EL ALAMEIN ATTACK

Camp News, Volume 4, Issue 157, 15 January 1943, Page 3

EL ALAMEIN ATTACK

Wounded Men’s Stories Men who took part in the early stages of the Eighth Army’s push at El Alamein and have now returned wounded to the Dominion are loud in praise of the support given by the Allied air forces in the battle. “We seldom saw a Jerry,'’ said one of the men, “but we saw squadron after squadron of our own planes passing to and fro overhead as they carried out strafing attacks on the enemy. We used to count the numbers in the squadrons as they went forward, and counted them again on the way back. That told us they were encountering little effective opposition in their work.” Another man said that the position in rhe air had been greatly aided by a useful happening a week or so before the attack. The German aerodromes had been drenched with rain and their planes bogged down. While they were in this condition, they were caught by our bombers, working from better cared for aerodromes, and smashed up. It was probable, the soldier said, that reports of large numbers of aeroplanes found by the advancing troops on landing grounds captured from the enemy, told of the aeroplanes destroyed under these conditions. “The American Sherman tanks arc honeys,” said another returned man. “They are much better than the Genera' Grants and have been doing some wonderful work.” The same man, an anti-tank gunner, said the organization of the attack was excellent. His gun had more ammunition available than before, and if one gun was knocked out a replacement seemed to come from nowhere immediately, • transport and supply being so plentiful and well-arranged. He was only two days in the attack before receiving his wound, the top of his skull being creased by a bullet, and his great regret is that he can not drink any New ■ Zealand beer now he is back as it is against medical instructions. The noise made by the artillery in the barrage which opened the attack, he says, was terrific. Anyone who was not there could not imagine the din of the 800 or »o guns in action. “Our battery,” he said, “advanced through the gun lines as they were firing, and they were magnificent to watch.” This anti-tank gunner also tells of an experience he had during some fluid tank engagements. His gun was caught between the opposing tanks, and things got very hot while it lasted. Among those who returned was an officer of a New Zealand railway operating unit. He says that from what he heard — he had been in hospital since the spring of last year; the railway units were hard at work as the Eighth Army advanced restoring the' railway line, which before the retreat last year had almost reached Tobruk. The line had been wrecked by our men during the retirement, but the Germans restored it and were using Diesel engines to draw supplies forward to their lines at El Alamein. The R.A.F. then wrecked it . again, and it has to be re stored again • for our own use now it has been recaptured. The officer stated that only one locomotive was left behind in the retreat last year. That could not be moved through damage, and was blown up before the Germans captured it.