N.Z. MEDICAL SERVICES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 18, 27 October 1942, Page 6

N.Z. MEDICAL SERVICES

FUNCTION WELL ON BATTLEFIELD Battle casualties among the New Zealanders arc receiving early treatment as a result of the policy of the N.Z. medical services: which arc maintaining the closest jjossible contact with divisional units. This means quick and frequent, moves while stll maintaining the necessary facilities for treatment. Never before have the New Zealanders; been so well equipped with ambulances and this has made possible the rapid evacuation of the wounded and their early treatment for shock by means of blood transfusions and the use of intravenous fluid. In cases of extreme emergency this can be done at the regimental aid posts which function on the battlefield itself. Most of tire ambulances are also equipped for the same purpose. During the present, phase of the campaign one regimental aid post was captured and placed under Italian guards. A favourable opportunity for escape occurred and the Italians were found, to be only too ready to participate. Twenty four hours after their capture the New Zealand medical officer and his orderlies arrived back in our lines bringing with them their erstwhile guards. Although they were a noncombatant unit, over 100 Italians had surrendered to them and were rounded up by our tanks. Ambulances, too, work right in the thick of th'rngs. The New Zealanders have been fortunate in having the help of a number of ambulances from, the American Field. Service. As is the ease with the New Zealand drivers, the Americans are always ready and anxious to work well forward. They fit in very well with the scheme of things and are very popular with our troops. •*

MACHINE GUNNERS DOGGED DEFENCE As a German armoured force was attacking the New Zealand line on Ruweisat Ridge, a Hawke's Bay ma-chine-gunner selected an armoured car as his target. He fired belt after belt of ammunition against it and his gun was still blazing when the enemy vehicle closed, in until it had to depress its own gun to reply to his fire. Still the machine-gunner kept up his fire and when it was almost upon him the armoured car turned and withdrew. The action of •this gunner was typical of the dogged resistance of the men of this North Island machine-gun company whose guns, with a few anti-tank ! guns, were the heaviest weapons j that could be brought to bear in close support of the infantry defending the ridge. From the time their light gun trucks mounted the vidgc early in the morning until their positions were over-run by the enemy armour late in the afternoon, the machinegunners were in action continuously against everything from field guns ;to infantry. The gun trucks were following the infantry on to Ruweisat when three enemy tanks supported by heavily armed try opened lire on them from the flank. The trucks turned and headed directly on to the ridge while two guns were prepared to repulse the attack. A. few seconds later their trucks stopped, the gun teams were in action raking the ridge from which the German lire proceeded. The re-

inainder of the company's guns were used to support the first attacking group with our left formation and a second attacking group which was unable to reach the ridge of enemy pockets which cut off their line of advance.

When German 88mm. guns opened up against the New Zealand positions, our machine-gunners replied to them at a range of about two thousand yards. Their fire was so effective that the German gunners were forced to withdraw. Again the machine-gunners peppered them and forced the Germans to pull their guns still further bade. AVhenever the enemy trucks and infantry came within range our machineguns went into action against them.