BATTLE HONOURS

Evening Post, Volume XCIV, Issue 68, 18 September 1917, Page 8

BATTLE HONOURS

AWARDS TO NEW ZEALANDERS

■■■ (PROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) ■I : „ 24th .July. There are many people in New Zealand who will well remember Major, W. J. Shannon,' 16th Lancers,; - who. was A.D;C. to Lord Islington. In. June, 1916, Major Shannon" was awarded the D.5.0., and now he-has" received a. bar to that decoration. This additional honour has been given him for : "Conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He was commanding a dismounted party working on a cavalry track. .By liis skill! in disposing his' men" and his personal energy under heavy fire, he succeeded in completing the track before the arrival of the division, thereby performing mosE valuable service." Major Shannon has twice been mentioned in despatches during this war. Ca'pt. Murdo M. ' M'Rae, R.A.M.C. (Te Kuiti), was attached to the--North-umberland Fusiliers when he.earned his Military Cross for personally, carrying in during the night seven or eight wounded menj who otherwise, would have died in the snow.^He Tiad performed, con.sistent gpod ,v/qrk,.J,hi:oughout. , Capt. Gavin B. Anderson, Middlesex Regiment, wlia has been awarded the Military' Cross, is the son of Mr. Gilbert: Anderson, formerly of Christchurch. Captain Anderson was at Malvem College, arid 'had just passed for Cambridge" when I',the'"War- broke out. ■Through the Cambridge'O.T.C.' he got his commission in. the Middlesex Regiment, and saw inaiiy months' service in France. At the Hohenzollern Redoubt he led a party, of. his regiment with the object of : discovering a German mine crater which was ,- very troublesome. This, object- he 'achieved,, being slightly wounded. -Gapt."'Anderson won his Military Cross for- gallantry at Roeux. Finding: his company in ' the. air aft^r the advance; he "kept it under control and sent back most valuable information, holding on "to-his trench for twentyfour', hours and harassing the enemy .with' rifle "and "machine-gun fire. ] The fine'work of,his company bore evidence to liis good 'training and the spirit instilled by him," Capt. Anderson is only 21 years of.age: V '._;-j;\. •_<'.'

The following received their decorations at -Buckingham Palace a few days ao-o":—Lieut'.-Col. ,Geoffrey' Smith," Otago Battalion, ,e.M.a,x .;liieut.-Cols.-I. v T. Standish, Field Artillery, and R. Young, Canterbury Regiment, C.M.G. and D.5.0.; Capfc. James' Crawford, N.Z.M.C., and Capt. 1. '." S. Wilson, R.A.M.C., ithe Military. Cross. Major H. J. Daltry, N.ZiF.A., and Maj'or-J.iirSaunders;- ,New- Zealand Infantry; have been mentioned _by Sir Douglas Haig; asyaJso has Major C. P. W. Perceval, R.F.A. (son of Sir Westby B. Perceval). ,15/57 Cpl. G. C. Little, N.Z.E.F., at-::;tg;hed-~AvM,-Mj;E. J ..has been mentioned for services in the-Mediterranean and .France.. ..... .. ... „, "","™;-.-•,-•.-•'"'■■- ..': Gghetiil ;M_ilnb'?;;despatch covering' the later operations^ at -mentions ■Eieul" Ronatd" Gray.'KE.'A.. (Wellingtoh),,.6/.6.09 .Pte.,:A. .Curtisj'N.Z.^lnfantry, and Bieut:-Col: theHorir N: C G-athome-Hardy. Lieut. Gray was wounded in France before going to Salonika. By a pr.evious;mail/;I have already sent the" tiames -of the following- -members of Ithe"N.Z.'Ev¥: to whom'the'D'.C.M. was awarded, but at the time no details were available of the acts which merited the . award. Official advices give the following details :— " 'J ...-;/ •:25/708--§ergt^*H. Anderson, Rifle Brigade: -'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to ~«diify. During operations he behaved in a. most gallant manner in at- - tacking and. putting out -of action sn ".'enemy, machine-gun,-crew,-thereby saving niany casjjaltje*," ,';' " a '" "• :'26/1161--Pte.!JW-.-T-^ Douglas, Rifle Brigade: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He .displayed the greatest courage as a stretcher-bearer, in bringing in wounded while under heavy fire. He .lias set- a fine example through-; out." ' . : '■ ■ '

25/1232 Pte. J. Hansen, Rifle Brigade: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to.duty, 'During.operations he remained out in exposed ground under heavy fire) attending wounded. and - bringing them .in.'! •„,.,■-.;,....,, »....-.,: ■.'. „":' 7/2219 Sergt. V. G. Hunter, Infantry: : "For "conspicuous' gallantry arid devotion to .duty.,, ; He has consistently .performed good work throughout, and has at all times'"set a eplendid example." ""' ,;. 12/3795,5ergt::.5.: Robinson, Infantry.: . "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has displayed great'gallantry and leadership during recent operations, and has performed consistent good work throughout."

..23/923. LvSerge. H. Struthers, Rifle Brigade: "For, conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. -He displayed great courage while under., heavy, fire in rescuing an officer and two/men who had become buried by a shell." . .2/1469 Sergt., J. H. Taplin, Field Artillery : "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. While under heavy fire, his gun being put out of action, he remained at, his post, assisting the wounded, and getting his gun into action agairil" .'"""' ' ' ■■■.-.■ .23/1213.,Sergt. J.. A.; Taylor, Infantry: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. ".He has .rendered valuable service during raids, and has at all times set a splendid example to those under him." ~. An erstwhile member of the N.Z.E.F., liow holding a commission in the R.F.A., has just been --awarded the .Military Cross. Second Lieut.. Victor James Gallic (Wellington) was sergeant in the N.Z.F.A., Samoa Detachment; he arrived in London inthe middle, of 1915 and got his.,commission a.,, month, later. The Military Cross has been bestowed upon him "for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty whilst with his battery under -heavy shell fire, in the course of which a. gun pittas struck, th* gun destroyed, arid the ammunition, set on fire. With the aid of a sergeant he entered the pit and made gallant efforts to extinguish the fire, showing great promptitude and coolness in dealing with a serious situation." Lieut.-General Sir A. j. Godley has Keen awarded the' Belgian ' Order of Grand Officier, of the Ordre de la Couronne. ' «