DUE TO FIGHTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26672, 19 January 1948, Page 4

DUE TO FIGHTING

WEAKNESS OF DIVISION NEW ZEALANDERS IN LIBYA GENERAL KIPPENBERGER’S REVIEW P.A. • WELLINGTON, Jan. 18. “ The weakness of the Second New Zealand Division in the Libyan campaign of 1941-42 as referred to by General Auchinleck in his despatches was the result of fighting," said Majorgeneral H. K. Kippenberger, editor-in-chief of the New Zealand War Histories to-day. “ The main object of the Libyan offensive of November and December, 1941, was the relief of Tobruk," said Genera] Kippenberger. “ The New Zealand Division, less the Fifth Brigade engaged in the Solium area, was very heavily engaged at Sidi Rezegh and Bel Hamed, near Tobruk. In a series of night attacks from November 24, the German infantry was soundly thrashed, both Sidi Rezegh and Bel Hamed were captured and a corridor driven through to Tobruk. German tank and infantry counter-attacks recaptured Sidi Rezegh om November 30 and the Sixth New Zealand Infantry Brigade was heavily hit, the twenty-fourth, twenty-fifth and twenty-sixth Battalions and the twenty-first Battalion (attached from the Fifth Brigade) being all practically destroyed. Bel Hamed Recaptured “ On the following morning. German tanks and infantry retook Bel Hamed and the Twentieth Battalion of the Fourth Brigade and the Sixth Field Regiment. New Zealand Artillery, were destroyed," he sai’d. The Eighteenth Battalion escaped into the Tobruk defences. Throughout these two days, South African troops were hourly expected. but they had their own troubles and did not arrive. More German and Italian armour and troops arrived and on the evening of December 1 the Division, then reduced to Headquarters, the Nineteenth Battalion, the Fourth Field Regiment, New Zealand Artillery, headquarters of the decimated units and -administrative personnel, was practically encircled. It escaped by a daring and. wellexecuted night move through a gap left in the cordon, and after reorganisation, went to Syria. “ It returned in June, 1942, when the Eighth Army had been beaten in Libya and Tobruk had fallen. It fought at Minquar Quaim near Matruh, less the Sixth Brigade, and on June 27 was encircled but again broke out, having 650 casualties and inflicting many more. The Eighth Army rallied on the short line from Alamein to the Qattara depression and the New Zealand Division took the southern sector. It. fought successsful actions at Alam Nazil and El Mreir in early July. Costly Counter-offensives

“When the line was a little stabilised, General Auchinleck commenced a costly series of counter-offensives,” said General Kippenberger. “On July 14 the Fourth and Fifth New Zealand Brigades took- Ruweisat Ridge in a notable night attack. German tanks counter-attacked and the Eighteenth, Nineteenth and Twentieth Battalions of the Fourth Brigade and the Twentysecond Battalion of the Fifth Brigade were over-run and almost destroyed. The Fourth Brigade remnants were withdrawn to Maadi. On July 21, the Sixth Brigade, in a night attack, took El Mreir depression and was overwhelmed in a tank counter-attack. The Twenty-fourth and Twenty-fifth Battalions were practically destroyed and the Twenty-sixth Battalion was heavily punished. • Thus, on July 27, the Division was gravely weakened. It had suffered 4000 casualties in July, mostly in infantry.”