SERGEANT GILROY GRANT

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

SERGEANT GILROY GRANT

For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty near Bancourt on September i, 1918, v;hen sergeant in command of a platoon forming part of the leading waves of the battalion attacking the high ground to the east of Bancourt. On reaching , the crest it was found that 'a line of live enemy mach-ine-gun posts offered a serious obstacle to the advance. Under point-blank fire, however, the company advanced against these posts. When about twenty yards from the posts Grant, closely followed by a comrade, rushed forward ahead of his platoon, and, with great dash and bravery entered the'centre "ost, demoralising the garrison, and enabling the me.ll of his platoon to mop up the position. ]'n tho same manner he then rushed the post on the left, and tho remaining posts were then quickly occupied and cleared by his company. Throughout the whole liberations on tbis and theitwo previous days, Sergeant Grant displayed coolness, determination, and valour of the highest order, and set a splendid example to all. SERGEANT SAMUEL FORSYTH For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty in an attack. On Hearing objective his company came under heavy machine-gun fire. Through his dashing leadership and total disregard of danger three machine-gun positions were rushed and the crews taken prisoner before they could inflict many casualties on our troops. During subsequent advance his company came under heavy fire from eovernl machine-juns, thirty-two of which he located by a during reconnaissawe. lii his effort to gain support from a tank ho wn.s wounded, but after having tho wound bandaged, he again got in touch with the, tank which, in the face of heavy fire from, machine-guns and anti-tank guns. !he endeavoured to lead with magnificent coolness to a favourable position. , The tank, however, was fmt out of action. He then organised the tank crew and several,of'his/men into a section, and led them to a position where the machine-guns could be outflanked. Always under heavy fire ho directed them to positions which brought about a retirement of the enemy inacliine-guns,.aiid enabled the advance to continue. This gallant n.c.o. was at that moment killed by a sniper., Froin the commencement of the attack until the time of his deatli Sergeant Forsyth's courage and cocjneis, combined with great powers of,initiative, proved an invaluable incentive to all who were with him, and undoubtedly saved many casualties among his comrades. - ■ CORPORAL CYRILROYSTON GUYTON BASSETT For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty on the Chunuk Bair Eidge on the Gallipoli Peninsula on August 7, 1915. After the Now Zealand Infantry Brigade had attacked and established itself on the ridge, Corporal Bassett, in full daylight and under 'a continuous and heavy fire, succeeded in laying a telephono line from the old position to the new ono on Chunuk Bair. Ho has subsequently been brought to notice for further excellent and most gallant work connected with the repair of telephone lines by day and night under heavy fire. \ NEW ZEALAND~M WITH OTHER FORCES In addition to tho above the following New Zealanders with the Australian Forces won the coveted decoration'.—Captain A. J. Shout, A.I.F. (Wellington), killed; Priyate Thomas Cook, A,I.F. (Wellington), killed. •