EERIE BATTLE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 174, 25 July 1942, Page 6

EERIE BATTLE

infantry v. tanks

NIGHT ENGAGEMENT

N.Z.E.I-. Official War Correspondent. THI-] DESERT, July 23. In a sandy depression lit by German flares and the flashes of machine-guns a battle more eerie ,1 l a " Crete was fought, on the night ot the* 21st. by South Island infantry against twelve German tanks.

The objective of the battalion was a depression where the Germans had dug in opposite the New Zealand lines in the southern sector. The two leading companies advanced tnrough shell and mortar lire and then (harmed in yelling and firing. Ihe position was not held heavily by infantry, and the Germans were soon rounded up or killed. Tanks, some of them heavy Mark IV. s, opened fire with Spandau guns across the depression. One company split up, disorganised. Two Tanks Out Patrols sought the tanks with stick bombs and accounted for two. Others came out of their holes inside the depression, shot up flares and sprayed the area with fire constantly. One swung its turret round and kept, the gun firing all the time. Others, moving so slowly as to be almost soundless, kept the area bright with their Verey lights. They shot at the slightest movement. Most of the troops managed to dig some shelter and many were able to sleep. Others out patrolling sought to destroy two big guns and tanks with bombs, but found that enemy machine-guns further up prevented them. A third tank was stopped by a two-inch mortar fired at the tracks. Efforts to bring up anti-tank guns were prevented by lack of communications and the transport missing the cleared track through the minefield. A truck, bringing reserve anti-tank grenades and sticky bombs, was hit )>y a shell while crossing a minefield It exploded and flamed fiercely. The Germans used the light to fire on other transport. R.A.F. planes bombing the Germans a few hundred yards away, used flares which also lit up the a rea. Companion Was German ! One company commander who lay beside a soldier when fired on by a tank was amazed * a few minutes later to find he was a German, who got up and ran, later falling, shot by the tanks' fire. About 1 a.m. the area quietened down, but efforts to bring up antitank weapons were still unsuccessful. About 4 a.m. many tanks were heard moving to the east and west. The westward tanks were German, the eastward ones were British moving up but still a long way off. Efforts to contact the flank of the battalion failed, and the battalion , commander decided to send the remnants of the two leading companies back, and to hold the ridge further : east with the reserve company, which was practically untouched. All the wounded were collected, and the battalion withdrew. By 5.30 they were holding the position. British Tanks Came Up British tanks came up later, and, led by the battalion commander, the company moved forward with them to the depression. Three-inch mortars of the Auckland Battalion cooperated and covered the area with fire. All but tw6 German tanks had withdrawn, but these, trying to dodge the New Zealand mortar fire, were t up by General Grants and royed. Our mortars also destroyed erman petrol dump. he battalion then withdrew and • rganised. It was found that aaltles had not been numerous.