FINE EXAMPLES SET

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 11, 14 January 1943, Page 2

FINE EXAMPLES SET

ENEMY TANKS KNOCKED OUT ARTILLERY OFFICER'S BOLD ESS (P.AJ WELLINGTON, Wednesday. Tb«* citation in connection with, the award to Lieutenant-Colonel Mitch.eE states that before the 01fensive on October 23 he returned to his unit after an attack of dysentery. but when the battle opened ne c command. Throughout the entire operation he was hardly absent from the front line. On one occasion during _a_ tan?: attach on our forward defended, localities, due to casuahties an antitank sun was -■without a crew. Lieutenant-Colonel Mitchell quickly organised a crew. He took the layers seat and knocked out one tank, damaged another caused a third to withdraw. His quick and gallant action undoubtedly saved the situation which might have become precarious. Throughout the campaign Lieuten-ant-Colonel Mitchell faced every contingency with determination. The personal example set _ by him and Ms devotion to duty have been an inspiration. Lieutenant-Colonel Sprosen, just before the opening of the big desert offensive, was nlaced in command of .an artillery regiment. Though his regimental* area was under _ hostile observation during daylight he succeeded in deploying the whole regiment under cover of darkness without apparently disclosing the fact to the enemy. Throughout "the operations Lieutenant-Colonel Sprosen handled his regiment with boldness and speed. While visiting one of his observation posts of November 3 he saw a battery of SSmm. guns engaging our armour. In spite of the fact that his observation post, at the time : was under shellnre, he ran to his wireless set and called for a regi- : mental concentration. His presence at the observation post enabled him to correct the Sre and he eventually succeeded in neutralising the enemy battery. His leadership throughout the campaign has been characterised by boldness and determination.