AWARD FOR BRAVERY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 184, 24 November 1941, Page 6

AWARD FOR BRAVERY

DRIVER J. SN ELL'S STORY •

The story of an attack on a New Zealand convol of trucks during the evacuation from Greece is told by Driver J. Snell, D.C.M., of Qpotiki, who has recently been invalided home from the Middle East, states a Hamilton message. While driving at night toward the coast at the head of a convoy, Driver Snell said, the first indication that something Was amiss was when a Bren-gun carrier was found blocking the way of the trucks. Almost immediately German machine gunners in paddocks close to each side of the road opened £i savage cross-fire. 'At the same time mortar crews who had waited for the lorries to pass opened fire from the rear. The first burst of fire resulted in the entire windscreen of the first truck in which Driver Snell was driving being bloAvn into the front seat, and at the same time the mortar fire blew up the floor boards of the truck. Escaping any serious injury, Driver Snell, knowing that the Bren gun carrier ahead would contain hand grenades, crawled toward the carrier. "I was so close to the machinegunners that I could hear the click as they changed their magazines," ;aid Driver Snell. "It was an easy matter to' toss four of the five grenades I managed to get from the carrier at them in rapid succession. When the firing stopped as a result of the Avork of the grenades the Germans sent up flares to locate the source of the trouble. I lay perfectly still in their line of vision for some time and then managed to craAvl slowly back to the truck." It was this action Avhich resulted in Driver Snell being awarded the D.C.M.

Accompanied by another driver le escaped through a field of oats

and. the pair Aval keel all night, covering 32 miles, before they met an Australian convoy -which took them

o the coast,