MILITARY DECORATIONS.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 148, 23 June 1919, Page 10

MILITARY DECORATIONS.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —Apropos of the unrest occasioned by the recent distribution of decorations on the King's Birthday, a little information about war decorations in general may be interesting-. Until the establishment of the British Empire Order there were no means of recognising non-bel-ligerent war services except by CJM.G."s. Consequently the Order gave the authorities power to recognise alleged iiftrit. and at the same time, by the military division, decorate tho>e in the forces, whose recognition by the D.S.O. and M.(_\ would lower the honour value of the latter awards." In 1!>1S an army order < was issued that the D..5.0. a-iid MX". were not to be given except for work tinder tire. Previous to that some recipients had only been doing "cushy - ' work, and would undoubtedly have been given some form of Empire Order had it been available. Tlie New Zealand officer ■who stopped and eventually routed the determined German counter attack in front of Flcrs in lOlli. after a desperate all-night light which rocked back and forward, was given the the Divi-ion expected .the V.C. Rumour bath it tliat the language he used to the British officer who refused him supports was the reason of the lesser award. A medical officer working in a stationary hospital at the base also got a D.S.O. at the same time. The army recommendations for honours originate in units and go up through brigades, divisions, and corps, the commanding officer of the division being expected" to do the censoring, but brigadiers al-o have the power of approval or otherwise. Twice a year (Kings Birthday and New Year) there ie an "issue' , rationed out to divisions at so many per unit. The officers in charge have to nominate those who have caught their eye for exceptional good work, or gallantry ami devotion to duty. At these times also "mentions in despatches" are made for work j for which a decoration is not available | or not quite warranted. These arc not ' to be ooniounded with -mentioned for I valuable work in connection with the ! war." liberally bestowed at Home for ! Home service. What the eoldicr most i appreciates is the immediate reward i alter an action, nlthouch many "issues" have been equally gallantly earned 1 nlortunately for the B.E. decorations some oflicors who were unable to stand the strain of shell and other fire and consequently got the reputation of ! being "windy," did very well with ad- I ministration work at Home .Service and ; have been decorated. As men who nave stood the work at the front for prolonged periods and assisted to buildup the -Diggers reputation have in unfortunately too many instances, been unrecognised, the irritation (failing a better word) of the divisional personnel may be understood. General Russell c-ouid never be accused of making decorations cheap in the New Zealand Division The Guards had 10.000 killed in the war and their officers were awarded seven V.C.'s. The New Zealand Division had IG.OOO killed and none of their officers were given the coveted honour. In the reoent awards of the B.E. Order in X.Z the disparity between quality of service and grade of decoration forces one to the conclusion that a strong personal element came in somewhere. This was entirely absent in the Division. As to the Military Medal, its honour value is unquestioned. It? recipients have heen generally men of extraordinary- valour and fortitude whose award was the reeult of gome climax to their consistent

[frallantry: alas, most of the bravest gained only the wooden cross. One mnst 'divest the mind of the idea that because ia man has not got a decoration, he never learned one. The indifference of the aver-' "Digger" to shollfire in the front line ' showed one that "windyness" would not - weaken hi? effort for the "objective." ' ■"Touchstone*" lines covered many au . incident in this great struggle: There's nmn}- a man who gave his life; A noble gift and free, To shield a friend unto the end When none was there to see. ['.But those who passed with him at last I Jnto Kternitv. 'I ',1 am, etc., "DTXK."