NEW ZEALAND SIGNALLER RECEIVES VICTORIA CROSS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16051, 18 October 1915, Page 7

NEW ZEALAND SIGNALLER RECEIVES VICTORIA CROSS.

COLONELS PLUGGE AND RICHARDSON MADE C.M.G.'S. * § MAJORS TURNBULL AND SMITH RECEIVE D.S.O. fKecei-red October 17, 7.30 P .m I ... . . London, October 16. A last of decorations conferred on colonial soldiers appear, in the London Gazette. The following New Zealand names are mentioned :- LiettesaXT-Coloxkl Puroc*.. Companion of the Order of ft Michael and St. George. LIErTEXAXT-CoLOXEL G. S. Bicharbsok, Companion of St. Michael nitaAEDSON. Companion ot St. Michael and St. George. Major W. M. Turn-bill, Distinguished Service Order. Major G. S. Smith. Distinguished Service Order. Corporal Bassett, a New Zealand signaller, ha, been awarded the Victoria Cross. The following Australian officers have been made Companions of The Bath:—Lieutenant-Colonel H. Pope, Colonel J. W. McCay. Lieutenant-Colonel G. J. Burnage. The Australian winners of the Victoria Cross include Captain Sho t. Lieutenant Symons, Frederick Tubb, Hugo Throsseil. Corporal* Alexander Burton and William Dunstan. Privates John Hamilton and Leonard Keysor. The deed for which Private Bassett receives the V.C. is thus described in the London Gazette After the New Zealand Infantrv had established themselves on a ridge of Chunuk Bair. Basset:. in full daylight, and under a continuous, heavy fire, laid a telephone line to Chunuk Bair. Subsequently he was brought, under notice by the most gallant work in repairing telephone lines under heavy fire. DEEDS OF GALLANTRY BY AUSTRALIANS. Captain Shot receives the V.C. for the most conspicuous braverv at the Lone Pine position. Heading a small party, he charged the trenches and personally threw four bombs, killing eight Turks, and making the remainder fly. He captured a further length of trench and continued to throw bombs at the enemy under the heaviest fire till severely wounded. He has since succumbed. Lieutenant. Symons showed bravery at Lone Pine. While commanding a section of the newly-captured trenches he repelled several counter-attacks, retook a captured sap, shooting two Turks with his revolver. When the sap was under fire from three sides he withdrew 15yds. and built a barricade. When it was set on fire he extinguished it. rebuilt the barricade, and finally compelled the enemy to withdraw. Lieutenant Tubb showed bravery and devotion to duty at Lone Pine. The enemy made a determined counter-attack on a captured trench, and blew up a sandbag barricade. Lieutenant Tubb led his men back and rebuilt the barricade. Enemy bombing parties twice blew it up. Lieutenant Tubb, although wounded in the head and arm, showed the greatest coolness, and maintained the position under the heaviest bomb-fire. REFUSED TO LEAVE POST OF DANGER. Lieutenant Throsseil showed the most conspicuous bravery at Hill 60. Although severely wounded in several places he refused to leave his post until the danger was past. His wounds were dressed and he returned to the firing line until a medical officer ordered him out of action. His personal courage was largely instrumental in saving a • critical situation. Lieutenant Throssell is a member of the Victorian force, and is a son of a member of the West Australian Assembly. Corporals Burton and Dunstan assisted Lieutenant Tubb in defending the captured trench. Finally Burton was killed by, a bomb while building up the barricade. Private Hamilton, with utter disregard of personal safety, exposed himself under heavy fire at Lone Pine in order to secure a better firing position against bomb-throwers. His coolness and daring encouraged the defenders, who drove off the enemy with heavy loss. Private Keysor, at Lone Pine on August 7, threw back two Live enemy bombs. He continued throwing bombs, although wounded, saving an important section of the trench. On August Bhe bombed the enemy out of a position, although again wounded. When marked for the hospital, he volunteered to throw bombs with another company, whose bombers had been lost, and continued until the station was relieved.