DESERT TACTICS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 January 1941, Page 6

DESERT TACTICS

ADVANCED training OF N.Z. TROOPS i REALISTIC BATTLE PRACTICE. WITH ARTILLERY IN ACTION. : ; i From the Official War Correspondent - with the N’.Z.E.F. in the Middle FastJ ■j CAIRO. January 21. Il New Zealand infantrymen moved < j today in extended battle formation across the wide bed of a desert valley, d with high-explosive and smoke shells d whistling over their heads and mail chine-gun bullets peppering the ground ■ ahead of them. This was the most realistic exercise our troops in Egypt • have yet carried out. being a new i phase in the advanced training programme, bringing the force within ■ striking distance of real action. The even: was not a mere demonstration fund live shoot for battalion, cnmjxiny I and platoon commanders. It was a ; less of tactical skill for the men and a lesson through experience of the way in which artillery and machine-gun lire it designed to make their progress easier and in which they can use this assistance to the best advantage. It gave them a vivid illustration of the importance of such factors as cover. . timing and wind direction, and furtherj more brought home something of the j atmosphere and din <.f battle. j Tin attack was directed at throe j poitiL where fairly heavy cih-nty rei sistrmce was supposed to have "been ; encountered While the infantry lay j undt-t cover, artillery firing overhead ; put a screen of white smoke across i the enemy positions and machine-guns j were set up at the flank and ahead lof the troops and accurately-placed > high-<-xplo«fvv shell-; began to shatter ; the strongholds and bullets fenced i them off with spurts of dust. As the ; ini.irlry advanced, when the barrage I liiTod. they used mortal’s eiTeciivoly , and pushed through a smoky haze to ; their final objectives