MET ROMMEL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 4, 6 January 1944, Page 4

MET ROMMEL

REFUSED TO SALUTE BRIGADIER HARGEST’S STORY I (Special Correspondent—N.Z.P.A.) Reed. 9.35 p.m. Rondon, Jan. 4. 5 How he nearly shot up Rommel's s headquarters and later nad a talk I with Rommel was told me by Bri- » gadier J. Hargest, who was taken . prisoner at Siui Aziez. airfield, near I Bardia, in November, 1941. I Recently a.rived in London, t>n- ’ gadier Hargest was commanding the Filth Brigade, defending the airfield. They wete swamped by the German advance, becoming an ' island” in the midst ol the stream of advancing panzers. Nevertheless, the New Zealanders continued tiring, hitting tanks and ■ trucks. Brigadier Hargest decided that lhe guns should keep a reserve supply of 40 shells apiece io light the final German attack against them, which they knew must come. Not long afterwards a mass of tanks appeared coming straight at the New Zealanders, who returned the tire. It was decided, however, that this was not the main attack and that the reserve shells should be maintained. Actually it was Rommel’s Headquarters, which Brigadier Hargest discovered when taken . prisoner. A British officer who was a prisoner in Rommel's headquarters said: ’’We were mighty glad wnen you stopped firing at us. It was too hot.” Brigadier Hargest’s “island" had no chance against the advancing Germans, who shelled it to piecesand tnen over-ran it with tanks. One tank came at Brigadier Hargest with a gun pointing straight at him, but, he said, ■1 was hanged if 1 was going to put up my hands. 1 shoved them in my pockets and just stood there, and at me last moment the tank sheered ott trom me and went straight over a slit trench in which there were two ol my men. 't hey were unharmed.” Brigadier Hargest was eventually taken prisoner by General Kramer, who was most generous in his praise ot the way in wnich tne New Zealanders loughi, treated him with punctilious politeness, and asked him to retain his revolver—but when General Kramer was not looking it was quickly whipped ott him by a soldier. Later Brigadier Hargest was taken to see Rommel. He entered the tent thinking, “I’m hanged it 1 am going to salute this fellow,” so he boweo stifny from the waist towards Rommel. Rommel, cold and austere, did not like this, and an interpreter told Brigadier Hargest that Rommel expected him to salute. Brigadier Hargest replied: “I do not salute enemy officers. I only salute the superior officers ot my own army.” Rommel then sad: "Your men fight well.” Brigadier Hargest said: “Yes, out your tanks were too much tor us.” Rommel replied: “But you have tanks.” “Yes,” said Brigadier Hargest, "but not here.” Rommel retorted: "Then perhaps my men are better after all.” Brigadier Hargest requested that he might be allowed to keep his personal belongings in his car, to which Rommel willingly agreed. That ended the interview, but Brigadier Hargest never saw a stitch. He was taken trom Bardia to Benghazi in an Italian submarine. Its commander had married an Auckland girl. Brigadier Hargest had a high regard for him as an efficient commander. He had escaped routri Africa trom the British in the Red S a. He treated Brigadier Hargest very well, saying: “Well, you can't do much harm here so we may as well be friends.” When the submarine surfaced at night the commander said: “Well, I suppose you would like to hear the 8.8. C. news.” Brigadier Hargest warmly agreed and the commander said: "So would I,” and switched.it in.

Brigadier Hargest heard later that this Italian did not return from his next trip.

The next part of the Brigadier's journey was by motor torpedo-boat trom Benghazi to Italy. The M.T.B. was providing escort for a merchantman. Brigadier Hargest said: “Conditions aboard were directly the reverse ot those on the submarine. The commander was an unpleasant individual and every single member of the crew had the wind up badly. When the merchantman was torpedoed we saw members of the Italian crew leaving in the ship’s boats, not worrying about the hundreds of passengers, most of whom were saved, due, w»e heard, to the efforts of a German officer.” When they reached port there was an alarm and every ship began tiring at an aircraft. Brigadier Hargest, standing behind a Breda-gun, saw shells apparently going into the aircraft, which suddenly swept overhead. Then they saw it was German. When Brigadier Hargest commented on this the commander replied: "Well, it might not have been. We had to fire at it just the same.” Brigadier Hargest was at the Sulmona camp for a time and later was moved to Florence. The guards were jumpy and outnumbered the prisoners by about four to one. Brigadier Hargest and Brigadier Miles were two of the very few prisoners who escaped, such a strict watch was kept Brigadier Hargest arrived in Switzerland as a businessman. He stayed there some ‘time, spending a few weeks haymaking and visiting farms. He was greatly impressed with the Swiss, whom he much admires. The details of Brigadier Hargest’s escape cannot, of course, be made known until after the war. but it can be stated that at one period ne was dressed as a workingman, with boots so big that three pairs ot socks made no difference to his comfort. Another time he slugged parcels for the Germans. Once he worked while a German armed sentry stood smoking a cigarette and occasionally staring at him. Eventually the sentry went and a neutral who was working with Brigadier Hargest mopped his hrow and spat at a notice in German to relieva his feelings. Another time Brigadier Hargest had to stay in a room for 12 hours waiting. It was a most trying period, but when the sentries appeared he feigned sleepiness. There was also a time when civil police tried to bully him. Brigadier Hargest stood it for six hours and then in French told them bluntly that if anything happened to him they would answer personally. They released him soon afterwards.

Brigadier Hargest is having a busytime in London but accompanied Mr. \V. J. Jordan on several visits to servicemen. He went last week to visit the No. 75 (Hjew Zealand) Bomber Squadron. He hopes to see the squadron taking off and returning from an operation. It is also his ambition to have a flight in a Mosquito.