V.C.'s AWARDED

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 September 1945, Page 4

V.C.'s AWARDED

TWO AUSTRALIANS’ BRAVERY CANBERRA, Sept. 6; Two more Victoria Crosses have been awarded to members of the Australian military forces. A V.C. has been awarded posthumously to Lieutenant Albert Chownes, M.M., of Sydney, for most conspicuous bravery, brilliant leadership and great devotion to duty, after the. capture of Dagua. The second V.C. is awarded to Private Edward Kenna, of Hamilton, Victoria, for outstanding valour of the highest order at Wewak. The awards were announced by the GovernorGeneral, the Duke of Gloucester, after being approved by the King. They are the 16th and 17th Australians respectively and the 15th and 16th members of the Australian forces respectively to be awarded the V.C. in the Second World War. Lieut. Chownes’s citation says: “Without awaiting orders Lieut. Chownes immediately rushed the enemy’s position. Running up a steep narrow track he hurled grenades which knocked out two enemy light machine-guns. Then, calling on his men to follow him, and firing-his sub-machine-gun from the hip, he charged the enemy’s defensive position. He sustained two serious wounds in the chest.” Private Kenna’s citation says: “At Wewak Private Kenna endeavoured to put his Bren gun into a position, where he could engage an enemy bunker, but was unable to do so because of the nature of the ground. On his own initiative Kenna stood up in full view of the enemy less than 50 yards away and engaged the bunker, firing his Bren gun from the hip. An enemy machine-gun returned Kenna’s fire, and with such accuracy that bullets passed between his arms and his body. Undeterred, he remained completely exposed and continued to fire at the enemy until his magazine was exhausted. As, in his present position he was unable to shoot with sufficient accuracy with his Bren gun, he discarded it. Although still a target for intense machine-gun fire, he went on with amazing coolness, took deliberate aim with his rifle and killed the gunner with the first round. A second automatic opened fire on Kenna who, still standing, again took deliberate aim and killed the gunner with his next round.”