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Waikato Times, Volume 196, Issue 22547, 4 January 1945, Page 4

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MORE THAN 2000 MEN MIDDLE EAST PARTY (By Telegraph.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Wednesday More than 2000 New Zealand Expeditionary Force personnel and 96 members of the Royal New Zealand Air Force were among the passengers on a ship which arrived at Wellington today after a protracted yoyage. They; w6re welcomed officially. Included in the party t were several Waacs, canteen workers, and wives and children of New Zealand personnel serving overseas. There were also some members of the Forestry Unit who have served in Britain and the Middle East. In welcoming the men the actingPrime Minister, the Hon. W. Nash, expressed the regret of the Government that the arrival of the draft had been delayed over the festive season. Major H. T. W. Nolan, who served with the headquarters of the Divisional Artillery, 2nd N.Z.E.F., said the most notable contribution of the New Zealand Artillery was that it was probably the first to adopt the present system of a divisional barrage, as against firing by three independent regiments. This was introduced. by the brigadiers concerned during the battle for Egypt. The practice had led to the immense barrages subsequently put up to support a big attack. First at El Alamein The first such barrage was fired at El Alamein on October 23, 1942. If an attack was being put on in which the New Zealanders were participating, they supplied the trace, or plan of fire, for the whole troops engaged. The New Zealand Divisional Artillery had probably seen more action than any other artillery formation of the British Army. Comparing British and German artillery Major Nolan said that the latter practically did not exist in the early stages of the war. The Germans were then largely putting their faith in dive-bombers. They used very few large concentrations of artillery, whereas the British, including the New Zealanders, employed tremendous concentrations. The Germans had one gun, the 170 mm., which was a fine weapon. It had a high velocity shell which rose before it could be heard coming, resulting in a great moral effect on those being attacked. What artillery shooting the Germans did was accurate. Artillery and Dive-bombing As to the merits of dive-bombing and artillery, a predicted artillery shoot was deadly in its accuracy, whereas dive-bombing could be very inaccurate. Every time prisoners were questioned after an attack they complained of the effect of artillery barrages and how dazed they were. The Germans were tough fighters and had to be dug out of every position. The area where the fighting was taking place in Italy was probably the finest defensive country in the world, said Captain D. R. Plumtree, M.M., and Lieutenant H. Falwasser (brother of A. Falwasser, the All Black), both of New Plymouth. The topography abounded in natural obstacles, and in winter the w r eather conditions combined to make tough going. The German troops there were a mixture of first-class and not so good, but wherever the New Zealanders were, the good troops seemed to be Opposite them. Young Germans taken prisoner still thought their country would win. The older men had “had it.”