A GALLANT ACTION.

Taranaki Daily News, 17 November 1917, Page 6

A GALLANT ACTION.

To the Editor. Sir,—Many newspaper readers were lately interested in enthusiastic accounts given by eye-witnesses of the valor displayed by a New Zealand soldier at the Somme in repelling a night attack of the Germans, who, after heavy gun fire had, literally, annihilated the parapet 3 of a trench, advanced openly to the attack convinced that nothing human could have survived the bombardment. Men were still alive in the trench, however, and one of them springing to the parapet bombed the advancing enemy force so furiously that lie held up the attack and gave his comrades time to rally and charge the already discomfited Germans. I read two quite independent accounts in the papers and each writer asserted that if ever soldier deserved the Victoria Cross this brave fellow did. He was for some time the target for a hailstorm of bullets and bombs, but. though severely wounded, did not slacken Ills attack on the enemy, and was still shouting to his comrades for "more bombs" when he fell exhausted. The sequel to this story of heroism is that this soldier, beyond being mentioned in despatches, has had no further official recognition of his bravery. He was lately, to my' knowledge, in Auckland, having returned in a recent batch of wounded men. That he is a foreigner should not debar him f roin a claim to acknowledgment—quite the reverse. The bravest men generally shrink from anv nublie demonstration, and it would, probably, not be a kindness to suggest anything of the kind, but it is our duty to see that some especial provision is made to ensure the future comfort of this gallant fellow.—l am, etc., J.R.S.