BACK FROM EGYPT

Evening Star, Issue 24327, 16 October 1942, Page 2

BACK FROM EGYPT

PARTY OF WALKING WOUNDED ROMMEL’S IMPASSE (P.A.) WELLINGTON, October 15. Ariother party of New Zealand soldiers, most of them walking wounded, arrived back recently after taking part in the big battle in Egypt, and were officially welcomed! home at Wellington. When they left Egypt nearly half the casualties were stretcher cases, but when the ship tied up in New Zealand only 20 of the wounded had to be carried off. As with previous drafts, the sea voyage and the care and attention they received on board had done much to restore them to health. The Minister of Defence (Mr Jones) welcomed them back on behalf of the Government. The men, who were in the thick of the fighting during the recent German driye to Alexandria, are convinced that Marshal Rommel, with- all his skill arid weight of nien arid equipment, has gone as far east as he will go. “ The Germans are finished in the Middle East,” declared one of the returned men. “ We have him held, and unless there is a big blunder somewhere 1 think you will see him pushed back this winter,” This view was expressed with some emphasis by a member of a 25pounder crew, who said the Germans wore facing such a solid wall of our artillery that he did not think anything could stand against it. He said the New Zealanders were up near the Turkish border when the Germans attacked in Egypt, and word came to our troops to move in a hnrry. “ We were on the road without any waste of time,” he said. “ and in five days we travelled 2,000 miles.” Tile New Zealand 25-poundcrs. ho said, were verv effective aeainst the German tanks. “ Our biggest day was when wve fired 1.000 rounds. At that time we were right out on the open desert, without gunpits. They’ve got bulldozers over there now digging gunpits.” A New Zealand infantry man who was present' at the historic breakthrough at Mersa Matruh, described the episode as “ ten riiriutes of hell.” The Gerinaris were waiting for the New Zealanders, he added, and then let them have everything they had. ‘‘ .We lost a lot; of our men in those 10 miriutes,” he said. “ and I think we must have left behind many of those who jumped from their trucks to dodge the enemy shells. Coming out we got a lot of Germans, however. We just ran them down.” THE OTAGO DRAFT. When the latest draft of Otago sick and wounded men to reach New Zealand return to Dunedin the railway station will he barricaded in the vicinity of the hospital cars. The Army Department stated to-day that access to the station will be allowed only-.to next of kin in possession of passes. These passes, in turn, will be issued only to those persons in possesion of telegraphic advice to the effect that they have relatives on board the train.