INTERVIEW

Source: Major Newell Gough, Ass't Division QM.
Interviewer: Capt Joseph Vasta.
Place and Date of Interview: 18 May 45, Osterode, Germany.

For 48 hours after the division crossed the Rhine River, we had to go back Herongenb (973113) for Class I and III supplies. After that, the supply point moved to Dinslaken (304297).

Our supply problems didn't start until the division pulled out, crossed the river at Dorsten, and then went down to Selm (A8245). Then, it was an 80 mile one way trip to the supply point. When the division moved further on to Delbruck (B5752), the distance to the supply point was increased to between 125 and 130 miles. For a period of 48 hours at that time, our supply lines were in danger and everything had to be convoyed by armored cars and tanks.

The worst scare we received was when the division was moving west toward Soest while the XIX Corps supply points were moving east toward the Elbe River. For a period of 36 hours we didn't know where we were going to get supplies. Communications to division, corps, and army, were so poor that we couldn't get through to find out what to do. For that fact, division got very low on gas during this period. In the move out of the pocket to Wolfenbuttel (X919005), the situation was saved by having our M-25's loaded with gas (30,000 gallons). These M-25's had had cages built on them to haul gasoline. A completely loaded M-25 carries 7,680 gallons of gas and weighs approximately 80 tons.

The important thing in combat is to keep the troops fed and in gas. The other supply problems are forgotten unless it is a case of emergency where certain items must be had. We were successful in keeping the division fed and gased up at all times.

NEWELL GOUGH,
Major,
Assistant Division QM,
8th Armored Division.