VETERANS RETURN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25734, 4 January 1945, Page 4

VETERANS RETURN

PRACTICE OF MODERN WAR GREAT ARTILLERY BARRAGES (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 3. After a somewhat protracted journey from the Middle East another large draft of army personnel for replacement, together with members of the Air Force personnel, nurses, W.A.A.C. girls and canteen workers, has arrived in New Zealand. Accompanying some of the officers and men were wives whom they married in the Middle East, and in one case a young son. Welcoming the men on behalf of the Prime Minister, the Acting Prime Minister, Mr W. Nash, expressed the regret of the Government that the arrival of the draft had been delayed over the festive season. Mr Nash also expressed the gratitude of the Government and the people for the great work the men had done. Just before the transport reached New Zealand Lieutenant-colonel Harper was handed a letter by one of the many Chinese on board expressing appreciation of the friendship they had cultivated with the New Zealanders during the voyage. The letter referred to the common task of the Allied Pacific countries. “We, a group of Chinese students, are sent by our Gov-

ernment for advanced studies in the hope that we might, after our return, contribute to the post-war reconstruction of China to make the Pacific Ocean really pacific and the world secure for democracy,” the letter read. “ There must be ahead of us an infinite future of collaboration if the light of human brotherhood is not to fail and if the philosophy of one-world cosmopolitanism is to survive.’ Artillery’s Achievements Though the story had to be coaxed out of him, and then only in answer to questions, Major H. T. W. Nolan, who served with the headquarters of the Divisional Artillery, 2nd N.Z.E.F., said that the most notable contribution of the New Zealand artillery was that it was probably the first to adopt the present system of a divisional barrage as against firing by three independent regiments. This was introduced by the brigadiers concerned during the battle for Egypt. The practice led to the immense barrages subsequently put up to support a big attack. The first such barrage was fired at El Alamein on October 3, 1942. If an attack was being put on in which New Zealanders were participating they supplied the trace or plan of fire for tne whole of the troops engaged. . . , . The New Zealand Divisional Artillery had probably seen more action than any other artillery formation of the British Army. Major Nolan said. Others which had been notable were the 4th Indian Division, the 50th Division, and the 7th Armoured Division. Brigadier Miles, who had later died in Spain, was the first C.R.A. of the Divisional Artillery. Brigadier C. E. Weir, now a major-general commanding a British unit, succeeded Brigadier Miles, and now Brigadier R. Queree was in command. The two last-named had been exceptionally young commanders. Comparing British and German artillery, Major Nolan said that the latter practically did not exist in the early stages. The Germans were then largely putting their faith in dive-bombers. They used very few heavy concentrations of artillery, whereas the British, including the New Zealanders, employed tremendous concentrations. The Germans had one gun—the 170-milli-metre —which was a fine weapon. It had a high velocity shell which rose before it could be heard coming, resulting in a great moral effect on those being attacked. What artillery shooting the Germans did was accurate. As to the merits of dive-bombing and artillery, a predicted artillery shot was deadly accurate, whereas dive-bomb-ing could be very inaccurate. Every time prisoners were questioned after an attack thev complained of the effect of the artillery barrages and how dazed they were. The Germans were tough fighters, and had to be dug out of every position. „„ _ .. XT Major Nolan, who is 28, left New Zealand with the second echelon in May, 1940, as a subaltern. He had previously held a territorial commission with the 18th Battery at Auckland. From January to August, 1944, he attended the Staff College at Camberley England, two officers having been selected for this from the New Zealand Division.

The Fighting in Italy The area where the fighting was taking place in Italy was probably the finest defensive country in the world, said Captain D. R. Plumtrce, M.M., and Lieutenant H. Falwasser (a brother of the All Black, A. Falwasser), both of New Plymouth. The topography abounded in natural obstacles, and in winter the weather combined to make the going tough. The German troops there were a mixture of first class and not so good, but wherever the New Zealanders were the good troops seemed to be opposite them. Young Germans taken prisoners still thought their country would win. The older men had “ had it." Warrant-officer (II) Colin Wilson, 8.E.M., of Whangarei, spoke of the bulldozer in warfare. His unit of engineers was equipped with these machines. They went ahead of tanks over blasted country filling up holes and brushing aside demolition debris and abandoned vehicles lying in the line of advance. Whereas in other t.mes scores of men with picks and shovels would have been clearing a track, one bulldozer with one driver did the job, often under fire. Many drivers had been decorated. He recalled the admiration of the infantry at Castle Hill during the Monte Cassino battle as they watched a solitary bulldozer clearing a track under heavy shellfire.

The names of the Otago men who returned with the latest replacement draft will be found on page 6.