TANKS IN ACTION

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 65, Issue 5547, 9 November 1942, Page 3

TANKS IN ACTION

NIGHT BATTLE PRACTICE

REALISTIC TRAINING

Somewhere out in the gloom of the valley 300 feet below the night silence is broken by a mechanical coughing, followed by the whine and clank of tractor tracks stirring into movement. A couple of seconds later, and the sounds have settled to a purposeful growl as the tanks move forward to nose out the enemy patrol which is attempting to deny them the passage of the valley.

Clouds are scudding fitfully across a half-moon hanging in a watery sky, alternately creating and dissipating shadows in the valley, aropnd which low hills rise on three sides. For a minute or two nothing can be seen of the tanks from the hillside, but the gloom enveloping them is momentarily broken by the flash and thud of a Molotov cocktail with which one of the enemy has attempted to delay them.

A tentative shot is fired from an anti-tank gun somewhere towards the head of the valley, but does nothing more than indicate the general position of the enemy by the flash oi its discharge. There comes a round or two of small arms fire from the enemy in an attempt to get the tanks to disclose their exact position by return fire.

But the tanks move on unhurriedly. From the hilltop on their flank they can be seen dimly now as bulky blobs against the floor of the valley. Only the sound and movement of their passing disclose them to the watchers on the hillside. Static and silent they would probably lie undetected in the velley from this distance without the aid of artificial light. Then from the leading tank a hissing trail of light streaks ahead into the, sky, to blossom out at the top of its arc into a pinkish brilliance which throws hundreds of square yards of the valley into relief, and etches the surrounding hills into sharp silhouette. In the seconds while the flare is on its course there comes the excited plop-plop-plop of tank machine guns, and a stuttering reply from the enemy posts.

As the light of the flare dies out on the ground the tanks can be seen beginning to change formation in response to the wirelessed instructions from the squadron leader. An indication of the enemy disposition has been observed. More flares illuminate the landscape, a few shots are exchanged, and the tanks can be seen re-grouping to over-run and shoot-up their quarry. But the defence is still active. The darkness between flares is split by a flash and crash as an attempt is made to deal single-handed with a tank. In the light of the last flare the tanks can be seen quartering the hostile area as they mop up the enemy.

“THE SHOW IS OVER”

The show is over. On the natural ampitheatre from which they have viewed this practical lesson in tactics tank personnel form up to march back into camp. Such demonstrations are possible only where there is plenty of room for manoeuvre, and the facilities for large numbers of troops to witness the exercise. In this respect this huge training area* is of the highest value, because all kinds of field training can be carried out on the thousands of acres of diverse terrain which surround the camp. To-morrow, to-night’s battle practice will be analysed by officers and men from all angles. What degree of visibility does the light of flares give the drivers and gunners in the tanks? What special problems are involved in taking tanks into action under such conditions. How can the tank crews best guard against determined individual attack with Molotovs and grenades ? Again, there is the viewpoint of the troops opposed to the tank attack, because members of armoured units must also know how to deal with the enemy’s mechanical dinosaurs should they become separated from their own during the stress of battle. Is it better to oppose tanks from fixed strongpoints or small mobile posts? Can the individual soldier lying doggo in the darkness while the flares are up get to effective close quarters in the ensuing gloom? What advantage can be taken of the tanks’ own flares to get them in the sights of an anti-tank gun ? . . Theory balanced against practice is the daily keynote of tank training, training which has added a force of real fighting strength to the Army of New Zealand.