TAKEN TO GREECE IN H.M.S. AJAX

Southland Times, Issue 24433, 13 May 1941, Page 6

TAKEN TO GREECE IN H.M.S. AJAX

AUCKLAND MEN’S EXPERIENCE

(Official News Service) j (P.A.) CAIRO, May 10. At the Battle of the River Plate the Ajax and the Achilles established a bond of friendship born in adversity with ultimate success. The Ajax had the opportunity to renew her acquaintance with New Zealanders when she found she had the pleasant task of taking the officers and men of the Auckland Battalion to Greece. The Navy soon made the New Zealanders embarked on their great adventure comfortable, drinking toasts and telling I stories. The battalion lived up to its I reputation of making friends quickly and willingly. The Navy, down to the ship’s cat, “Horsey,” responded ilyAfter a short and memorable trip with her cargo of wonderful fighting material delivered, the Aja:: reported back for new instructions and about a month later was waiting off a lonely beach in southern Greece on a dark, calm night, which was by no means quiet, for the thunder and lightning in the hills beyond the horizon were the noises and flashes of’ battle. Our army was outnumbered by more than ten to one on the land, subjected to unchecked and constant attack from the air and was falling back preparatory to embarking i after carrying out the biggest and most ' successful raid on the Germans we have I yet attempted. The Ajax had already heard that they | were to take off old friends of the ' Auckland Battalion. The officers and ! men were anxiously peering into the gloom trying to see if anyone was on the beach. Arrangements were complete for embarking the men who became heroes. At last they appeared—the battalion forming the last organized rearguard. The Germans received such a hiding that they left the New Zealanders I alone. The Auckland Battalion went I aboard hungry and tired. They had ■ only the clothes they stood in because j they had discarded personal equipment in order to save their weapons. This | principle was followed rigidly.

The battalion clerk came aboard with a duplicating machine, given to the battalion by patriotic funds, strapped on his back. Food, clothing and warm drinks soon made the men comfortable. Old friends gathered to talk over new stories, with “Horsey” the cat comfortably purring on a captured Nazi flag. Thus was enacted another among several episodes bearing out the complete harmony and understanding of all branches of the British Imperial Forces in the Middle East.