THE VICTORIA CROSS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 173, 29 October 1941, Page 6

THE VICTORIA CROSS

TWENTY-ONE NEW ZEALANDERS

RECEIVED AWARD

The Victoria Cross, given pride of place before all other decorations, is a Maltese Cross, one and a half inches in diameter, with the Royal Crown surmounted bj' a lion in the centrc and beneath the inscription "For Valour." It is worn on a purple ribbon. The medal was struck in 1856 in the reign of Queen Victoria. It carries a pension of £10 a year to the winner and £50 if needed. Prior to the three awards announced this month to Second Lieutenant C. 11. Upham, Sergeant A. C. Hulme and Sergeant J. Hinton, 19 New Zealanders had gained this coveted honour since it was instituted 8.1 years ago. During the Maori wars, 15 Victoria Grosses were awarded, 12 to officers and other ranks of the Regular Army, two to men of the Royal Navy and one to an officer of the Colonial Miilitia. In the South African war only- one award was made to a New Zealander, Farrier-Sergeant W. J. Hardham, of Petone, who also served in the Great War. During the Gallipoli campaign, two- New Zealanders gained the decoration, one serving with the Australian Forces, and in the fighting on the Western Front 10 members of the N".Z.E.F. were honoured. In addition two New Zealanders attached to the Australian Forces gained distinction, while the present commander of the 2nd N.Z.E.F., MajorGeneral Freyberg, Avon his Victoria Cross for outstanding leadership in the attack on Beaumont Ilamel and Bcaucourt in 1916 while serving with the Royal Dutch Division. Lieutenant-Commander W. PI Sanders is New Zealand's only naval V.C., and he received it in 1017 for conspicuous bravery as commander of a Q-ship engaged in submarine hunting. The only New Zealander to gain the decoration in the present conflict jmor to, the latest awards —Ser-geant-Pi let Ji. A. Ward, of Wanganui, who as a bombing pilot displayed great courage and initiative m subduing a fire which had broken out in the wing of a Wellington bombing 'plane alter a raid over Germany. Sergeant Ward has since been reported missing, believed killed.