NEW ZEALAND D.S.O.'S

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2609, 3 November 1915, Page 6

NEW ZEALAND D.S.O.'S

Two of the tlirco New Zealandors mentioned in a London cablegram published 011 Saturday last as recipients of the D.S.O. come from Dunedin.

Captain Finn is a grandson of the late Mr. John Sibbald, former owner of tho Princess Theatre. He received liis primary education at the Caversliam School, pursued tlie profession of dentist, and gavo up a lucrative business at Auckland io enlist with one of tho early reinforcements. Lieutenant M'Pherson was educated at Albany Street School, and subsequently joined B Battery, of which lie was a popular member when he enlisted with the Main Expeditionary Force. Ho was at this timo in the employ of Murray, Roberts, and Co. Ho was an active workor in tho Y.M.C.A. The incident which probably gained him tho D.S.O. is t'lius mentioned in a private letter received hero last week: "Last Monday (July 12) wc went into action at daybreak, and contimicd firing for about an hour and a hall', covering an infantry advanco, and during the whole of that time we were heavily bombarded by tho enemy, who set fire to tho scrub in front of us, the wind carrying tlio flames in our direction, and giving us rather a rough time. We managed to keep tho guns in action as long as necessary, however, and endeavoured to put the firo out as soon'as we received the order to.cea6e firing. Another chap and M'Pherson went out in front of our gun to clear a ring round it so that it would check the (ire. They had been slogging at it for about seven nlinutes, and had almost finished, wlien tho onemy put a shrapnel shell right into tho party without hurting either, tho bullets tearing up the earth all round them; a few seconds later another shell came the same way, and got M'l'herson's mate, without, however, grazing M'Pherson, although they wore within two feet of each other at tho time. It ■seems almost miraculous that a chap could be right in tho centre of two shrapnel bursts and get away without a scratch. This- is tho third_ time M'Pherson lias had a close call."