NEW ZEALANDERS IN BATTLE

Southland Times, Issue 25478, 26 September 1944, Page 3

NEW ZEALANDERS IN BATTLE

FIGHTING NORTH OF RIMINI (Official War Correspondent) RIMINI, September 22. North of Rimini, up the coast and for some distance inland, the New Zealanders have gone into the attack in strength against the hard-pressed enemy. It is not by any means a chase yet, but our infantry and tanks last night crossed the Marecchia river, and by this morning had advanced to beyond Celle, at the junctions of Highways 16 and 9. Further inland other New Zealand formations have penetrated even _ further north. They were faced with a stubborn enemy who is taking every advantage of the many houses in what was a thickly-populated area —places where he can lie concealed with Spandaus and rifles ready to meet our attack.

Dug-in Panther tank turrets, with their long 75-millimetre guns, machinegun posts, and small arms fire were what faced a motorized infantry battalion which pressed forward to the road junction of Celle. It was a stiff encounter, in which the reluctant paratroops were forced to give way, but not before a number of them had been killed or captured. A tricky task is being undertaken by our men on the coastal sector, that of clearing the seaside villas which abound in these parts. They had been strongly fortified and the surroundings heavily mined as a precaution against a landing from the sea. Now these defences are a serious obstacle to our advance. It is being found that the Turkoman troops, by whom they are mostly manned, will fight grimly until they realize the hopelessness of their position, but during last night and this morning there has been a constant flow of prisoners. Our tanks have been in close support of the infantry and our guns are seldom silent.

DESTRUCTION OF BRIDGES An abortive attempt was made by the enemy to blow up an important bridge in the town of Rimini. The ' charges failed to explode and our tanks rumbled on through the town. A short distance beyond was another demolition which had completely destroyed a road bridge, but our sappers soon bulldozed a bypass, across which this morning our heavy and light armour was streaming. An adjoining railway bridge has I been partially destroyed. Near the coast, the Marecchia is as much as four feet deep, but further inland, where other New Zealand infantry formations and tanks crossed to the narrow bridgehead established by the Canadians, the river consists of a number of shallow waterways which formed no hazardous obstacle. The New Zealanders advanced 2000 yards or more against shelling, machine-gun and small-arms fire, most of the lastmentioned coming from houses, but the casualties were light and the enemy suffered heavily in prisoners and dead.