FIGHTING ITALY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 8, Issue 3, 29 August 1944, Page 5

FIGHTING ITALY

NEW ZEALANDERS IN ACTION

LIEUT. H. L. HEATLEY WRITES

Interesting extracts dealing vvitli the New Zealanders. in Italy aie contained in a letter written- by Lieut. H. L. Heatley of the Public Relations Service at present on active service in Caesar's own country. Lieut. Heatley was formerly a member of the staff of the BEACON, and doubtless will be well remembered in. that capacity by many Whakataneans. At the time of. writing the Allies were engaged in the front of Florence. Speaking of khi* action, Lieut. Heatley says:—

"I have just returned -from Hie front Avherc our troops are engaged in front of Florence. Ht is- a hard slogging match up there with progress, as in the last war measured in terms, of yards. There is also something of the last war about the appearance of the odd farmhousereduced to rubble by bombing or shell fire—the real Bruce Brirnsfather touch in fact.

The country north of Rome is more open and less mountainous than that further south. Every bit is cultivated, too with maize patches and orchards and all over the courir. tryside haymaking is going on. Very much like New Zealand, it iff hard to realise, at times that one is not travelling through the Waikato. One part of. the road where it skirts Lake Bolsena is. absolutely iden'ical with that stretch from Lake Rotorua into that town."

Another interesting point concerning an Auckland battalion is also mentioned. Lieut. Heatley saj's that through glasses, he witnessed an ac> tion by a company of an Auckland battalion in which it was very likely there were a number of Bay ro«m. This particular company, he states, used to consist almost entirely o( Bay of Plenty men.

Speaking of the large amov.nJ. of country which is covered daily by our troops, Lieut. Heatley says:-—

"Coming back last night it occurred to me again how casually one now takes a 200-niiles road trip. Wo have had so much of it over fche last three years that it is now commonplace. Where in New Zealand such a move meant overhauling the car, taking a week's provisions aboard, saying goodnbye. to all one's friends, paying all the bills:, and catching up on the insurance premiums now.you do it without hotting an eyelid. Perhaps that expression is strictly not correct because in the Italian countryside at the moment you have to keep your eyelids batting continuously. Dust lies thickly where demolitions make necessary detour? over uncovered ground."

In 'Conclusion t he says that there is wonderful spirit of optimism obtaining everywhere and with the news from all fronts so surprisingly good, it is generally felt that the end of the war is comparatively close.