FOR VALOUR

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 45, 18 November 1918, Page 5

FOR VALOUR

V.C. AWARDS TO NEW ZEALANDERS

London, November 15. Victoria Crosses have been ' awarded to the following New Zealanders -.— ( Sergeant H. J. Laurent, of the Rifle Brigade. With a party of twelve men he charged the enemy support , line, which wae strongly held. His sudden onslaught completely disorganised tho enemy. He showed great resourcefulness in controlling and encouraging his inen in subsequent hand-to-hand fighting. After thirty of tho enemy had been killed the remainder, totalling ono officer and 111 men, surrendered. Tho Now Zealanders sustained only four casualties. Private J. Crichton, Auckland, though wounded in the foot, continued with tho advancing troops despite the difficulty of canal and river obstacles. When a counter-attack forced back his platoon he succeeded in carrying a message involving the swimming' of the river and the crossing of an area swept by machinegun fire. Returning to his platoon ho undertook, on ,hie own initiative, to save a mined bridge, under the close five of machine-guns and snipers, and succeeded in removing the, charges and returning with the detonators nnd fuses.—Aus.N.Z. Cable Assn.