BRAVERY IN PACIFIC

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 7, 3 October 1944, Page 4

BRAVERY IN PACIFIC

Decorations And Awards NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS Advice that the King has approved of the following awards to 2nd N.Z.E.F. personnel who served with the Fiji Defence Forces, for gallant and distinguished service in the field, has been received by the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones: —

Distinguished Service Order. / Licut.-Colonel Geoffrey Thomson Upton. Next-of-kin: Mrs. M. Upton (w.), Box 277, Suva. Fiji. Military Cross.

Hon. Lieut. Herbert Henry Necve. Next-of-kin: Mrs. J. McL. Neeve (w.), 2 Millais Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland. Mentioned in Dispatches.

T/Lieut. Thomas Cuthbert Scott. Next-of-kin: Mrs. E. M. Scott (m.), 7 Le Cran Street, Thnaru. Sergeant Patrick William Egan. Next-of-kin: Mrs. K. A. Egan'fw.), 175 Adelaide Hoad, Newtown, Wellington. Sergeant Phillip Peterson. Next-of-kin: Mr. W. A. Peterson (f.), R.D. Bombay, Auckland.

In civil life a well-known journalist on tlie staff of N.Z. Newspapers Ltd., Lieut.Coloael Upton was first commissioned as a second-lieutenant in the Auckland Regiment in 1037, He had previously served three years in the Cambridge 0.T.C., England, followed by three Years la the ranks In the Auckland Regiment. In June, 1040. he was selected for duty with the FIJI Defence Force and was later appointed to the Bth Brigade Group, though remaining seconded to the Fiji Defence Force. He was granted the temporary rank of lieutenant-colonel in December. 1943, when appointed officer commanding an infantry battalion. His unit saw active service in Bougainville with a corps of the United States Forces, the commanding officer of which specially commended Colonel Upton for his skilful withdrawal of his battalion across country during an engagement with strong Japanese forces. Colonel Uptons battalion killed 120 of the enemy and wounded a large number, while itself suffered only one casualty—one man slightly wounded. During this withdrawal the battalion successfully evacuated 200 friendly natives who would otherwise have been subjected to Japanese reprisals. The American general said that the success of the operation must be credited to the commander of the battalion both for its high state of combat efficiency and for the high degree of troops leadership displayed in extricating the command from a difficult situation. Colonel Upton is 32 years of age. ■ Lieutenant Neeve, who was granted an honorary commission on being appointed bandmaster of the Sth Brigade Group Band, Fiji, was before the war bandmaster of the Salvation Army Citadel Band, Wellington. He went to Fiji In 1940 for duty with the FIJI Defence Force and was appointed bandmaster of a FIJI infantry regiment band. He is 27 years of age. Beginning his military service in the ranks of the Nelson, Marlborough and West Coast Regiment, Lieutenant Scott was later selected as an n.e.o. Instructor at the Army School, Trentham. In December, 1942, he was commissioned and appointed to the 2nd N.Z.E.F. (Fiji). He returned to New Zealand this year and has since been posted to the Reserve of Officers. He is 24 years of age, and before the war was a salesman in the employ of Sargood, Son and Ewen Ltd., Auckland.