AN HEROIC V.C.

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 138, 28 June 1937, Page 7

AN HEROIC V.C.

Epic of Courage at Gallipoli GEN. FREYBERG'S FEAT iBy Telegraph— Bress Assooiation.) WELLINGTON, Last Night. Though New Zealanders may be surprised to learn that Major-General B. G. Freyberg, V.C., has been appointed qne of the executors of Sir James Barrie, the famous author and New Zealand 's chief war hero have been friends for years past. There was striking public testimony tc that friendship o.n May 3, 1922, when Colonel Freyberg, as he was then, sal in the audienee which listened to Sir J'ames Barrie 's address at St. Andiews University after he had been appointed R-ector. It was a famous address on "Courage," and towards the close of it Barrie said: "Courage is the tliiug. All goes if courage goes .... Be not merely couvageous, but light-hearted and gay. There is an offieer who was the first of our army to land at Gallipoli. He was dropped overboard to light deeoys on the shore, so as to deceive the Turks as to where the landing was to be. He pushed a raft containing these in front of him. It was a frosty night, and he was naked and painted black. Firing from the ships was going on all round. It was a two-hours' swim fiu-ough piteh darkness. He did it, crawled through the serub to listen to tbo talk of the enemy, who were so near that he could have shaken hands with them, lit his decoys and swam baek, He seems to look on this as a gay affair. He is a V.C. now, and you would not think to .look at him that he could ever have presented such a disreputable appearanee, would you?" And the speaker indieated Colonel Freyberg, seated in his robes as Doetor ci Laws, the honorary degree being qoni'erred on him that day. lor the feat whioh Barrie related, of course, Colonel Freyberg received the first of his D.S.O.'s, Lafer he received two bars as well as the Victoria Cross.