HE WON A MEDAL

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume LXIX, Issue 13309, 8 April 1941, Page 4

HE WON A MEDAL

TAURANGA BOY IN EGYPT A ROWING RACE Writing to his mother in Tauranga, Driver Doug Dicier serving with the Middle East Forces tells of how he won a medal. He gives the story thus: “Would you belfeve it, I’ve won a medal in the Army. It’s rather a 1 long story but I Know you’ll like it. (Tlie other day one of the sergeants came round for names of anyone who could or had rowed a boat, dinghy, or canoe, as there was a regatta coming olf and they wanted to put in a team. Expecting a bit of fun i put in my name, remembering a certain time I pulled Tom round in circles with a longer oar than him, much to his discomfiture. There were twenty-one in the team altogether, and we were told that the dress was battle order, which was, shorts and shirt, web gear, fullpack, rifle, tin hat, gas mask, and water bottle, hearing which we immediately lost interest and said we wouldn’t have it on, having visions of marching down in full kit, piling arms; shedding gear, then, entering. W© even put forward the suggestion or question as to whether .it was a regatta or C.B. It didn’t do any 'good though, as the Major said the names had gone in for the*event, and his orders were we should take part. We mentioned something about leading a horse to water but not being able to make him drink, as orders like that go against the grain a bit. In the afternoon we went down for a practice and began to get a little enthusiastic and as the regatta was the next day began to look forward to it a bit, though still not liking the full kit stunt. We then had explained to us the idea of the event. The twenty-one men were split up into three sectidns, and the first section had to launch the boat, paddle across, drop five, two row back, embark another seven, take them over, and come back for the last section. Then two were to take the. boat back, pull it out of the water y and oyer a finishing line. The idea of the fullkit was that the event was the same as if we were going into action across a river, an assault landing. ‘Hearing this we became keener than ever, and quite pleased we had been ordered to take part.

“Next day we set out a little doubtful as to our ability to clean |up the troops whose real job it is, but determined to give them a run for their money. There, were eighteen teams altogether entered by other companies and battalions, and they were run in three heats of six. We were in the last heat. The boats were folding canvas flat-bottomed ones, and when the pistol cracked we got ours together and got away to a good start before any of the others. We still had the lead on the next two trips, but the men who took the boat back the second time wandered a bit off the course and dropped to second place which was held till the finish. The boat had shipped a fair bit of water and was very heavy to get up the slippery bank, so that the next boat was able to land-and tie for second place which 'mad© seven teams in the final. The finals weren’t until a few hours later, so in the meantime we had lunch, swapped the team around so as to get tfhe best effort, and chewed over and improved our faults. Eventually the time came when we ’ were lined up again and we got away again for a good start which increased with every lap due to our correction, and we won by at least thirty yards. I was in the first section and I was puffed when I landed, but not near as puffed as I was from yelling at the others to go for their lives. I was in the midst of some battalion boys and I wasn’t a bit popular for cheering for the A.S.C. because the infantry don’t like the A.S.C., and I nearly bought a fight when I said that they, reckoned the A.S.C. was always behind and that winning the race just proved the opposite. After that we went and collected our medals. I’ll send mine home to you air hi ail after it is engraved. The ‘ rest of our company had been poking fun at the ‘Vulgar Boatmen,’ and giving us what-ho, but their grins turned to looks of envy when they saw our medals and heard that we / had won agaihst : teams from the rest of the Division. We were smothered in mud and wet through from the dirty old Nile, but we were a bit pleased with ourselves as you. can guess. When we jumped

out of the boat we would go to our waists in mud and wa ' weren’t as bad as some le f t .whose boat sank under them , Q them floundering fully clot hem the filthy waters. Some ° n( i will swallowed some of the watei a - n _ have to have a large number, jec.tions.’’ - '