SKILL AND COURAGE

Evening Star, Issue 25170, 9 May 1944, Page 4

SKILL AND COURAGE

D.S.O. FOR MAORIS' O.C. (P.A.) WELLINGTON, May .9. The King has approved of the award of the D.S.O. to Lieutenant-colonel It. R. T, Young, officer commanding the Maori Battalion, Second N.Z.E-.F. Colonel Young's next of kin is his wife, Mrs D. Young, Wellington. He is aged 42. He was wounded in December. 1043. In civil life a company executive in the employ of the Shell Oil Company (N.Z.) Ltd. at Wellington, Colonel Young for many years prior to the war was actively associated with the Territorial Force. He was commissioned in 1921 as a'second lieutenant and posted to the Wellington Regiment. He attained captain's rank in 1920, and three yeaiw later was posted to the reserve of officers. He returned to.the active list in 1940, and later sailed with the Fifth Reinforcements as a captain in the infantry. He attained his majority in July 1942. After a short period as commandant of the Now Zealand School of Instruction, Second N.Z.E.F. (Middle East) early last year he was appointed second in command of the Maori Battalion, and a few months ago officer commanding, with the rank of lieutenantcolonel. A despatch from General Freyberg in April this year _ stated that Colonel Young was " leading the battalion with skill and courage."