A PROUD RECORD

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 96, 26 August 1942, Page 5

A PROUD RECORD

B' (HAURAKI) COMPANY \

HISTORY DURING PRESENT WAR

(V) Lietft. Col. Dawe, Area Com- j mandter (Paeroa,) has kindly for- 1 warded us a brief official account of the, activities of B (Hauraki) Company in the pre-- ' sent war. The record is made \ by Major R. G. Webb tip to the t opening <y( the Libyan campaign f ; and is carried on from there by Capt. Jacft Gonolly (since posted as wounded). The history Trill be published in colsrain form from issue to isscre. Foil owing a" cjtniet morning on 3'fifth .November,- the enemy attacked at 'TSOO hours wit'h about -60 1 tanks. ! These sHrroimtled' the Battalion andkept it under steady lire- till dark. Small parties managed to escapes unilbr cover of darkness, that' night. One party of five' under G'pT Ball KB", was able to reach Second Echelon, while another party of 23' under Gpl Simpson J\ G. picked up by a British convoy, and taken 1 to Tobruk. The latter party was later sent to reinforce the 18 Battalion ail Bfel Hamad: and: witflidlrew" witli them three days later.

Both Capt Brown; and Capt Wallace- were mentioned in despatches, whilst several of the men were recommended for decorations,, namely Pt'e Rye, S.J'. ('Bren. Gunner),, Pte Bowers, N.E. Runner), Pte Ruddick, P?> E. (Bren Gunner), Ptes Hague E., Wilson A., and Mann (Mfcxlical Orderlies)). Also deserving of mention were the G.Q.M.S. (Cpl McElwain), Storeman; (Pte Kelly W. R.i)i and; cooks (Ptes Roper C. J. and McGaiiley Eu EJ)'„ who carried" out their duties regardless of personal danger. Oil Friday otli December, 1941, the remnants- of the 24th Battalion, under Major S. J'. Hedge; arrived Baclfc at tiic original training camp in the Western; Desert, B. Company's quota! in. this- party, was 8. Fourteen "left out of battle" personal, and 14 from. Tobruk augmented the total considerably,, and formed the nucleus of the new. B Company, under the command! of Capt J. Conolly. The Bth. December saw: a large number of reinforcements arrive; from Base, many of them having been In; SUsyat, before proceeding to the Middle East.. At the sar&e time, Liewt J. A. Carroll returned to the Unifc. For two- weeks he acted O.C. B Coy., while Capt J. Conolly was in charge of Headquarters C©y.

The officers of the new B Gamp any were as 0.C., Capt. J. Conoily; Sec©ncl in Command, Lieut JA. Carroll; Platoon Commanders, Lieut G. Y. Turnbull, ■ 2/Lieut' T. V. Mitchell (Dargaville), 2/Lieut A. E. Kfennarct' (Wellington), 2/Lieut D. G. Brash (Auckland). All the members of !B Company were staggered to hear that Capt. Brown had died in hospital of wounds received whilst he was with B Echelon when he was hit in the back by a portion of an almost spcnit shell. Until 23rd, January, 1942, the Cornpan#'. ay as occupied Avith desert and company training. The most notable feature of this training was the Brigade competition for the best Company in a special attack schcme. B Company succeeded in the Battalion competition, Avas selected to represent the 24th Battalion, in the finals;, and eventually won. 2/Lieut Kennard attended the Gas Course at N.Z. School, gaining a Q1 pass, Avhile 3/Lieut Mitchell attended the Regimental Intelligence Officers' Course, also at N.Z. DiA'ision School.

On 23rcl January, 1942, the Battalion moved back to Base Gamp at Maadi. Whilst at Maadi the- Unit was re-equipped, and brought up to strength. W.O. II Frerne J. F., wh» had been an instructor in weapon.training at the N.Z. Div. School, rejoined the Company,, and took over his original duties as C.S\M. from S£t Pirric R., who had been acting in that capacity. Training consisted mainly of range work of all types.