New Zealand Herald, 4 January 1945 BACK FROM WAR OVER 2000 SOLDIERS ARRIVAL AT WELLINGTON STORIES OF MIDDLE EAST (P. A.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday More than 2000 New Zealand Expeditionary Force personnel and 96 members of the Royal New Zealand Air Force were among the passengers on a ship which arrived at Wellington today after a protracted voyage. They were welcomed officially. Included in the party were several Waacs, canteen workers, and wives and children of New Zealand personnel serving overseas. There were also some members of the Forestry Unit who have served in Britain and the Middle East. In welcoming the men on behalf of the Prime Minister. Mr Fraser, the acting-Prime Minister, Mr Nash, expressed the regret of the Government that the arrival of the draft had been delayed over the festive season. He also expressed the gratitude of the Government and the people for the great work the men had done. Chinese Appreciation Just before the transport reached New Zealand, Lieutenant-Colonel Harper was handed a letter by one of the many Chinese on board, expressing appreciation of the friendship they bad cultivated with the New Zealanders during the voyage. The letter referred to the common task of the Allied Pacific countries. We, a group of Chinese students, are sent by our Government for advanced studies, in the hope that we might, after our return, contribute to the post-war reconstruction of China to make the Pacific Ocean really pacific and the world secure for democracy. There must be ahead of us an infinite future of collaboration if the light of human brotherhood is not to fail, and the philosophy of a one-world cosmopolitanism is to survive, they said. Artillerys Contribution Although the story had to be coaxed out of him. and then only in answer to questions, Major H. T. W. Nolan, who served with the headquarters of the Divisional Artillery. 2nd N.Z.E.F., said the most notable contribution of the New Zealand Artillery was that it was probably the first to adopt the present system of a divisional barrage, as against firing by three independent regiments. This was introduced by the brigadiers concerned during the battle for Egypt. The practice had led to the immense barrages subsequently put up to support a big attack. The first such barrage was fired at El Alamein on October 23, 1942. If an attack was being put on in which the New Zealanders were participating, they supplied the trace, or plan of fire, for the whole troops engaged. The New Zealand Divisional Artillery had probably seen more action than any other artillery formation of the British Army. Notable Divisions Others which had been notable were the 4th Indian Division, the 50th Division, and the 7th Armoured Division. Brigadier Miles was the first, commanding officer of the Divisional Artillery (He was later captured and escaped to Spain, where he died), then Brigadier C. F. Weir (now Major-Genera commanding a British unit), and now Brigadier R. Queree. The last-named two had been exceptionally young commanders. Comparing British and German artillery Major Nolan said that the latter practically did not exist in the early stages of the war. The Germans were then largely putting their faith in dive bombers. They used very few large concentrations of artillery, whereas the British.. including the New Zealanders, employed tremendous concentrations. Fine German Gun The Germans had one gun, the 170 mm. which was a fine weapon. It had a high velocity shell which rose before it could be heard coming, resulting in a great moral effect on those being attacked. What artillery shooting the Germans did was accurate. As to the merits of dive-bombing and artillery, a predicted artillery shoot was deadly in its accuracy, whereas dive-bombing could be very inaccurate. Every time prisoners were questioned after an attack they complained of the effect of artillery barrages and how dazed they were. The Germans were tough fighters and had to be dug out of every position. Major Nolan, who is 28, left New Zealand with the Second Echelon in May. 1940. as a subaltern. He had previously held a territorial commission with the 18th Battery at Auckland. From January to August, 1944, he attended the Staff College at Camberley, England, two officers having been selected for this from the New Zealand Division. Defensive Country The area where the fighting was taking place in Italy was probably the finest defensive country in the world, said Captain D.R. Plumfree, M.M.. and Lieutenant H. Falwasser (brother of A. Falwasser. the All Black), both of New Plymouth. The topography abounded in natural obstacles, and in winter the weather conditions combined to make tough going. The German troops there were a mixture of first-class and not so good, but wherever the New Zealanders were, the good troops seemed to be opposite them. Young Germans taken prisoner still thought their country would win. The older men had had it. Bulldozer in Warfare Warrant-Officer (II.) Colin Wilson, B.E.M., of Whangarei. spoke of the bulldozer in warfare. His unit of engineers was equipped with these machines. They went ahead of tanks over blasted country, filling up holes and brushing aside demolition debris and abandoned vehicles lying in the line of advance. Whereas, in other times, scores of men with picks and shovels would have been clearing a track, one bulldozer with one driver did the job. often under fire. Many drivers had been decorated. He recalled the admiration of the infantry at Castle Hill, during the Monte Cassino battle, as they watched a solitary bulldozer clearing a track under heavy shell fire.
Posted on: Sat, 03 Jan 2015 11:43:07 +0000
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