N.Z. DIVISION

Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 31, 5 February 1919, Page 6

N.Z. DIVISION

HONOURS AMD AWASDI

FOB- BRAVKRY ON THE FIKLJ>.

(Special from tbe Official War Corres

pondent.)

30th January.

There w/poblkhed this morning what will probably be the final fighting list of honours and awards made by Field-Mar-shal Sir Douglas Haig to members of this New Zealand Division.

Colonel Jardine, commanding the 2nd Battalion Rifles, gets a bar to the D.S.O. for his resource and skill in fighting at Le Quesnoy. On 4th November the enemy, who w»s holding a railway embankment in front of the city, brought such heavy machine-gun fire to bear that our attack was temporarily held up. Colonel Jardine used his reserves with such success, promptitude, and skill that the advance could be continued. The enemy also held strong commanding positions on the ramparts, \ising field guns, minen-werfer, machine-guns, and rifles on our attacking troops, but Colonel Jardine went, under fire, from company to company, directing operations, ami pushing his men from position to position until he outmanoeuvred the enemy and subdued the fire, thereby materially helping to bring about the fall of the town. ' !

Three bars to Military Crosses are awarded, one to Lieutenant M'Minn, of the Rifles, who on 31st October did fine work with a patrol in locating the enemy positions near Le Quesnoy. This small patrol of six all told found forty Germans occupying a railway cutting, and fired on them with rifles, and enfiladed them with Lewis guns. Lieutenant M'Minn, realising the seriousness of the position should the enemy attack, rushed along the railway for two hundred yards and, smglehanded, fell upon the enemy, lolling several and thoroughly disorganising the others. By this'sudden and gallant action his little party effected the surrender of one officer amd thirtyseven of other ranks.

Gaptain Greenish, of -the 3rd Battalion Rifles, while pressing forward with \ his company to a second objective on 4th November, came into country devoid of cover and swept by enemy machine-guns commanding the positions. Fearlessly he led his men forward, putting some of the enemy to flight and capturing the others, whereby the second objective was gained.

A third bar to the Cross was gained by Lieutenant Hugh Johnston, of the lßt Canterburys, for his gallant leadership. Near Mormal Forest on sth November he led a rush forward and captured a machine-gun, and at one time, when his company was surrounded, he fought his way out and drove the enemy off. He then reorganised and led his company forward, capturing the objective in the face of heavy machinegun and shell fire. Like many • other's he showed in this determined fighting an absolute disregard for his own safety. Twenty-two Military Crosses are awarded, one to Padre! Robson, of the Ist Canterbury*, for work under heavy shell fire amongst the wounded, in the vicinity of Mormal Forest. After the battalion had been relieved he remained behind the whole, day under very heavy shell fire, to bury its dead, a task that was not completed till darkness fell Machine-gunners are among those who ,have gained Military Crosses. One of the most conspicuous k Lieutenant A. R. Curtis, who did fine work with h;s Vickers gun in Mormal Forest; When approaching the forester's house his section came into a barrage of gas and high explosive, and finding the road blown up in several places and the •ground in a boggy condition, they nanhandled their limbers off the road through scrub to s» sound position. Lieutenant Curtis, with fine initiative, later made good and exposed the flank and silenced the enemy machine-guns that were shooting at our consolidating troops. Auckland, Canterbury, Wellington, and Otago Infantry officers figure in this list for acts of gallantry, skill, and initiative that led to the death of many Germans, the capture of prisoners, and field and machine-guns. The list will reach you in due course from the High Commissioner's Office. One of the,recipients is Lieutenant Harold Domigan, of the Ist Otagos, who, in command of A Company, advanced a thousand yards in the dusk over unknown ground, crossed the Esaillon River, east of Beaudignies, established' bridgeheads, and made good on the high ground a thousand yards. beyond. At one stage he turned an enemy position, capturing three officers and seventy-five of other ranks, and seven machine-guns. Having made good on high ground he pushed patrols forward another thousand yards, and, receiving no news of his patrols for some time, his runners, unknown to him, having been killed, he himself went forward to them and established touch with the unit on. his flank. All through the.two days of this advance this young officer, with a heavy responsibility of the company command, displayed intrepidity and leadership of a high order.

Fifteen n.c.o.'s and men have won the D.C.M.

Among those who gained a bar to the D.S.O. for courage and leadership in recent fighting was Lieutenant-Colonel Kobert Allen, of the Auckland Regiment, who was attached to .the,lst Battalion of the Eifle Brigade. Jn "an attack nt Crevecoeur early in October, lie displayed remarkable courage under iiro and great skill in command of his battalion. ■ During the attack his hea\lquarters was heavily shelled, m;d ail • 3:is officers save one became casualties. ITe .himself was wounded, yet remained to superintend the evacuation of- tlie ot'ip" wounded. At Le Quesroy on 4tii X-v ■ ember; although constantly r.nt'er b<*~v' artillery and machine-gunfire. hr. n-'w •' from company to company ilivc^- ' the attack, personally directing th-:' nw-y ■ tions. He was wounded .in the !<"• but cs-rricri on till a!l n-'iectivc* ■■■■«-<• taken. He and his brother arr "•'■!! | knoffl throughout the'division, for <V:great daring and able leadership. !■>"'' bas been wounded fi?v.r thr.ps, and hv pil ordinary laws of chance each shnr.M hv.xo •been killed before the end of the c-V"----.paistn.

Lieutenant-Colonel M'Qua-vrie, who f"om the Gallinoli days onward has hcA a distinguished career in the Artilicvv has been awarded the D.S.O.