NEW ZEALANDER’S LUCKY ESCAPE

Southland Times, Issue 25483, 2 October 1944, Page 8

NEW ZEALANDER’S LUCKY ESCAPE

GERMAN ATTACK ON TANK (Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.) ITALY, September 29. An almost miraculous escape from at least a serious wound by a troop commander and the safe withdrawal from their knocked-out’tank of himself and the rest of the New Zealand crew under heavy fire have provided one of the more exciting incidents in the fighting about Rimini. A dented compass and a shattered paybook in torn clothing and a nasty bruise on the arm show how nearly the troop commander, 2nd Lieutenant E. J. Davidson, of Palmerston North, came to being shot by a German Tommy gun. Second Lieutenant Davidson’s troop was advancing in daylight with the infantry along the coast road and when he emerged from between a group of houses into a flat, open stretch of country, a small demolition ahead made it necessary for 2nd Lieutenant Davidson to advance on foot to see whether the crossing could be made. Satisfied that this was possible, he returned to the tank where he was informed by the infantry that they could see movement in what was evidently an enemy position at the roadside 400 yards distant, and as the tank advanced slowly it fired 40 rounds from its 77mm. gun at this spot. The tank also machine gunned the area thoroughly, but as it moved ahead its progress was barred by a barricade of household furniture placed across the road much too close to the enemy position to make an inspection on foot practicable. Second Lieutenant Davidson decided to risk the possibility of the barricade being mined and the tank charged right through and advanced at high speed to within 20 yards of where the enemy was lurking. Here he halted the tank and threw grenades. He was firing his pistol for good measure when the tank was suddenly hit by a bazooka bomb, then hit twice again in quick succession and as it was beginning to smoke 2nd Lieutenant Davidson gave the order to the crew to get out. GERMAN FIRE Being in the turret he was the first' to leave the tank, but just as he reached the ground he heard the rattle of a Tommy gun burst from close range and he knew he had been, hit in the arm. The enemy then opened up with both Tommy gun and Spandau, but the other four members of the crew managed to clamber out through the turret unhurt. The five sheltered behind the tank for a short time until it was obvious that it was more dangerous to stay than get away. Then began a nightmare crawl over 400 yards of exposed road to the safety of the nearest houses. No sooner had they begun the journey, keeping as flat to the ground as possible, than enemy mortar fire was brought to bear. It paced them all the way along the road. The Spandau following them too, but during the whole time—estimated to be 20 minutes —not one of the party was hit.

After they crawled painfully over the last few yards and gained the shelter of the house, 2nd Lieutenant Davidson had a chance to take stock of his injury. A bullet from a Tommy gun had hit the compass pouch attached to his belt, torn the rim of the compass, passed through his jersey and shirt, ricocheted off the paybook in his breast pocket through the shirt and jersey again and struck his arm, leaving little more than a bad bruise. This incident, while it ended fortunately for the New .Zealanders, shows how determined is the stand the Germans are making in Italy. Infantrymen who will fight back to a tank at point-blank range are not to be taken lightly.