Vietnam M.C. Award

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31770, 29 August 1968, Page 1

Vietnam M.C. Award

(N.Z. Press Association)

WELLINGTON, August 28.

The immediate award of the Military Cross to Lieutenant Maurice Francis Dodson, of the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, for gallantry in Vietnam, was announced today by the Governor-General (Sir Arthur Porritt).

Lieutenant Dodson, who is aged 24, recently returned to New Zealand after being wounded. He went to South Vietnam as a platoon commander in May this year and served with V Company on the 4th Battalion Royal Australian Regiment-New Zealand (Anzac).

The citation covering the award said Lieutenant Dodson was in command of a nine-man patrol on June 22

which tracked, found, and killed three Viet Cong. The patrol at once came under heavy short-range automatic fire from between 70 and 80 Viet Cong, who were in a heavily defended position.

In the first burst of fire Lieutenant Dodson was hit in the head and shoulder, which caused him to lose most of his vision. Two others in the patrol were wounded soon afterwards. The enemy quickly attempted to assault and envelop the patrol, but it avoided being overrun and prevented the enemy from capturing an unconscious rifleman and his machine-gun, both in an exposed position nearby. Throughout this time Lieutenant Dodson directed close mortar, artillery and helicopter fire.

The engagement lasted one hour and 40 minutes.

Many casualties were known to have been inflicted on the enemy and finally the Viet Cong abandoned their

prepared position and withdrew, Lieutenant Dodson, who was born in Greymouth, went to St Bede’s College, Christchurch. He entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1962 and graduated as a lieutenant in 1965.