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Sidney Holland M.P., Leader of the Opposition, accompanied by Frederick W. Doidge M.P., visited the New Zealanders serving in Italy. Mr. Holland recorded a talk about his visit to the New Zealand lines in Northern Italy. [The talk was recorded by the New Zealand Mobile Broadcasting Unit in Rome.]
He talks about witnessing the preparations for a major battle and the plans explained to him by Lt- General Bernard Freyberg who took Mr. Holland to a forward observation point to watch the beginning of the battle. He talks about the heavy air bombing of German-held positions and the spectacular flame-throwers that threw fire over 100 yards.
He mentions the action of the Māori Battalion which crossed the river. Later in the night Mr. Holland received the news that bridges had been placed across the river and they saw German prisoners coming back through the New Zealand line to prison cages. The New Zealand casualties in this particular action were very light.