OUR TARANAKI BOYS.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 September 1917, Page 7

OUR TARANAKI BOYS.

THE LATE CORPORAL H. J. JEFFREY HOW HE WON HIS D.C.M. "Mr. and Mrs. H. Jeffrey, of Be!l Block, have received a letter from Ser r geant W. Williams, in which he tells how their son, Corporal H. J. Jeffrey, won his D.C.M. and how he subsequently met his death. Sergeant Williams writes:—

It is my most painful duty to let you know the circumstances under which your most brave sou was killed, and also to convey to you the deepest sympathy of every officer and man in this company on the loss of such a noble son. Long before this reaches you you will have received official notification of dear "Jeff's" death, but I thought you would like to hear from someone who had been with him all through or at least ever since he joined this battalion at the Somme las', year, and where it was soon seen lie possessed unusual nbility. Although it is very unusual for anyone from a new draft to receive promotion until they have been in the trenches a certain j length of time "Jeff" did such valu-1 able work that he was promoted corporal within a month. From then onwards he was often engaged in work of ft risky nature on account of his great daring and coolness and earned the admiration of everyone who know him. The morning of the advance at Messineß we both left our trenches togeather, but in the darkness wo Boon got separated and the next time I saw him he was carrying a German machinegun which he had captured. This was after we had gained the trench which had been allotted to our company. To quote "Jeff's" own story and that of & few who witnessed it from a distance, he got well advanced and practically isolated when he came upon a German machine-gun in a concrete dug-out which was holding up our flanks. Without hesitating he rushed forward and by great luck he got close enough to throw a bomb at the gunners, whom he wound, ed, and also put the gun out of action. Still being on his own he went round to the other side of the dug-out and ordered the Germans to surrender, but as they hesitated lie threw another boms in. With that the others came out with their hands up. There were ten of them and an officer. Just as "Jeff" was marching them away the office! drew his revolver and but for the lucky arrival of another of our men at thnt moment he would probably have got "Jeff." As it was the other chap got the officer. For this gallant work your brave son was recommended for the Victoria Cross, and although lie did not get it he received the D.G.M the next highest, so you will have some idea of the important nature of the work he had done. In all he singlehanded captured a machine-gun and crew of sixteen,' so was indeed a hert» admired by the whole battalion. After that we were out of the trenches for about three days, during which time I think he wrote to you. Then we went back in again and were employed each night building a new line on the ground we had captured. It was while so engaged that dear "Jeff" was killed. t was talking to him only a jfew seconds before, being only about ten yards away from him. We heard a shell coining and listened to see if we could tel! which way it was going when it burst right over us and killed "Jeff" instaneoualy. Your brave son was btiried in Rilfe Villa cemetery, about two miles away from Messines. All the company contributed towards buying something suitable to put on Ms grave, but so far we have not definitely decided what form this will take.