NEW ZEALANDERS WIN AWARDS

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23809, 1 December 1942, Page 4

NEW ZEALANDERS WIN AWARDS

Service In Middle East 17 NAMES IN LIST (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 30. Seventeen officers and men of the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force on active service in the Middle East are named in a list of immediate awards approved by the King. Two of the recipients were killed in action and several others were wounded in the recent fighting in the Western Desert. The list of awards is as follows: — Military Cross Captain Allen Lindsay Bryant. His father is Mr William Bryant, Otokia. Captain Alexander Mathieson Rutherford. Mis wife is Mrs E. V. Rutherford, Wellington. Lieutenant Arthur William Barnett. His father is Mr A. Barnett, Dunedin. Lieutenant James Frederick Moodie. His father is Mr J. F. Moodie, Dunedin. Second-Lieutenant Neil Buchanan. His mother is Mrs J. Buchanan, Dunedin. Distinguished Conduct Medal Warrant Officer (Class II) Archibald Fletcher. His mother Is Mrs A. Fletcher, Whangarei. Sergeant George Bernard Bartholomew. His father is Mr H. H. Bartholomew, London. Military Medal Sergeant Victor James Cleave. His wife is Mrs V. Cleave, Auckland. Sergeant Gordon Isaac Knox. His next-of-kin is Mr R. J. Knox, Ashburton. The relationship is not stated. Sergeant Charles Honori Parks. His wife is Private Mary R. Parks, England. Sergeant Eulahi Tahumalaa Pitama. His next-of-kin is Mrs W. T. Pitama, Tuahiwi. Sergeant Michael Cameron Tithcr. His wife is Mrs J. M. Tither, Dunedin. Lance-Sergeant Kenneth James O’Brien. His father is Mr H. J. O’Brien, Kaikoura. Corporal Nathaniel Gordon. His mother is Mrs E. Gordon, Northern Ireland. Lance-Corporal Lionel Athcl Warr, His mother is Mrs F. E. Warr, Wellington. Private Gordon Granville Beckingham. His father is Mr J. E. Beckinghum. Timaru. Driver Norman Hague. His mother is Mrs E. Hague, Cambridge. Captain Bryant was a medical practitioner in the employ of the Southland Hospital Board. He went overseas in September, 1941, and was promoted captain in July last. Captain Rutherford went overseas in June. 1941. He was previously a medical practitioner employed by the Otago Hospital Board, and was promoted captain in July this year. Lieutenant Barnett went overseas with a reinforcements draft in April, 1941, as a second-lieutenant, and was promoted a year later. He was wounded in the Western Desert in October last. In civil life he was a draper in Dunedin, and before going overseas served for two years with the New Zealand Artillery. Lieutenant Moodie was formerly a student employed by the Otago Education Board. He went overseas in the rank of sergeant, and was appointed second-lieutenant in February, 1941, and lieutenant a year later. He was wounded in the desert in June last. Before going overseas in August, 1940, Second-Lieutenant Buchanan served for three years and a half with the territorials, and received his commission in December, 1941. He was engaged in the catering business in civil life. Warrant Officer Fletcher went overseas with the Ist Echelon in January, 1940. His civilian occupation was that of a motor mechanic. Sergeant Bartholomew was killed in action in the Western Desert in October last. Before the war ho was employed on the Tutira station, near Napier. Before going overseas with the Ist Echelon, Sergeant Cleave served for a year with a coastal battery. He was a motor mechanic in civil life. Sergeant Knox went overseas with the Ist Echelon. He was in business as a coal merchant in Ashburton before the war. Sergeant Parks was wounded in the desert in July of this year. He was later invalided to New Zealand. He was a photographer by occupation. Sergeant Pitama was killed in action in the Western Desert in October last. He went overseas with the Ist Echelon. He was a farm hand in civil life, and worked in the Lake Coleridge district. Sergeant Tither went overseas with a reinforcements draft in April. 1941, and was wounded in the Western Desert in July last. He was formerly a school teacher employed by the Otago Education Board. Lance-Sergeant O'Brien was seriously wounded in the Western Desert in August of this year, but has since rejoined his unit. In civil life he was a tunncller employed by the Public Works Department. Corporal Gordon went overseas with the Ist Echelon and was wounded last year. He was an electrical linesman employed at Patulahi, Gisborne. Lance-Corporal Warr went overseas in September, 1941, and was wounded in the Western Desert in September of this year. He was a salesman in civil life. Private Beckingham went overseas with an early reinforcements draft in 1940, and was wounded in the Western Desert in July last. He was a painter and paperhangcr in civil life. Before enlisting in the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force he served three years and a half with the territorials. Before enlisting, Driver Hague served for four years in the territorials. His civil occupation was that of a truck-driver. He went overseas with the Ist Echelon.