BRAVERY IN THE FIELD

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 203, 25 May 1944, Page 4

BRAVERY IN THE FIELD

Awards Of Military Cross > And Military Medal MIDDLE EAST SOLDIERS Advice that the King has approved of the following immediate awards to personnel of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. (Middle East) for gallant and distinguished service in the field has been received by the Minister of Defence; Mr. Jones : — Military Cross. Captain Matarehua Wikiriwhi. Sirs. P. Delamere, Te Piki, Cape Runaway Captain Kenneth John White. Mrs. S. E. White, 19 Brougham Avenue. Wellington (m.). B Military Medal. Private George Henry Albert Sutherland. Mrs. M. Sutherland, Aohanga Station, Tangaroa, Wairarapa (w.). Private Robert Hdrvey Bidois. Mr. W. Bidois, care Mrs. M. Lentian, 69 Cameron Road, Tauranga (b.). Lance-Bombardier John Craddock Armstrong. Mrs. F. R. Armstrong, Private Bag, Riveljn, (w.). Private Hanginui I-loani. Mrs. H. Hoani, Okahukura. Te Koura, King Country (m.). . — Lance-Sergeant Reginald James Humphrey Hollis. Mrs. A. K. E. E. Hollis, Princess Street, Levin (w.).

Captain Wiklrlwlii went overseas with the second echelon as a member of the Maori Battalion, with which he served throughout all the New Zealand campaigns up to the time of his being invalided home to New Zealand recently. He served as intelligence officer under the then commander of the 'battalion, Lieut.-Colonel C. M. Bennett, D.S.O. Captain Wikiriwhi was himself awarded the D.S.O. for services rendered during the second Libyan campaign. A Press tribute on that occasion states that “he performed such meritorious service that his award ranks as only the second subaltern in the New Zealand Forces to receive the D.S.O. in this or anv other war.” 'He was wounded in June, ’1941, and again in February of this vear. He gained his commission in the field in 1942. Before the war he was in the employ of the Native Department in Rotorua. He is 26 years of age Captain White, who was in the United Kingdom when war broke out, enlisted there in October, 1939. He went to Egypt in April, 1940, and was first appointed to commissioned rank in December the same year. He’is serving with the New Zealand Artillery, and gained his present rank when appointed to command a’troop. He was formerly a company secretary and is .41 years of age. He has been twice wounded. Private Sutherland went overseas with a reinforcement draft tn December, 194 - .. He is 24 years old and 'before the war was employed by a dairy company at Okaiawa, Taranaki. ... Private Bidois. who has been overseas for 10 months, was formerly employed on a dairy farm at Tauranga. He is 22 years of ajxc. Formerly a farm labourer employed at Jlaungarau. Masterton, Lance-Bombardier Armstrong left New Zealand with an early reinforcement draft. He is 30 years of Private Hoani embarked for overseas in Jlarch last vear. He was wounded in February this year and again the following month. He is 23 years old and before the war was employed by the New Zealand Railways in Taumarunui Lance-Sergeant Hollis went to the Jild<lle East with the first echelon, was wounded in 1942, and again this year. He is 38 years of age. In civil life he was employed by the New Zealand Railways, and was stationed in Levin.