AWARDS FOR GALLANTRY

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23975, 16 June 1943, Page 2

AWARDS FOR GALLANTRY

MAORI’S OUTSTANDING BRAVERY 1 INCIDENTS OF TAKROUNA BATTLE (Official War Correspondent, fI.Z.E.F.) \ CAIRO, June 13 i One Distinguished Conduct Mv’Bl ; two Military Medals, and a bar to 7 * . Military Medal are announced in the ! latest list of awards for gallantry to ! members of the 2nd New Zealand Ex- [ peditionary Force. The story of the ascent of the steen sides of Takrouna, and the bitter fight, ing which won and held the pinnack . of the hill fortress during the New Z« land attack on the night of April 19 is told in the citation of a Rotorm , Maori, Sergeant H. Manahi, who wins the D.C.M. for cool Judgment, reso- ! lute determination, and outstandin* | personal bravery in this spectacular . assault. Signalman G. J. Nilsen to awarded a bar to his .Military Medal I for gallantry in laying and maintain. . ing signal wires during the same aci tion, and another member of tbe-New ; Zealand Divisional Signals, Corporal , A. G. Davies, of Coromandel, receives the Military Medal for similar'out. i standing work in maintaining eon. i munications during the battle of ftv. , rouna. The second Military Medal is* , awarded to Sergeant. W. R. Brovm. of Christchurch, of the Division*! , Cavalry, for gallantry on March « during the attack through-the Teton gap towards El Hamraa, and anh during the battle of the Gabes Gan on April 7. . 8 Sergeant Manahi, states' the citation, led a section of a Maori platoon"whkh , was responsible for gaining the fim foothold on the pinnacle of Takrouto. . a rock platform right on top of tto . feature. Early in the advance hil platoon came under heavy enemy fire i which caused many casualties, including the platoon commander. First Mt ■ on April 20 found the platoon reduced : in strength to 10, and pinned to the ■ ground a short way up the feature under heavy mortar and small- arms fire. Nevertheless, the platoon con. l tinned to advance, Sergeant Manahi ■ leading a small party of Three men UB the western side. During this advance they encountered heavy machine-gun fire from posts on the slope, and extensive .sniping by the enemy mi the pinnacle. To reach the objective' Sergeant Manahi and his party climbed 500 feet, the last 50 being up an alnw) sheer rock cliff. During- the whole time they were under heavy fire' the head of his small party, Sfcrseenl Manahi silenced several machlne-iun posts. Eventually, climbing hand over hand, they reached the pinnacle where after a brief fight, they forced somefll enemy, including an observation Doit officer, to surrender. Sergeant .Mandbl'i party was then joined by .the remamder of the platoon, and .the pin. nacle was captured. Within, a short time the small area of the summit wu subjected to intense mortar fire from a considerable enemy force still holding Takrouna village, which lies below the pinnacle, and also- from the northern and western slopes .of the imnds 6 ’ which were still in'.enemy Party i-educed to Three The platoon sergeant was killed, and other casualties reduced the party then holding the pinnacle to Sergeant Manahi and two privates. Morning found, the party short of ammunition rations, and water; but Sergeant Minahi returned to his battalion at the foot of the feature and brought back supplies and reinforcements. • During the whole of this expedition hje 1 was again under enemy fire. During the afternoon of April WUhe enemy counter-attacked in forcerSft of them gaining a foothold of, the pinnacle. In face of grenades and I small arms fire, Sergeant Manahi led ■ his men against the, attackers: and, after fierce hand to hand fighting, drove them again from ..the, summit. Shortly after' this; ■ Sergeaht ’Mdnahi’s party was relieved; but on the Mow-ing-morning, when, urgerit reinforcements were required to hold the pin*. nacle, Sergeant Manahi again, led a party of 15 men to the' summit At this stage l the enemy had once more gained a foothold on the pinnacle, and Sergeant Manahi, led : : one of two parties which attacked and drove them off. The attack was made under con* centrated mortar and ’ ftiachine-gun fire, and all that day the feature was heavily shelled. Late in the afternoon of April 21 Sergeant Manahi took two men and stalked several enemy mu chine-gun and mortar posts, and IISO two field guns, which the enemy WM operating on the north caVern side fit the feature. With cool determination Sergeant Manahi and his companion! compelled one post after another to surrender. This courageous action undoubtedly led to the ultimate collapse of the enemy’s defence, and the capture of the whole Takrouna feature, with prisoners and equipment, . Even then Sergeant Manahi refused to return to his battalion. He. remained on the feature during the night, assisting in the evacuation of dead and-wound-ed. Throughout the action .Sergeant Manahi showed, the highest;qualities of an infantry soldier. His - cool iua|ment, resolute determination, and out* standing personal bravery were an lit* spiration to his men, and a ■ supreme contribution to the capture and MWj ing of the feature, which was Ww to the operation. Laid Cable Under Fire, Private Nilsen's citation states that he assisted in establishing and fflWJ' taining a very important line of munication under most difficult ana dangerous conditions during the TSKrouna action. On the morning of AP 20 he assisted in laying a cable m; tween two battalions in full View ® 1 and under the fire of enemy smpW ß, All day on April 21 the line.between brigade headquarters and the- top “ Takrouna was frequently broken w heavy shellfire; but showing th. e .-8 jB; est courage and determination, & vate Nilsen carried out the n®® 6B . repair work so successfully that n maintained another battalions late** line in an area subject to continue fire. This task was complicated the fact that the linesman had .to P* 8 . through a minefield and along a wa covered by heavy and accurate•' chine-gun fire. Again on the mornm* of April 22, Private Nilsen assisted in laying a line beyond the forward co panics, under heavy mortar fire, . spite of fatigue, and without a thoug of his personal safety, Private Miuw responded promptly every time . munications were interrupted aunia period of three days. Corporal Davies’s citation concern the same period and several oi v same operations in which Pnvaie i ( sen was concerned. On the morning of April 27 two riers from Sergeant Brown s troop> came stuck in a wadi u o° er . jonenemy fire. Both had to be oWB ed; but later that day Sergeant Bro lecLa small party back April fully recovered both vehicles. O" " p wn 6, at the Gabes gap, Sergeant BW went forward in a jeep and an noitred an alternative ro “! e . a?hfdivi-anti-tank ditch, across whichit sion .had to pass. This operatmn carried out under heavy Are, Staining suited in Sergeant Brown obtain valuable information. .