A NEW ZEALAND V.C.

Taranaki Daily News, 8 January 1916, Page 3

A NEW ZEALAND V.C.

'BRAVERY OX CIIUKUK BAIR. [ilOW OUU'ORAL BASSETT EAItXEI) THE CROSS. (From Malcolm Ross. Official War Comspondutit with X.Z. Forces). Callipoli Peninsula, October 28. I'or his splendid bravery and lieroif devotion to duty during tin'- attack made by the N'cw Zoalanders on Clmnuk Bair, Corporal C. 1!. ('!. Basseit, of Auckland, formerly a clerk in llio National Hank of Xew Zealand, and now attached to Xo. i Signal Section of the New Zealand Infantry Brigade, lias been awarded tlie Victoria Cross. It is the lir-fc Cross won by a New /ealander in tins war; but the Xew Zealanders are not apt to talk about their brave deeds, anil are perhaps rather modest in describing them. An the Brigadiers have said, where all have done so well, ami wh.'ic. so many deds of heroism have been done it is almost impossible to dis.'.'irmr.ate. Corporal liassott's services, however, were undoubtedly worthy of t.ia highest honor with which they oo'.dd be marked. Twice previously lie had been spucially mentioned for the excellent work lie had done. He was with the original landing force on April 2f>, and did good work in those first days when the expedition had to fight it's way through the narrow valleys and up the steep hills, and maintain the position gained in the face of extreme difficulty. In the attack on May 2 and 3 on Russell's Top he again distinguished himself. That was the occasion on which the Otago Battalion went forward and lost so heavily. All night, under heavy fire, Bassett was working in the endeavor to establish telephonic communication with l'ope's ridge, so as to link up the battalion with Brigade Headquarters, His section officer mentioned him for the work he had done on that occasion also.

It is only those who watched tlio despotato fighting nn Cliiitmk 13air, however, who can fully realise the difficult nature of the undertaking which he successfully accomplished there, and the coo' courage and persistence that, were nccessarv to carry it through in the face of great obstacles. He left Brigade Headquarters and followed the battalions attacking the position. In the early dawn, as the Wellington men reached the crest of the ridge, he started to get his wire through up the steep scrub-covered, fire-swept slopes to the topmost trenches. He succeeded. At a comparatively early hour in the day telephone communication had been established between Brigade Headquarters and the bravo men who were then holding the heights against the stubborn en cm v.

But in a battle it is one thing to establish communication: it is another thing' to maintain it. While he. was getting the line through one of the gallant fellows who was with him, Sapper C. CI. Whittaker, also of Auckland, fell .mortally wounded, lie was paralysed by the'shot, hut Corporal Bassett carried him out to a place of safety. The stretcher-bearers succeeded in getting the wounded man down the narrow valley to the dressing-station, and thence to tln> casually clearing station. Finally, he was got on to one of the hospital ships. He died at sea. All that day the slopes were swept by shot and shell, and the line kept breaking, but Bassett went out again and again and mended the breaks. He did ibis in full daylight and under a continuous and heavy (ire. Not only was this an act of extreme bravery, but it was one also of the utmost service. He returned to Brigade Headquarters at dus, but all that night while the battle raged the linn kept breaking, and eaih.time a break occurred young Dassett went out to repair it, and on each occasion lie. succeeded.

flu Augu-t S Sapper T>. Wignan, of the Signal Company, who was the telephone operator on Chunuk Bair, came back to headquarters with an important message, owing to the linos having again become severed by Turkish shelling. r>n liis way down he passed Corporal Tiassett under cover, and he told him his line was broken. Massott wont out and repaired one break. Thou another break occurred, and he went out and repaired that. Tarts of the ground he had to cross were swept by very heavy fire, and he was under fire the whole time he was mending the second break.

In view of his services, his conspicuous gallantry, and his line example ot fearlessness and devotion to duty, his Majesty the King has been pleased to confer upon him the award of the Victoria Cross.