DEADLY GUNNERY

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 292, 8 September 1942, Page 5

DEADLY GUNNERY

New Zealanders Repel Several Attacks (Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.) WESTERN DESERT, September 5. Several determined attacks by German and Italian infantry, in one case with strong tank support, were repelled by the New Zealand troops on Friday afternoon. The first attack came at about 1 o’clock, when men of the Wellington Battalion saw advancing on them a large body of infantry, accompanied by 15 medium Italian tanks. All except four of the tanks remained in. a depression, while the others went forward with the infantry, their guns blazing furiously. The enemy was supported by heavy artillery aud mortar fire. Then the. New Zealand guns came into action, with a terrific barrage of such accuracy that the enemy’s supporting troops aud armour were forced to disperse. For 20 minutes our artillery rained shells among the enemy, and afterward, continued to harass them.

Meanwhile, the forward enemy troops, who had advanced to within about 300 yards of our lines, were hotly engaged with machineguns and small arms fire. The four tanks halted, but the crews were sniping till they were killed and the tanks were destroyed by anti-tank fire. The attack was a complete, failure, and within half an hour those left of the enemy withdrew. , '■ , Only a few hours, later an advance by enemy tanks, armoured cars, and infantry was broken up by heavy artillery fire before it had progressed far, and the efforts from that direction, were not repeated. Farther to the, west attempts were made to rush positions held by a South Island battalion without success. The enemy advanced to close quarters, but fell, back iu the face of heavy fire. Last night was fairly quiet,-, but this morning our forward positions are being shelled consistently, with little effect. Air raids have continued, but on a greatly reduced scale. ■ Crouching low and moving silently, the Maoris who participated in Thursday night’s attack caused havoc among the enemy when they sprang among them in their weapon pits. Those Italians who had time to surrender did so with alacrity, but the Germans resisted till they were killed or captured. The casualties inflicted on the enemy are now known to be much heavier than was at first thought. During the height of the battle a transport officer driving a truck was stopped by the command, "Hands up,” delivered in an obviously foreign accent. “Hands up yourself,” yelled the officer, and was Surprised when immediately a number of Italians came forward unarmed, and without bidding climbed into the back of the truck to be taken off as prisoners.