TAKROUNA BATTLE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 June 1943, Page 3

TAKROUNA BATTLE

“Throughout the next day, in spite of heavy fire, the flanks held while in the village on the pinnacle of the rock house-to-house and hand-to-hand fighting went on. Our foothold there vastly improved our artillery position by giving valuable observation over the enemy positions and, in spite of heavy artillery fire which blasted the top of the rock, our observation post officers remained there all day to direct the fire of our guns. During the night of April 20 our line was consolidated, and the Sixth Brigade linked up with the sorely-pressed Fifth Brigade. “All night grim fighting went on in Takrauna Village and the next morning an enemy pocket was still holding out obstinately in the houses of the village. It was finally sniped by a 25pounder gun. Lower down on the west of the hill Takrouna village remained firmly held. This position was battered by the artillery all day on April

21, and toward the evening parties from the 21st and 28th Maori Battalions stormed the village, taking remnants of the garrison prisoner. Field guns, 72 machine-guns and many light machineguns and 732 prisoners were captured —a clear indication of the strength of the position.