AWARD TO AIRMAN

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 96, 19 January 1944, Page 4

AWARD TO AIRMAN

Courageous Mountaineering Feat His Excellency the Governor-General has announced that the King has been graciously pleased to make the following Empire Medal. —Corporal Tom. Nelson Newth. Royal New Zealand Air nous part Corporal Newth played in the search for two airmen from.the Royal New Zealand Air Force Station, Wigram, who were lost during a mountain climbing expedition on the slopes of Mt. Malte Brun in the Southern Alps on March 20, 1943. Particular reference is made to his courageous feat in carryin"- out a solo traverse of a dangerously 2O, 1943, two airmen from R.N.Z.A.F. Station, Wigiam, were lost during a mountain climbing expedition on Mt. Malte Brun After no trace could be found from the an, an Air Force search party was organized and departed for the locality on Marcil 22 bn March 24 after a search lasting several hours during which no sign was found of the missing airmen, they were joined by a police search party Next day a further search was made by both I parties, but again without success after a tiring day. On March -6 the fittest members of the two parties united to make a further search in the higher regions toward the summit of the mounof the difficulties encountered, Corporal Newth, who was then a leading aircraftman, was finally left to continue the search by himself. Eventually he found articles that proved- that the lost airmen had been in that area. live hundred feet above the point where Corporal Newth left a companion, who had accompanied him on the first part of his climb, he discovered first an axe and sun further on a splinter that had been torn off the axe. Still higher up, Corporal Newth located a jersey and. other articles belonging to one of the missing airmen. Unfortunately, no sign of the bodies was found After five hours of solo climbing Corporal Newth descended to the companion he had left behind him, carrying the equipment he had found. A further party the next day continued the search but without result. The search was finally abandoned on March 27. Corporal Newth, who is a very experienced climber, was fully cognisant of the risks involved in solo climbing and knew that if a slip occurred there would have been small chance of saving himself on bad ground such as he encountered on this climb. In spite of the fact that he knew the risks he was taking he continued to ascend, traverse, and descend a. percipitous rock face by himself. The strain imposed was such as to elicit remarks that “he was done to a frazzle on rejoining his companion. To continue for five hours by oneself under such conditions, knowing the risks he ran was an outstanding performance, and an indication of the courage and fortitude displayed by Corporal Newth. Born at Christchurch in 1914, Corporal Newth received his secondary education at the Christchurch Technical College. After leaving school he became apprenticed as a carpenter and joiner. Enlisting in the Royal New Zealand Air Force toward the end of 1940 he commenced training in the following year ns a flight rigger. Promoted to the rank of corporal he was accepted last December as a flight engineer in air crew. His wife Mrs. Esther Newth. resides at 23 Avonhead Road, Ricearton, Cliristchureh.