V.C. winner ‘earned rest’

Press, 24 April 1987, Page 9

V.C. winner ‘earned rest’

PA Wellington Harry Laurent, New Zealand’s sole surviving Victoria Cross winner of World War I, says he will not be on parade on Anzac Day this year. At 92 he has earned a 'Test

The former Army sergeant recently moved from Hawera to live with his family in Hastings and though he won’t march with R.S.A. members tomorrow he has not forgotten the war in which he won the highest decoration for bravery. His Victoria Cross was awarded for conspicuous courage, skill and enterprise at Gouzeacourt Wood, France, on September 12,. 1918. With a patrol of 12 men Sergeant Laurent killed 30 German troops and captured 112 others during a night attack. The citation for those events nearly 70 years ago says: “With a party of 12 he located the enemy’s support line very strongly held, and at once charged the position, followed by his men, and completely disorganised the enemy by his sudden onslaught. “In the subsequent hand-to-hand fighting he showed great resourcefulness, controlling and encourging his men. Thirty of the enemy were killed and the remainder surrendered. “The success of this venture, which caused his party four casualties only, was due to his gallantry and enterprise.” When the war ended Sergeant Laurent was without a job.

“So I decided to take up farming ... to be in the wide open spaces. There was tons of country there, grass, scrub or even bush.”

During World War II he served with home defence units and then settled back in Taranaki where he was visited often by his three sons. He is a little hesitant to talk about his wartime experiences, saying enough has been recorded of the war in books.