HEROIC NEW ZEALANDERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 November 1918, Page 4

HEROIC NEW ZEALANDERS.

AWARDED "VICTORIA CROSSES Deceived Nov. 16. 3 p.m. London, Nov. 10. A Victoria Cross haa been awarded to the New Zealander, Sergeant H. J. Laurent, of the Biflo (Brigade. With a party of twelve he charged the enemy support line which was very strongly held. The sudden onslaught completely disorganised thri enemy. Sergeant Laurent showed great resourcefulness, eontrolling and encouraging the men in subsequent hand to hand fighting. After thirty of the enemy had f>een killed, the remainder, totalling one o'fficer and 111 men surrendered. The New Zealanders sustained only four casualties. Private J. Crichton, of Auckland, has also received tie Victoria Cross. Wounded in the foot, he continued with the advancing troops, despite the difficulty of the canal river Oiwtaefej. When a counter attack forced back the platoon he succeeded in cafr/mg a message, involving the sv» tannin? of the river and crossing an area swept by ma-chine-gun Are. Rjtarntar tn th» platoon he undertook on bis own initiative to save a bridge under dose ffre of machine-guna and snipsts. He tooceeded in removing the charges, return* Ing with the detonators and fuses.—* Aus.-NZ Cable Assn. andßcnter; VC. WINNERS. - Eight other members of the New Zealand Forces have won the Victoria Cross, as followa: Sergeant GE.G. Bas9ett (Auckland). Late Sergeant Donald FoiTester Brown (Oaanaru). Lieutenant Samuel Frickletcn (Black* ball), N.Z. Rifle Brigade. Late Sergeant Samuel Forsyth (Welling* ton), N.Z. Engineers. Private Henry James Nicholas (Christchurch), Canterbury Infantry Regt. Sergeant R. C. Travis (Byal Bosh)* Otago Infantry Regiment. Sergeant R. S. Judson (Auckland) Corporal Leslie Walton Andrew (Wanganui), 2nd Battalion, Wellington Infantry Regiment In addition the highest award for bravery has been won by the following New Zealanders serving with the British, naval and Australian forces: Late Lieutenant-Commander William Edward Sanders (Auckland), of tte Imperial Naval Forces. Brigadier-General B. C. Frevberg (Wellington), of the Imperial Forces. Late Captain A. J. Shout (Trentham), of the Australian Forces. Late Private Thomas Cooke (Wellington), of the Australian Forces. , Lieutenant P. V Storkoy, (Napier), of the Australian Forces. Sergeant Whittle ((New Plymouth}, *A the Tasmanian Forces.