GALLANTRY REWARDED

Levin Daily Chronicle, 1 June 1940, Page 7

GALLANTRY REWARDED

(British Official Wireless.)

DEVOTION AND COURAGE IN ALL RANKS

Received Friday, 9.20 p.m. RUGBY, May 30. Some impression of the odds against which the B.E.F. have been fighting and the gallantry which all ranks displayed may be gathered from the list of awards. Two D.S.O.'s, six M.C.'s, eight M.M. 's to offieers and men of the Royal Tank Regiment and Signals were published to-day. One ofScer left in command of a battalion by the death of his eommander carried out a reconnaisanee on foot and later although wounded led the tank battalion against a heavy onslaught by the enemy which he held until dark and enabled him to withdraw. Another broke out of a town invested by the enemy and was able to reach another town where he co-operated with the infantry througliout the day, destroying from his own tank four medium tanks and three other armoured vehicles. The devotion and courage of the offieers has been equalled by that of otlier ranks. A staff sergeant-major got out of tank under heavy fire- and reseued his commanding officer who was wounded while directing the fire in the open. A signalman remained sending out vital messages despite heavy bombing and shelling. As the official report pnts it he was " imperturbed even by the most furious onslaughts from the air and on the ground. " The War Office list of casualties eontains the names of one officer killed, three missing,.two died and one wounded; and of other ranks, four killed, two died of wounds, 15 wounded, 18S missing, one missing believed killed and ten died. An award of the D.S.O. is annonneed to Squadron-Leader E. M. Donaldson. It is stated he inspired his squadron with such a fine fighting spirit that on its first eneonnter with the enemy f orces nine aireraft of his squadron destroyed six enemy aireraft and a f urtber five are believed to' have b.een destroyed. Four or five enemy aireraft were aecounted for on the following day. This officer 's high courage, inspiring qualities and leadership have made his squadron a f ormidable fighting unit. He himself shot down four enemy planes. will be eligible for citizenship. Development is- to be undertaken under chartered eorporations each with a capital of 10,000,000 dollars.