NEW ZEALAND HEROES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 252, 18 July 1919, Page 13

NEW ZEALAND HEROES

DEEDS THAT WON THE V.C. BRIGADIER-GENERAL B. C. FREYBERG Freybcrg may be said to have'won Ins V.C. more than once. His most picturesque act of valour was on the historic occasion .when ho swam ashore, oiled andinaked, on' to the beach at Gallipoli, reconnoitred the Turkish positions, lit flares along tho beach to deceive the enemy into thinking that n force had landed, and then returned unscathed, after being two hours in the water. Ho earned his V.C. at the Battle of Boaucourt, when he displayed qualities of bravery and leadership that rang through the Army. He was m command of tno "Hood Battalion" of naval men on the Ancro front. In this action, owathed in, bandages, he led his gallant men so far ahead of tho main advance that they found themselves' cut off from tho others, and surrounded by German machine-guns. They fought like tigers for hours till nightfall, and then, reduced to 500 men, organised for an attack, at dawn on (lie village of Beaumont. Reinforced in the >>«.>anllimc, they swept forward, with Freyborg far ahead, and the village was captured. Tn addition to his V.C. ho was "promoted from his then rank of liieut.-Coloncl, to Brigadier-General—the youngest in the Army. LIEUT.-COMMANDER W. E. SANDERS, R.NThe Admiralty's record of LieutenantCommander Sanders's V;C. exploit was published in tho London "Gazette" on November 20, after tho German Fleet had surrendered. It is as follows:— "Action of H.JI.S. Prize, on April SO, 1917. His Majesty's ship Prize, a topsail schooner of 200 lons, under command of Lieut. William Edward Sanders, K.Ji.K., sighted an enemy submarine on April .'io, 1917. The enemy opened fire at tiiroo miles' range and approached slowly astern. The. 'panic pai'ly,' in charge of Skipper William Henry Brewer, R.N.li. (Trawler Section), immediately abandoned ehip. Ship's head was put into the wind, and the guns' crews concealed themselves by lying face downwards on the deck. The enemy continued deliberately shelling the schooner, inflicting severe damage and wounding a number of men. For twenty minutes she continued to ap' proaoh, firing as she came, but at length, apparently-satisfied that no one remained on hoard, she drew out on rho ccliooncr'H quarter seventy yards away. The White Ensign was immediately hoisted, the screens dropped, and all guns opened lire. A shell struck the foremost gun of Ihe submarine, blowing it in atoms and annihilating Ihe '■row. Another shot demolished tho conning lower, and at tho Kama time u Lewis gun raked Die survivors off tho submarine's deck. She sank four minutes uflcj- Din commencement, of the actioa in clouds of smoke, (he glare of an internal lire being visible through the mils in her hull. The caplain of,tho submarine, a warrant officer, and one man were picked up and brought on board'(he Prize, which "was fhen herself sinking fast. Captors and prisoners, however, succeeded in plugging tho shot holes and keeping tho water under with

tli? pumps. The Prize then set-sail for iiho land, 120 miles distant. They were finally picked up two clays later by a motor launch and towed the remaining five miles into harbour." For the above exploit Lieutenant-Com-mander Sanders in. the "Gazette" of June 22, 1917, was awarded the Victoria Cross "in recognition of his conspicuous gallantry, consummate coolness, and skill in command of one of H.M. ships in action." The record .proceeds: "A few months later His Majesty's ship Prize, under the command of Lieutenant-Com-mander Sanders, V.C., Jt.N.K., was lost with all hands, presumably as the result of an engagement with ono or- more enemy submarines. 'Die death of thin most gallant officer and his efficient and highly-trained crew was a disaster the Navy and the nation could ill afford." Lieutenant-Commander Sanders was also awarded the D.S.O. in recognition of his services in action with an enemy submarine in June, 1917. Admiral Lord Jellicoe, in a recent speech, described the kte Lieutenant-Commander Sanders as one of the great heroes of the war. SERGEANT RICHARDCHARLES TRAVIS For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. | During surprise operations it was necessary to destroy an impassable wire- block. Sergeant Travis, regardless of all personal danger, volunteered for this duty. Before zero hour, in broad daylight, and in close proximity to enemy posts, he crawled out, and successfully destroyed the block with linmbs. thus enabling the attacking party to nass through. A few minutes later a bombing party on tho right of the attack was held up by two enemy ma-chine-trims, and the success of the whole oueralion was in danger. Perceiving this, Serireant Travis with great gallantry and utter disregard of danger, rushed the nositinn. killed the crew, and captured the aims. An enemy officer and thrco men immediately rushed at him from a band in the trench, and attempted to retake the Kims. These four ho killed simile-handed, thin allowing the bombins nartv. on iwhich so much depended, to advance. The success of the] operalion was almost entirely due to the heroic work of I his gallant n.c.0., and to the vigour with which he made and used opnortunities for inflicting casualties on the cneniv. lie was killed twenty-four hours later, when, under a most intense bombardment prior to an enemy counterattack, he was going from, post to post encouraging the men. SECOND-LIEUtTrWnALD STANLEY < JUDSON For most: conspicuous bravery and devotion to duly, when in an a Hack on enemy positions he led a small bombing nartv under heavy lire, and captured an enemy machine-gun. He then proceeded mi a. sail alone, bombing three ma-chine-gun crews before him. Jumping on I. of Ihe Irench, he ran ahead of the nnemv. Then, standing on the parapet, ho ordered the party of two officers and .about ten men to surrender. They instantly fired on him, but ho threw a bomb, and jumped amongst them, killed two. nut the rest, to (light, and so captured two machine-guns. This prompt and L'nllaut action not only saved many lives, hiit also enabled the advaneo to be continued unopposed.

