RECORD OF GALLANTRY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15821, 19 January 1915, Page 9

RECORD OF GALLANTRY.

PRAISE FOR BERKSHIRES.

REGIMENT WITH A REPUTATION.

The Ist Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment, has been engaged in some of the fiercest Unhung since Mons, and the Commander in-Chiei, Sir John French, has warmly complimented them on be.ng so true to the regiment's glorious traditions. Addressing them he said :— " As your Commander-in-Chief I wish to say how much 1 appreciate the magnificent work you nave done in this campaign. It is men like you who have enabled us to gain the successes that have been won. This is not the first time that I have fought with your regiment. Thirty years ago, I remember the laurels your regiment won in Egypt; your glorious colours bear the names of nearly all the battles in which the British Army has been engaged for the last 200 years. "In these battles in France not only have you maintained your reputation, but you have won fresh laurel;. I deeply regret that Colonel Graham, who has led you so gallantly, is not present, and that he has oeen wounded. We all hope that he may soon be at the head of his battalion again. " Royal Berkshire Regiment, from the bottom of my heart I thank you— every single man of you, for what you have already done in this campaign." In view ol Sir John French's address of thanks to the Berkshire Regiment, the following letter, dated November 23, from Company-Sergeant- W. H. Bodie, of that unit, and which has been published in London, is of particular interest. He says: —

•' During the last month we have had a rather bad —casualties galore. We have lost the CO. and Major Finch j wounded. In fact, we have only three . officers left who came out with the battalion. Three of our X.CO.'s were awarded commissions Cruise, and Knott— but each of them was wounded.

" Not one man has surrendered or ran out of his trench we have had some of the hardest fighting of the campaign. We have been sent to stop up gaps where other regiments have given way, and to gain lost ground ; and we have "invariably succeededalthough at what cost only the survivors can tell.

" We are out of the trenches now for a well-earned rest, and we can do with it. The battalion is keeping up its reputation both for fighting and marching. We have been congratulated by general officers all round, and when we attacked Zonnebeke the Guards' Brigade sent us a message of congratulation on taking the position and then hanging 0:1 to it."