AUCKLAND EFFORT

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

AUCKLAND EFFORT

PATROL'S GALLANTRY

STORMS ITALIAN POSITION (N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent) WESTERN DESERT, July 20. Grenades and Tommy guns wrecked an outpost of the Ariete Division in the southern sector of the El Alamein line last night, when a strong patrol of Hauraki and Auckland City men penetrated half a mile inside the Italian lines. They destroyed one heavy gun, three light guns and four machine-guns. One car was captured and 42 Bersaglieri recently flown to the African front were wounded or killed. A number of others were taken prisoner. A heavy concentration of New Zealand artillery and Vickers guns covered the approach of the patrol in Bren carriers at dusk. Anti-tank guns accompanied the patrol and protected it against enemy tanks. Several miles from the New Zealand lines the patrol found an Italian minefield and cleared the tracks for the carriers and infantry which advanced through a crossfire of the defences. Led by a former Auckland Rugby representative and teacher, of Whakatane, the patrol rushed the machineguns, hurling percussion grenades and firing Tommy guns. Section post after section post was cleaned up, most of the occupants surrendering quickly. Engineers with explosives blew up guns in the area, the infantry, with Mills grenades, wrecking machine-guns. Enemy tanks approached, but the patrol, with the job finished, withdrew. Two carriers, while retiring, struck mines and were abandoned. Our infantry, with prisoners they picked up, ail reached the lines again at 10.15 p.m. One man is missing, two were killed and two were wounded. These were the only casualties. The patrol commander, another Auckland Rugby representative from Otahuhu, this morning received a message from the corps commander as follows: "Congratulations. It was a good show. Very useful information gained." There was keen discussion on the lessons learned, because for many men it was their first action.