WAR DECORATIONS

Grey River Argus, 1 August 1940, Page 12

WAR DECORATIONS

TWO ARMY V.C.s LONDON, July 30. Over 80 R.A.l*'. officers and men have been awarded the D.F.C. or the D.F.M., including the D.F.C. for the following New Zealanders: Squadron-Leader E. W. Whitley, of Auckland; Pilot Officer E. I. Parsons of Christchurch; Pilot Officer N. H. Svendsen, of Pukekohe; Pilot Officer K. W. Trigance, of Temuka. The D.F.M. for Sergeant R. A. Reece, of Christchurch; Sergeant E. P. Williams, R.N.Z.A.F., Auckland. The first Army Victoria Crosses in this war have been awarded to Captain Harold Marcus Irvine Andrews, of the East Lancashire Regiment, also Lance-Corporal Harry Nichols, of the Grenadier Guards.

Captain Irvine Andrews, on the] night of May 31-June 1, called for volunteers to fill a dangerous gap in front of Dunkirk. He himself climb-; ed to the top of the barn, from which i he engaged the enemy’ with rifle and Bren gun-fire, although the enemv were sending mortar bombs and bullets through the roof. Captain Andrews accounted for 17 of the enemy with the rifle, and for many mora with the Bren gun. He then extricated the remnants of his company from their perilous position. He displayed courage, tenacity, and devotion to duty, and magnificently imbued his troops with his own dauntless fighting spirit. Lance. Corporal Nicholls was commanding a section when ordered to counter-attack on May 21. He was wounded in the arm immediately, but continued to advance over a small ridge with heavy close-range ma-chine-guns, despite a further serious wound. Lance-Corporal Nicholls went up to higher ground and engaged massed German infantry, causing many casualties. He fired until his ammunition was exhausted, and received further wounds, but refused to give in. His gallantry compelled the enemy to fall back across the River Scheldt. Nicholls has since been killed in action.