A NEW ZEALAND V.C.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 7, 8 January 1916, Page 6

A NEW ZEALAND V.C.

■■ »-■ :^:-: v . : - BRAVERY ON CHUNUK BAI&, HOW CORPORAL BASSETT EARNER THE CROSS. - sigsl (From MALCOLM ROSS, Official War i Correspondent with the New Zealand - Forces.) Gallipoli Peninsula, October 28. V For his splendid bravery and heroic devotion to duty during the attack made by the New Zealandere on Chunuk Bail. Corporal C. R. G. Bassett, of Auckland' formerly a clerk in the National Bank o£ New Zealand, and now attached to No. 2 ■■■■■■ Signal Section of the New Zealand Infantry Brigade, has been awaraed the' Victoria Cross. It is the first Cross won by a New Zealander in this war; but the ' JN'ew Zealandeia arc not apt to talk; . about their brave and are perhaps' rather modest in describing them. £& . | the Brigadiers have said, where all havev done so well, and where so many deeds of heroism have been done, it is almost' .'■>■ impossible to discriminate. Corporal Bassetta services, however, : were undoubtedly worthy of the highest honour with which they could be marked. : Twice previously he had been specially '\. mentioned for the excellent work he had < done. He was with the original landing force on April 25, and did good work ia '.■■■': those first days when the expedition had to tight its way through the narrow vai- I leys and up the steep lulls, and maintain ° the position gained in the face of ex- f treme difficulty. In the attack on May 2 ■-.':■■. and 3 on Kuogell's Top he again dis-'v languished himself. That was the occasion on which the Utago Battalion went forward- and lost so heavily. All nighty;.: under heavy lire, Bassett was working ia the endeavour to establish telephonic;, communication with Pope's Ridge, co as 1 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 the desperate fighting on Chunuk Bair, however, who can fully realise the difficult nature | of the undertaking which he successfully: accomplished theru; and the coal coutage I and persistence that were necessary to carry it through in the face of great obstacles. He left Brigade Headcjuartenj o' and followed the battalions attacking ~ tho position. In the eafly dawn, ac the i Wellington men reached the creet of thi ridge, he started to get hb wire througa g up the steep scrub-covered, fires Wept- : slopes to the topmost trenches. He succeeded. At a comparatively early hour in ' the day telephonic communication had . been established between Brigade Hcadr . quarters and the brave men who were ■ then holding the heights against the, stubborn enemy. ! But in a battle it is one thing to estabKsh communication; it ie another thing V to maintain it. While he was getting llle ': line through one of the gallant feUosrs; ■ v.ho was with him, Spf. C. G. Whittsker, ; also of Auckland, fell mortally wounded.-;. He was paralysed by the shot; but Cor- v poral Bassett carried him out to a place of safety. The etretcherrbeftrers jsuc-;* ceeded in getting the wounded, man,down ■■-"■ the narrow "valiey"£6"ih"e"dreßsiiigTata I tion. and thence to the casualty clearing-;----1 station. Finally he was got on to one of; the hospital ships.. He died at'sea:',' J;, , ; All that day the slope 3 were ewept'by shot and shell, and the line kept breaking, but Bassett went out again and again and mended the breake. He did.; this in full daylight and under a. continuous and heavy fire. Not only was this an %, act of.extreme bravery, but it was one r ako of the utmost service. He returned; to Brigade Headquarters at dusk, but all; that night while the battle raged the line...; kept breaking, aiid each time a break, occurred young Bassett went out to ;■ ' repair it, and on each occasion he sue-. ! ceeded. ■■ ■■''• ■ On August 8 Sapper B. Wignan, of the Signal Company, who was the telephone; ■ operator on Chucuk Bair, came back to; . headquarters with an important mes- j; sage, owing to tho lines ha.ving again." . become severed by Turkish.'shelling. Qn; . his way down he passed Corporal Bassett>. under .cover, and he told him his line was broken. Bassett went out and repaired:. one break. Then another break occurred and he went out and repaired that. Parti 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 fine example "of fearlessness and devotion to duty, His Majesty the King has been pleased to confer upon him the award of. the Victoria ', Cross. , ■ ;■;■