowshoes. They came in from windward to a house in which some of our infantry were located, taking advantage of the sleet which blinded observation from our lines. Near the house they split up and attacked from different directions with grenades and automatic weapons, but were driven off. Similar tactics have been adopted by other patrols, but without much success. There have been no major developments on this sector of the front. Our artillery fire continues, and the enemy has been using mortars against our forward positions fairly consistently. After a few days’ fine weather, which made little impression on the new year’s snowfall, rain and sleet descended over this area two days ago, and yesterday there was a light fall of snow. The weather is again fine, but very cold when the wind sweeps down from the mountains.