THROUGH GERMAN EYES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 6, Issue 98, 13 August 1943, Page 2

THROUGH GERMAN EYES

NORTH AFRICAN FIGHTING TRANSLATION FROM DIARY A translation of some extracts from the diary of a lance-corporal of tiie 104 th German Panzer Group has been received. The German soldier was eventually kiTed in action. The diary opens oil July 1, 1942. when the German soldier was. in Athens. After describing a visit to the Acropolis, "this ancient centre of Grecian culture," the writer goesoil to mention that every morning starved children were picked up on the. streets. "Ilow glad we Germans are that nothing like this happensin Germany. Jn our country nobody needs to starve. Our Fuehrer sees to that." Riding on the crest of a wave the German soldier continued past Tobruk, Sidi Barrani andd Mersa Matruh. Here the entry in the diary was,, "Had. a refreshing swim in the sea. I only wish the people at home could see their African soldiers now." The following day he wrote, "The journey continues. We kept seeing tracks of the defeated Tommies. Truck loads of prisoners pass us, going towards the rear. German bombers pass on their way to Cairo and Alexandria." Last British Resistance On July ( J lie wrote that Tommy was. making his last, savage resistance. "Lt will cost us sacrifices before we get him on the run again. Our morale, is. good, as we see before. us our final victory. Mountains of corned beef, condensed m ilk,, tinned fruit, cigarettes and biscuits fall into our hands. Tommy must still be living well." Then follows more details of the battle for Alexandria. Descriptions are given of the. Al-

lied air offensive in October. On November 8, "Enemy pressure is so strong that we have to evacuate oppositions." Tlie first fortnight of November they retreated past Sidi .Barrani and via Tobrulk to Derna. l.n Benghazi there Mere fires everywhere. The entry on November 15 was written in a changed strain. "Trucks and planes are burning. Lord help us—what is yet to come? We are under bombing and strafing attacks all the time. M.v nerve is gone. Licc ami fh;as are biting. Jt is ns well that our dear ones at, home do not know what is happening to us. Only a miracle can. save us; from death or from captivity. Oh. Africa desolate land, why have we been exiled here. Our one desire is to return to Germany." Attack on Christmas Eve On December 24 he wrote: "We made a Christmas tree out of camelthorn and celebrated Christmas. Eve. As we sang 'Silent Night, Holy Night' and 'Tannenbaum,,' our thoughts turned to our dear ones at home. We have plenty of Avinc. cakes and good things. But Tommy would not leave us in peace' even on Christmas Eve. English armoured trucks broke in and we had to man our positions." The entry of March 24 sliowed the German in despondent mood. "If it goes on like this Tommy.will soon finish us off in Africa. Our losses in men and material are heavy." The; linal entry was. made on April 1(5, "Violent enemy gunfire and bombing are taking pla:-e. In this type of country we suller many casualties."