BRAVE AUSTRALIANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 February 1918, Page 3

BRAVE AUSTRALIANS.

SAVES TWO DIVISIONS. For conspicuously good work during the operations at Polygon Wood on "2fith September, Lieutenant Granville Prit. chard has been granted the Military Cross. In the course of a personal letter of congratulation, General Birdwood states. '1 know that, after marking and forming a track to the objectives gained, you noticed that heavy machine-gun fire 'from the right was cheeking some of the attacking troops, whose oHcers had become casualties. "You immediately command of these men, among win. ~ distributed your sappers, and super.. -n\ the consolidation of a line eoverintr the gap. "Owing to the heavy shelling and resultant dust anil smoke,'the maintenance of direction was extremely difficult, and >tu displayed great gallantry m going up and down the line, encouraging the men to dig in, and, bv taking compass bearings, ensured the accuracy of your position, which you explained to the men. Thank you so muah for your fine work." In a letter to Lieutenant Pritchard's wife, who- resides at Dee-vliy. Major Greenway states: "Your husband's work. we are convinced, saved the situationit certainly saved our division, and probably the next one to it."