GLAD TO BE TAKEN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 July 1942, Page 4

GLAD TO BE TAKEN

ITALIAN PRISONERS IN EGYPT CAPTURES BY WELLINGTON BATTALION. SUPPOSEDLY CRACK ENEMY TROOPS. (Official War Correspondent with the N.Z.E.F.) CAIRO, July 6. A delayed despatch, dated Western Desert, July 3, says: Dirty, unshaved and frightened the enemy threw up their hands and climbed out of holes this morning, as the men of the Wellington Battalion followed up our 25--■-pcunders in an attack on the Ariete Division. There were nearly 400 of them —so-called crack Italian infantry, Bersaglieri. I watched them coming into the prisoner collecting post, first in our trucks, then in their big Lancias, driven by New Zealanders. A tall, bespectacled ex-Rhodes Scholar New Zealander questioned them thus: “Thirsty?”—“No.” “Hungry?”—“No.” “Tired?" —“Yes.” Then, in an incredible gabble, they told how frightened they were, frightened by our bombers and'fighters and above all by our artillery. “We thought we might get killed so we surrendered,” said one simply. “I did not want to go to war or to harm anyone.” Many were dressed in British shirts, shorts and boots and all were smoking British cigarettes. One thought he was going to be shot and, because of this, he wept, prayed and sobbed during the counting, and when dismissed kissed the hands of the New Zealand officers. “Your flak was very good,” said a Stuka pilot who was shot down by a Hurricane and finished off by a New Zealand Bofors, after bombing the New Zealand headquarters. A young and good-looking typical Nazi, he bombed French and British soldiers in the Flanders campaign and New Zealanders in Crete; also in Russia. ANOTHER COUP BROUGHT OFF BY NEW ZEALAND TROOPS. (Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.) CAIRO, July 6. Once again the New Zealanders brought off a spectacular coup oh Saturday night, when a battle group commanded by a Rangiora brigadier surprised and routed the Italian Pavia Division. Again the New Zealanders felt their way cautionsaly across the desert until they were within close range. They charged with the bayonet. Many prisoners and eight guns were captured. Correspondents returning from the front pay the greatest tributes to the New Zealanders. One of them said: “Tell the world the New Zealanders are the grandest possible blokes. The New Zealanders are going in full of beans and have heartened everyone tremendously. In the last few days they have dealt blows that must have made the enemy think twice.”