FIFTY-MILE TREK

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 173, 24 July 1942, Page 5

FIFTY-MILE TREK

N.Z. OFFICER'S ESCAPE

Dash Through Nazi Lines In

Captured Truck

N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent.

RUWEISAT RIDGE, July 21

A 50-mile trek, some of it on bare feet, and a daring dash through the German lines in a captured truck, which was being chased by enemy armoured cars, were among the experiences of a young Divisional Cavalry officer, Lieutenant Jim Logan, of Masterton, who rejoined his unit after five days in captivity. With five English officers who joined him in his escape from Sidi Barrani he sucked moisture from camelweed roots to ease his parched throat after many hours in the burning desert without food or water. Lieutenant Logan was captured a fortnight ago when his patrolling Bren carrier was ambushed on an escarpment by an outpost of heavily armed Italians. Caught between anti-tank and machine-gun fire and with grenades bursting about them, the carrier's crew were forced to surrender. The Italians took their prisoners hastily to El Daba, where they were left for two days before being taken to Mersa Matruh.

Shortly after he was separated from his men at Mersa Matruh, Lieutenant Logan made his first attempt at escape. In the darkness he became entangled in barbed wire and had to abandon his attempt. The next afternoon he was put on a truck with other officers and told that he was being taken to Tobruk to join a ship for Italy. The New Zealander had other ideas, and again he began to plan his escape. All night at- their first halt, about five miles west of Sidi Barrani, he lay awake on a low ridge awaiting his opportunity. About an hour before dawn it came. German infantry, about 50 yards away, were not watching and two sentries on the opposite ridge had walked around to talk with two on the opposite side. The New Zealander crept away into the darkness, and five English officers, one of whom had escaped ten days before, followed him. They headed south until daylight, when they hid themselves for a day in abandoned Italian trenches. Under cover of night they headed towards the road, hoping to hold up a truck. All night they trekked on, heading south again. Before daylight they sought cover and hid for another exhausting day of no water or food. After a further unsuccessful night march in search of transport they were forced to suck the scant moisture from the roots of desert weeds, so acute was their thirst. That night a startled Italian awoke in his truck to find six thirsty and bearded officers standing over him. Food and Water He was only too willing to hand over cigarettes, bread and canned potatoes, which gave the first water the men had had since their escape. None of them could start the Italian Diesel truck, so before daybreak they marched inland. Again a German staff car parked on the roadside was a prize that offered itself the following night. "We were just about to take it when we noticed it had a flat tyre " Lieutenant Logan told me to-day. "Coming away I tripped on a petrol tin about the place, and woke every Jerry in the neighbourhood, but we escaped unnoticed. "One German and one Italian with a captured British truck further along the road easily when pieces of piping, used to represent pistol barrels, were jabbed in their backs. They were left by the roadside under a blanket, their hands bound with telephone cable. Draining petrol from tanks and abandoned trucks, and drinking the water from their radiators, the officers drove south-east across the open desert towards our lines. At the end of the second day they were near positions we had occupied when the New Zealander was captured, but which had been taken over by the enemy during , , e t. cha ? ged course of our advance. Although they passed within 15 yards of an enemy convoy, the British officers in beards and Italian hats were not recognised. Chased by Armoured Cars "Once when a gun went off directly behind us we thought we had been spotted, but they were only shelling our lines" Lieutenant Logan said. They hid until dark and then made a dash towards our lines. Two armoured cars chased them, but they did not halt until they reached a friendly patrol. Even though his sandboots had worn out, and ne had covered over five miles of the trek on tore feet, Lieutenant Logan was little the worse for his experience The same day as he reached the New Zealand lines he was with his squadron again ready for more patrols.