BURMESE CAMPAIGN

Greymouth Evening Star, 27 September 1944, Page 6

BURMESE CAMPAIGN

’ V.C. AWARD. RUGBY, September 26. The posthumous award of the Victoria Cross has been made to Captain, temporary. Majof, Frank Gerald Blaker, of the Highland Light Infantry, attached to the 9th Gurkha Rifles, Indian Army, for conspicuous gallantry. The citation states: In Burma, on July 9, a company of Gurkhas was ordered to carry out a wide encircling movement across unknown, precipitous country, through dense jungle, to attack a strong enemy position on the summit of an important hill overlooking Taungni. Blaker carried out the movement with the utmost precision and took up a position on the extreme right flank, in itself a feat of considerable military skill. Another company, after bitter fighting, succeeded in taking the forward edge of the enemy position by frontal assault, but failed to reach the main crest of the hill. Al. this moment Blaker’s company came under heavy, accurate fire at close range an'd was also compelled to leave. Blaker advanced ahead of his men through very heavy fire and in spite of being severely wounded in the arm by a grenade located .the machine-guns which were the pivot of the enemy defence, and singlehanded charged the position. When hit by a burst of three rounds through the body he. continued to cheer on his men. His fearless leadership and outstanding courage so inspired the company that they stormed the hill and captured the objective, while the enemy fled into the jungle. Blaker died of wounds while being evacuated from the battlefield. REPATRIATION SCHEME KANDY, September 26. Il is officially announced that by December all British ranks in India and South-east Asia Commands, who have served four years or over, will either have been repatriated or be awaiting repatriation. Other ranks will sail in the quarter beginning No-, vembe-r, and officers in the quarter starting February. Every effort will be made to continue this arrangement, but qualifying factors are manpower, period ot movement, and claims of other overseas commands for similar treatment.

FLIC 11TS DURING MONSOON

RUGBY, September 26. ' A Burma communique says: The FiLui Indian Division closing in on Tiddirn is still encountering no serious opposition. A Colombo message says that during the 1944 monsoon R..A.F. heavies and mediums trebled the number of sorties flown in the 1943 monsoon. In this monsoon only six R.A.F. aircraft of the Strategic Air Force were