NO BEATEN ARMY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 June 1941, Page 5

NO BEATEN ARMY

DEFENDERS OF CRETE CHEERED IN EGYPT TALES OF DIRE PERIL. & HARDSHIP. GRATITUDE TO THE NAVY. i By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) .(Received This Day. 11.15 a.m.) ALEXANDRIA, June 2. “Almost unbelievable scenes of enthusiasm were witnessed in a Middle East port today as shipload after shipload of New Zealand, Australian and British troops arrived from Crete,” says an Australian war correspondent. “It was from the same port over twenty-six years ago, that the original Anzacs and British troops left for their great adventure. It was to that port today that their sons returned, after efforts just as forlorn and gallant. The returning men were cheered right down the harbour, nor was the cheering directed to them alone. Every man back in Egypt is fully conscious that it was the heroism and personal sacrifice of the Navy that made his evacuation even remotely possible. The men all bore evident traces of the ordeal they had been through. A score of units were intermingled, but this was no demoralised ‘or beaten army. Nearly every man was still armed and all leapt to the command of their officers swiftly as they filed into trains and trucks. Soon all were on their way to clean clothes, baths and every comfort that can possibly be devised for an army. All had the same tale to tell of bitter fighting and a nightmare march across the island, with never a let up from air attack. NEW ZEALAND REARGUARD. “ ‘We walked for three nights and hid in the hills in the daytime,’ said an Australia. ‘We were hungry, lousy and worn out, but kept going. For miles there was a constant stream of soldiers making for evacuation points, while not far behind New Zealanders were fighting a terrific rearguard action. The New Zealanders were relieved by Australians, who fought it right out and held the Germans back all day. They bombed and machine-gunned us. The boys never left one wounded man behind. They commandeered donkeys when they could, or just lifted them along. Water was as precious as gold and often we punched holes in the radiators of broken-down cars and got what rusty water was left. Plenty of chaps carried it along in their tin hats. Finally we got to the coast and at 4 a.m. today waded out to our necks and were picked up by waiting boats. The sailors were marvellous and couldn’t do enough for us. Food and hot drinks were on tap all the time.’ “Tonight the men are still coming in. many of them almost too weary to lift their feet. Yet there is no air of defeat in 'the most exhausted man, but too often comes the tired refrain: 'You can’t fight an air force from the ground’.”

LAST DAYS GENERAL FREYBERG’S PLANS. TROOPS EMBARK FROM SECRET RENDEZVOUS. (Received This Day, 11 a.m.) LONDON, June 2. Major-General Freyberg directed the last battle in Crete, and the withdrawal, from a cave, says the British United Press correspondent in Cairo. The troops went to a secret rendezvous, from which they embarked nightly. GERMAN REPORT ALLEGED WILD FLIGHT. LONDON, June 2. Today’s Berlin radio stated: “The mopping-up operations are continuing in Crete according to plan. Remnants of the British units, under pressure, from the Italian and German troops, are trying to leave the island by any available means. The German troops operating on the south coast are witnessing dramatic scenes; the British, Australian and New Zealand troops in their wild flight are trying to get away in small schooners, fishing boats and rowing boats. Only a small number could be taken aboard the British warships. which were forced to leave the waters round the island because of the incessant bombing attacks. Numerous fishing boats carrying British soldiers have had to return to Crete and give themselves up.”