GALLANT DEEDS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 107, 9 May 1927, Page 7

GALLANT DEEDS.

BRAVERY REWARDED

Decorations for Wanhsien

Incident.

OFFICERS AND SEAMEN.

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received 12 noon.)

RUGBY, May 8.

An official announcement is mad# of awards granted to officers and men of the Navy and Mercantile Marine in recognition of the services rendered in the Yangtse River on September 6 last.

The services are recognised in Conner, tion with the rescue of six British officerr of the Mercantile Marine held captive on board two British steamers by 30G Chinese soldiers.

The rescue was made in the face of » murderous fire from the shore and with some 20,000 hostile troops grouped round them.

Seven British officers and men were killed and six officers and men wounded.

The awards are as follows:—Officers' of the British Empire, Captain William-! son and Chief Engineer Kings wood, of: the converted merchant steamer Kaiwo;"* Captain Bates, of the steamship \Van« tung. and Lieutenant-Commander Lslor,' of the steamer Winliu; distinguished Service Cross, Lieutenant Jack Peterson, of the Kaiwo, and Captain Thomson, of the steamer Wanhsien; Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, Petty Officer Warbur- • ton and Able Seaman Bees, of tha Kaiwo; Distinguished Service Medal, Petty Officer Bourne, of Cockchafer. Able Seamen Kelt and Image, of the Kaiwo, and Ordinary Seaman Baldock, of theKaiwo.

Their individual deeds of gallantry are recorded in the announcement.

The Wahnsein incident last September arose through the truculenc-e of General Yang Sen, who seized two British ships, the Wantung and Wahnsein, for refusing to act as transports for his troops. An expedition, which included the British gunboats Widgeon and Cockchafer. were! sent to secure the release of the ships and their officers, and in the fighting which] ensued Lieutenant-Commander Darley and six other British officers were killed.