IN THE FIRST PUSH
To have taken the first New Zealand troops into action in World War 11. is the distinction enjoyed by Major G. H. Whyte, 0.8. E., E.D. Major Whyte saw service in the last War, as on N.C.0., and being the son of an officer, kept up his interest on his return when he joined the territorials as a volunteer. He very soon obtained his commission.
Major Whyte was a volunteer very soon in the present struggle. He went away in the First Echelon in command of the Reserve Motor Transport. It was this unit that conveyed the British Infantry to within a hundred yards of the Italian lines to start Sir Richard O'Connor's sensational drive through Libya early in December, 1940. The New Zealand R.M.T. drivers were not going to be out of anything that was going and they hopped out of their vehicles to join the infantry storming party. Major Whyte was in the midst of it all the time.
In our Brigade there are two officers who were N.C.O's in the R.M.T. on that day. They are Lieutenant R. L. Dow and Lieutenant H. Peake. They were a sergeant and corporal respectively then, but both men gained their commissions after the Greek campaign. Major Whyte was awarded his 0.8. E. for his services in charge of the R.M.T. in this first Libyan push.
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Bibliographic details
Dragon, 1 December 1942, Page 11
Word Count
229IN THE FIRST PUSH Dragon, 1 December 1942, Page 11
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