ENEMY PLUNDER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 52, 13 May 1942, Page 5

ENEMY PLUNDER

CAIRO, Feb. 21. Cases and cases of champagne, hogshead of brandy, gallons and gallons of Chianti, liquersi and vermouths galore. And all about, as far as the eye could see, nothing but desert. Believe it or not, that was but part of the sight that greeted the New Zealand Divisional Cavalry regiment! when it raided one enemy position in. Libya. Out on a job of scouring for enemy fn the desert wastes near the Mediterranean coast, the regiment came upon a large German column. In' the face of superior numbers, the New Zelandcrs moved back and lured the unsuspecting enemy to a position occupied by Maori troops. Taken by surprise the Germans withdrew hastened by ~a withering fire from our machine guns and antitank guns, and after a fierce bayonet charge by the Maoris, leaving behind more than 200 of their dead on the ground. One hundred and twenty others threw down their arms in

surrender. In the big dump of supplies that fell to our men were hundreds, of thermos flasks, cookers, cases, of crockery and cutlery, cases of gin and even women's underclothing. Just how these and pairs of brand new silk stockings that would: have gladdened the he-arts of our womenfolk in New Zealand -cam© to be there, is not revealed. But even more was found to show that the German likes to* fight this desert war in comfort. Hewn from a hillside and tucked away well into the rock, was a bar completely equipped even to wooden stools. Its shelves held a wide variety of drinks vmd over the doorway for all the world to read was a painted notice "Senussi Bar." To our men,, weary from the jolting of furious driving over the roughness of the desert, with many days' dust thick caked on their faces and with throats that for long had lacked liquor, the sight was one tha* will not soon be forgotten. But time was short. A job of work, still more lighting, had to be done. The liquor and the other supplies were destroyed and the unit drove on.