NEW ZEALAND LEFT HOOK

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 200, 22 May 1944, Page 5

NEW ZEALAND LEFT HOOK

Thursday’s Tank Attack LONDON, May 19. A New Zealand armoured unit participated with British troops in cutting the road, to and mapping up at Cassino. reports Reuter’s correspondent at Allied headquarters in Italy. Squadrons of New Zealand tanks which participated in the main battle to encircle Cassino and the monastery went into action for the first time in the present offensive on Wednesday. when they carried out one of their left hooks which won them fame in the African campaign, says the Exchange Telegraph agency’s correspondent at Cassino. In a drive along Highway 6 the New Zealanders supported the British infantry and by the last light on Wednesday had dominated a vital section of the highway leading from Cassino. Yesterday morning the New Zealanders moved against Cassino, but when they arrived it was all over. The New Zealand commander radioed to headquarters: “Germans are leaving Cassino with white flags. It's all over,-boys. Brew up.” Cassino fell to New Zealand tanks and British infantry 21 minutes after the direct attack on the main strongpoints of the town went in from the Liri Valley yesterday morning, says an N.Z.E.F. war correspondent. For the first time since the New Zealanders’ assault on Cassino began over two months ago, hardly a shot was fired in the town or along the slopes of Monastery Ridge behind it. At the time of writing, he said, it was not known which way the enemy went, but it was obvious as soon as the attack began that their defences were only thinly held. Tank Crews’ Long Wait.

The main armoured striking force was the same Wellington formation- which crossed the Rapido River into the Liri Valley soon after the Eighth Army’s attack began, and it included some of the tank crews who fought through the New Zealanders’ infantry assault on Cassino. Inside the town and in a strongpoint about the railway station were three, other groups of New Zealand tanks, ready to support the attack and fire on any movement in German-held buildings. These tanks had been continuously manned through the long lull while the Eighth Army’s attack was being prepared. Through weeks of heavy shelling and mortar fire, when they could not retaliate, their crews remained at their unenviable posts. So tense was the atmosphere in Cassino during this period that some of the relieving crews had to creep across the rubble wearing sandshoes to get to their tanks. All day, and often at night, they had to stay hidden, eating and sleeping in their tanks or in pits under them.