SPECIAL MENTION

Evening Post, Volume CXL, Issue 118, 15 November 1945, Page 5

SPECIAL MENTION

DEVOTION TO DUTY

TARAWA EPIC RECALLED

Recognition of service given in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands by mention in dispatches of numerous New Zealand servicemen recalls the massacre at Tarawa of New Zealand Post and Telegraph employees and Army personnel by Japanese in October, 1942. Victims of the dastardly act are amongst those named in awards approved by the King and announced by the Governor-General (Sir Cyril NeWall) .

Posthumous mention in dispatches for exemplary conduct in coast-watch-ing and communication duties in the Gilbert Islands t-.reas in the face of the enemy, in spite of overwhelming odds and the knowledge that relief or escape was impossible, is awarded the following:— Lieut. Taylor, Allan L. Mr. W. C. Taylor. Waimate (f.).

Sgt. Third, Konald. Mrs. E. Third, 121 a Gladstone Road, Gisborne (in.). Cpl. Hearn, Henry It. C. Mrs. A. S. Hearn, 208 Grays Road, Hastings (m.). Capl. Heenan, Arthur C. Mr. E. P. Heenan, Middlemarch (f.). Cpl. McCarthy, John J. Mr. J. J. McCarthy, l'J Meola Road, Point Chevalier, Auckland (f.). Cpl. .McKenna, Arthur B. Mrs. H. Webb, Bristol Street, Levin (aunt). Cpl. Murray, Thomas C. Mr. Thomas Murray, Box 1, Picton (f.). Cpl. Pearsall, Clifford A. Mr. Lewis Pearsail, Laurence (f.). Pte. Ellis, Raymond A. Mrs. J. A. Ellis, care 10 Arthur Street, Ponsonby, Auckland (w.). Pte. Hltchon, Robert I. Mrs. Sara Hitchon, No. 7 Road, Waitoa (m.). Pte. Howe, Dallas H.. Mrs. S. A. Howe, Tararua Road, Thames (m.). Pte. Jones, Reginald. Mr. L. Jones, 14 Turakina Street, Grey Lynn, Auckland (brother). , , Pte. Kilpin, Claude A. Mr. W. G. Kilpin, R.M.D., Te Aroha (brother). Pte. McKenzie, Roderick M. Mr. R. fl. McKeiizie, Te Kuiti (f.). Pte Nichol, Jolin H. Mrs. M. A. Mchot. Te Matai Road, Te Puke (m.). Pte. Owen, Charles J. Mr. V. Owen, 50 Bell Road, Woburn, Lower Hutt (brother). Pte. Parker, Wilfred A. R. Mrs. J. Parker, care Mr. H. Schaare, Waharoa R.l). (m.). Pte. Speedy, Leslie B. Mrs. A. J. Speedy, 13 Albion Road, Otahuhu, Auckland (w.). The following receive mention in dispatches, the citation being the same as in the case of the posthumous awards :— * T/Lieut. McQuinn, Maxwell P. Mrs. G. Munn, Church Street, Oxford, Canterbury (m.). Cpl. Jones, John M. Mrs. J. Jones, Waiuta, Westland (m.). I Cpl. Wallace, Sydney R. Mrs. M: Wallace, Joyce Crescent, Greymouth (m.). Pte. Menzies, John M. Mrs. P. M. Menzies, 11198 Dominion Road, Mt. Roskill, Auckland Pte. Menzies, Michael. Mrs. Kate Daly, 4621 Park Boulevard, Oakland, California, U.S.A. (aunt) ; Mrs. R. Somerville, 32 Eldon Road, Mt. Eden, Auckland. Pte. Muller, Lewis E. H. Mrs. D. Muller, Pukeuri Junction, Oamaru (m.). Pte. Were, Basil. airs. B. M. Collingwood, 21 Devon Street, Frankton Junction (sister). The following is mentioned in dispatches for devotion to duty, initiative, and valuable service in maintaining vital communications in the Gilbert and Ellice Islands:— Lieut. Vaughan, Donald L. Mrs. J. Vaughan, 16 Macky Avenue, Devonport, Auckland (m.). Also mentioned in dispatches for devotion to duty while acting as a member of the coastwatching organisation in the Gilbert Islands when these islands were attacked by the Japanese is \~~ T/Cpl. Thorburn, Philip B. Mr. L. Thorburn. Davy Street, Thames (f.). Of the personnel to whom the award pf posthumous mentions in dispatches is made, eight were officers of the Post and Telegraph Department, all young men who early in 1941 had volunteered for service in the coast-watching organisation in the Pacific Islands. The remaining 10 New Zealanders were Army personnel who had volunteered to assist in coastwatching duties and to keep the Post and Telegraph officers company in the remote islands In which they were situated, very few of which had any regular white inhabitants. All, with the exception of Sergeant Third, were killed on or about October 15, 1942, by the Japanese at Betio, Tarawa, while being held there as prisoners. Sergeant Third is believed to have died later. In the case of personnel receiving the award of mention in dispatches the following were officers of the Post and Telegraph Department: Lieutenant Vaughan, Corporal Jones. T/Lieut. McQuinn, Corporal Thorburn. Corporal Wallace. The remainder were original Army personnel.