The desert at first was much broken by wadis and escarpments. Anti-tank guns moving on the flanks were frequently out of sight of the rest of the convoy for several minutes at a time. After turning west about Raqabet el Retem the convoy had negotiated an escarpment on to more even going over a stony stretch of open desert when a formation of Stukas bombed the columns of vehicles. As soon as the raid began the convoy halted and men jumped down and lay on their backs to engage the planes. However, the recoil of a rifle on a lightly-clad collar-bone in this unusual type of prone position was sharply felt and after their first shot most men quickly assumed a sort of squatting posture before taking further action. No enemy planes were destroyed but the men felt much better after a few angry if doubtfully aimed shots, which definitely helped to boost morale. The battalion's casualties were one man killed and six wounded. Brigade Headquarters' losses were serious, those killed including the new Brigade Commander, Brigadier John Gray of 18 Battalion, and the Brigade Major, Major Brian Bassett, while a Maori Battalion liaison officer later died of wounds. In the Maori Battalion Captain E. R. Chesterman, an ex-20th officer, was amongst those killed. Altogether the brigade group lost 24 killed and 41 wounded in this raid. Colonel Burrows and the others in his staff car had had a narrow escape when the bombs fell, one passenger, Private Paterson of the intelligence section, being killed. -Official History of 20 Battalion.
KILLED IN ACTION
Private Derek Paterson
Private Derek Paterson, younger son of Mrs Paterson and the late Dr. C. A. Paterson, Sefton Street, who has been killed in action, was born at Pleasant Point on November 29, 1918. He was educated at Timaru Boys’ High School, and on completing his education he joined the Timaru Branch of the Bank of New South Wales. At the end of a year he was transferred to Gore, where he remained for six months. He was then stationed on the Bank’s new premises in George Street. Dunedin, where he was serving at the time he enlisted. Private Paterson took a very keen interest in tennis and golf, and while in Timaru was secretary of the Timaru Tennis Club for a year He enjoyed considerable success at golf while residing in Dunedin.
Private Paterson was of a quiet unassuming disposition, and was extremely popular. His brother. Private Charles Paterson, is a prisoner of war in Germany. -Timaru Herald, 25/7/1942.
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