MAORI BATTALION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 June 1941, Page 5

MAORI BATTALION

FURTHER GLORY EARNED IN CRETE VALOUR IN HAND TO HAND FIGHTING. “RIGHT AFTER IT ALL THE TIME.” (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service.) CAIRO. May 31. Once again the Maori Battalion proved itself for the bravery, initiative and hardiness of the men. In Greece they started a new and glorious page in their history, and in Crete they have added to that glory. “The best hand-to-hand fighters we have ever seen” is the opinion of troops who had watched the New Zealand Maoris in action in Crete. The Maoris preferred to abandon the European style of fighting and fight in the manner of their ancestors, and with bare steel they inflicted severe casualties almost every evening on the Hun invading parlies. One evening, near Malemi, a company of Maoris was proceeding to relieve' another New Zealand battalion when they saw a huge Dornier crash on the beach. It spewed forth a large number of troops, who disappeared under the cover of darkness into olive groves. The Maoris proceeded along the road to carry out their relief, when suddenly they found themselves ambushed. They lost six men, but their leader made a rapid decision to “fix bayonets.” In the semi-darkness the Maoris utterly exterminated at the point of the bayonet not only the troops who had landed from the Dornier. but also a large party of parachutists who had linked up with them. A pakeha officer who has been with them since the battalion's inception said: “The Maori boys put up a really wonderful show. We arc all very proud of them. They were right after it all the time.’’ After the “Greek business." he said. I hey became a trifle restless, as though they were impatient for more action, and thus when the opportunity occurred again they were more than ready for it. “Their work with the bayonet has again been magnificent. Nothing made them hesitate. They would charge at. anything, whether it was a big concen-l (ration or a small one.” This opinion was warmly confirmed by Now Zealand. Australian and British soldiers I who hold the Maori in high respect. I A. story is told of a conversation a Maori soldier had with a prisoner' l and a pakeha officer. The officer H had asked the prisoner who he thought l:

was going to win the war. The prisoner replied. "Germany of course. First, because Britain has no ships.” The Maori replied. “Yes. that’s right. Wo swam across from Greece!”