SECOND-LIEUT. HARRY JOHN LAURENT For most conspicuous bravery, skill, and enterprise when during an attack he «u detailed to exploit an initial success and keep in touch with the enemy. With a. uartv of twelve ho' located the enemy suDnort line, very strongly held; at once charged the position, followed by his men., and completely disorganised the. enemy bv his sudden onslaught. In subsenuent hand-to-bnnd fighting which ensued he showed great resourcefulness in controlling and encouraging liis men, and thirty of the enemy having been killed, the remainder surrendered: a total of one officer and 111 other ranks in all. 'Wie success of this daring venture, which caused his party four casualties only, was duo to his gallantry and enterprise. SECOND-LIEUT. SAMUEL FRICKLETON For most conspicuous bravery and determination when, with attacking troops which came under heavy.fire and were checked. Although slightly wounded, Corporal Friebleton dashed forward at the head of his section, pushed through our barrage and personally destroyed with bombs an enemy machinegun and crew which were causing heavy casualties. He' then attacked a second gun, killing the whole crew of twelve. By the destruction of these tiy'o guns ho' undoubtedly saved his own and other unite from severe casualties, uud his magnificent courage -and gallantry en. sured tho capture of the objective. During the consoliation of the position ho received a second severe wound, and ho showed throughout a great example of ' heroism. PRIVATE HENrTJAMES NICHOLAS For most conspicuous bravery - _ and | devotion to duty in attack. Private 3 Nicholas, w-ho was one of a Lewis gun : t section, had orders to form a defensive j flank to the right of the advance, which 1 was subsequently checked by heavy . machine-gun and rillo Tiro from an enemy strong point. 'Whereupon follow- [ ed by.the remainder of his section at c an interval of about 25 yards, Private B Nicholas rushed forward alone, shot the i. officer in command of the 6trong point, i, and overcame the remainder of the garr risen of 1C by means of bombs and 0 bayonet, capturing-four wounded prison- . ers and a machinc-gim. Ho captured (■ this strong point practically singlehanded, and thereby saved many casualties. Subsequently when the advance had reached its limit. Private Nicholas collected ammunition under heavy nmcliino-gun and' rifle fire. His exceptional valour and coolness throughout the !- operations afforded an inspiring example n to all. £ SECOND-LIEUT.LBSUEWILTONANDREW For most, conspicuous bravery when B in charge of a small parly in an attack 0 on the enemy's position. His objective • ' was a machine-gun piwt which had been 1 located in an isolated building. On • leading his men forward he encountered n unexpectedly a machine-gun post, which il i was holding.up the advance of another i- company; he immediately attacked, cap■l hiring ihe machine-gun and killing y several of the crew. lie then continued o the attack on the machine-gun post, which had been hie original objective.

Ho displayed great skill and determination in his disposition, Finally capturing the post, killing-several of the' enemy and putting the remainder to flight. His conduct throughout was unexampled for cool daring, initiative, and fine leadership, and his magnificent example was a great stimulant to his comrades. LIEUTENANT pTyTsTORKEY, A.I.F. Lieutenant Percy V. Storkey is a native of Napier, where his parents reside. He won the Victoria Cross while serving with the Australian Forces. The official statement of the achievement for which ho received tho decoration is. as follows:—"When commanding an attacking nlatoon ho observed, on emerging from a wood, eighty or one hundred Germans, with several machine-guns, holding up the advance of the troops on his right. Ho had only, six men, but Lieutenant Lipscomb, with four men, joined him. and he decided to attack the enemy's (lank and rear. The two officers and the ten men charged with the bayonet. Lieutenant Storkey in the lead, and' exuelled tho enemy, killing or wounding thirty and enpturing three officers and fifty men and machine-guns. Lieutenant Storkey's courage and promptness and skilfulness in attack removed a dangerous obstacle to the ndvance, and were a. great insmration io tho remainder of tho party." PRIVATE JAMESCRICHTON , For most, conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when, although, wounded in the foot, he continued with' the advancing troops dosnite difficult canal and .river obstacles. 'When his platoon was subsequently forcd back by a counter-, attack he succeeded i'n carrying a message which involved swimming a river and crossing an area swept by machine-gun lire, subsequently rejoining his own platoon. Lnler, bo undertook, on his own initiative, to save a bridge which had been mined, and though under close fire of machine-guns and snipers, he succeeded in removing the charges, returning with the fuses and detonator. Though suffering from a painful wound. he displayed the highest degree of valour and devotion to duty. SERGEANT DONALDMiRESTER BROWN For most conspicuous bravery and determination ii attack when the company to which ihe belonged suffered very heavily casualties in officers and men from machine-gun fire. At great personal risk this n.c.o. advanced with a comrade, anil succeeded in Teaching , a point within thirty yards of of the enemy guns. Four of the gun crew were killed, and Hie gun captured. The advance of tho company continued till it was again held up by machine-gun fire. .Again Sergennt Brown and his comrade, willi great gallantry, rushed the gun and killed (he crew. After this second position had been won the company came under heavy s'liollfi.ro, and the ul'ter eontenint of danger and coolness under fire nf this n.c.o. did much to keep up Ihe spirits of his men. Tn a subsequent occasion in attack- Sergeant Brown showed most conspicuous gallantry. He attacked single-handed a machine-gun which was holding up the attack, killed l the gun crew, and captured the gun. Later, whilst sniping the retreating enemy, this very gallant,soldier was killed.