FALL OF BARDIA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 20659, 9 January 1942, Page 4

FALL OF BARDIA

GRAPHIC ACCOUNT RESCUED PRISONERS FAITH NEVER WAVERED (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent.) (Reed. Jan. 9. 2.15 p.m.) CAIRO, Jan. 8. Dressed in the uniforms of Germans and Italians, wearing mostly German caps, and heavily bearded after five weeks’ imprisonment, nearly 700 New Zealanders who were released when Bardia fell arrived from the Western Desert last night.

Although ill through lack of food — they were given one scanty meal a day throughout the whole five weeks in Bardia—the troops were in high spirits, laughing and joking over their experiences. The troops brough back with them Fritz, a desert dog which went through Ihe whole Libyan campaign with them. Fritz was two days old when the New Zealanders left Bagush and went through the frontier wire before the first action of the campaign started. The owner of the dog shares his bully beef with Fritz for Christmas'dinner.

The troops who returned included the Fifth Brigade headquarters, who were captured near Capuzzo on November 27, elements of the Fifth Feild Artillery, the Seventh AntiTank, the 14th Light Anti-Aircraft, the 34th Anti-Tank, the 22nd Wellington Battalian,. Divisional Signals, MachineGunners, Army Service Corps, Maoris, arid the Seventh Field Engineers.

18-Mile March in Day

The day that General Rommel’s tanks swept through the Fifth Brigade headquarters, the New Zealand prisoners were marched by the Huns 18 miles into the perimeter of Bardia defences. For 24 hours they were without food or water. Together with South Africans, Indians, and British troops they were herded in a small compound on a headland overlooking Bardia harbour. Day after day they suffered from exposure and lack of proper nourishment. Some of the troops had blankets, but a majority had only their tattered and torn battle-dress. The only protection jjiey had' from the biting wind which Swept'iii, bringing rain from the Mediterahean, was crudely built dug-outs. The troops told me that they were treated fairly well by tjie Germans who guarded them for the first few days, but were treated like pigs by the Italians who took over guard duties later. They were given a plate of macaroni and a piece of mouldy bread once a day. Their Christmas dinner consisted of synthetic rice, two packets 'of biscuits, 40 tins of bully beef, 201 b. of jam, and 101 b. of cheese among 1100 men. They were also given two caramels and a small issue of cognac. They were also given two cigarettes a day, with 10 on Christmas day. Desperate Food Shortage

With Bardia cut oil from all German lines of communication —the town was surrounded by British troops and the harbour was in possession of the British Navy—the food and water shortage soon became desperate. As the days passed, the faith of- the New Zealanders'that Bardia would be captured and'Rial %y would'‘be released never wnyered.

Then the greatest naval, air, and artillery bombardment of the Libyan campaign started. At midnight on December 30 shells started to crash in the perimeter from all sides. Great flights of bombers pounded the German defences all day. German and Italian artillery crashed back. Early on the morning of January 3 the Germans started to set alight to their ’ stores and equipment. Their artillery had been wiped out and only an occasional boom was heard. By 9 o'clock it was over. Bardia had fallen. Throughout the days and nights oi this terrific and relentless combined navy, army, and air force bombardment, shells and bombs crashed all round the compound which held our prisoners. Although shells and bombs came dangerously close and splinters flew apiong them, none in the compound was killed or wounded. One New Zealander was killed, but he was away from the compound gathering firewood when he was hit. Officers Taken Away The New Zealand divisional cavalry were the first to go to the fescue of the New Zealanders. Their Bren 'carriers were loaded with their own Christinas parcels. Divisional Cavalry troops handed over the parcels to the half-starved prisoners. The New Zealanders were full of praise for the treatment they received from the South Africans, who played a’'major pari in the Bardia attack, 'flic South African troops shared their food, water, and parcels with the New Zealanders.

Tq-day, at the base camp, the troops from Bardia ape going through a cleaning-up process. They had their first bath since' the campaign started and their first shave for five weeks, they discarded their Gerjman uniforms and once again are spick and span in British battle dress.

Brigadier J. Hargest, M.P., and his senior officers were taken from Bardia by submarine in the first few days. The troops said that 78 officers, New Zealanders, South Africans, Indians, and British, were taken from Bardia by submarine within three days. Only two officers were recaptured and' they were not New Zealanders.