HEROIC EXPLOITS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21466, 13 April 1933, Page 8

HEROIC EXPLOITS

(VICTORIA CROSS HOLDER CAPTAIN R. S. JUDSON [THREE AWARDS IN A, MONTH The announcement that Lieutenant H. S. Judson, V.C., D.C.M., M.M., New Zealand Staff Corps, area officer of No. 1A Area, Auckland, has been promoted to captain, provides an occasion for 1 recalling the notable deeds of valour by which he earned his decorations in the Great War. Captain Judson has the remarkable distinction of having gained the Distinguished Conduct Medal, the Military Medal and the Victoria Cross within the space of one month. His record should be a particular source of pride to Aucklanders, for he was born in the Port Albert district, brought up in Auckland, and has spent all but a few years of his life in the Auckland Province. After leaving school he followed the engineering trade. He enlisted in October, 1915, and left New Zealand with the 9th Reinforcements, joining the Auckland Regiment in Egypt. He was wounded near Flers during the Somme offensive in 1916, recovered, and had attained the rank of sergeant when the New Zealand Division was called upon to take part in operations preparatory to the great final victorious advance which began in August, 1918. Association with Travis, V.C. The deed for which Captain Judson received the D.C.M. was performed in front of the village of Gommecourt, between Rossignol Wood and Hebuterne. On July 24, two parties, one from the Auckland Regiment, led by Sergeant Judson, and the other from the Otago Regiment, led by the famous Sergeant Travis, V.C., were ordered to take __an enemy trench on a ridge some 700 yards distant. Both advanced along Baps leading to the German position, bombing the enemy as they went. The ridge was manned and held through the night, in the course of which Travis and Judson saw a good deal of each other. The following afternoon the Germans put down a heavy barrage, and Travis was killed by a shell. The V.C. was awarded to him posthumously. The enemy infantry then began a counter-attack, advancing in waves, and succeeded in breaking through on the Aucklanders' left. Judson wdnt over to investigate and found a party of six men whose officer had been killed. He led them forward to their old position and by blocking the trench-at two points established a post which he held under very heavy bombing and machinegun fire. Effective Bombing The enemy again collected men for the assault, whereupon J udson crept forward alone and threw six bombs among them, thus drawing their bombs in his direction and saving his men. Subsequently, the same night, the enemy continued putting up flares from a position 60 yards in front of the post. Judson crept forward and threw more bombs, with such results that he and his men were able to hold out until they were relieved and the position was consolidated. Owing to his bravery and resource the Germans never realised how few men were in front of them. The enemy who had broken through the previous day were all either killed or taken prisoner. On August 16, when a sunken road was ordered to be taken, Judson observed three enemy machine-guns on his left. It was necessary that these should be silenced, otherwise severe losses would have been suffered by the advancing troops. Accordingly, with his section following, he rushed the position, taking the gunners by surprise and capturifig all three guns and 17 prisoners without the loss of a man. This was regarded by those who saw it as beyond doubt a deed worthy of the .Victoria Cross. Victoria Cross Exploit Sergeant Judson's supreme honour was awarded for an exploit performed on August 26, south of Bapaume. The official citation is in the following terms: — •'For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when, in .an attack on positions, he led a small bombing party under heavy fire and captured an enemy machine-gun. He then proceeded up a sap alone, bombing three machine-gun crews before him. Jumping out of the trench, he ran ahead of the enemy. Then, standing on the parapet, he ordered the party, consisting of two officers and about 10 men, to surrender. They instantly fired on him, but he threw a bomb and jumped down among them, killed two, put the rest to flight and so captured two machine-guns. This prompt and gallant action not only saved many lives, but also enabled the advance to be continued unopposed." In this exploit Judson set out with five men,/ having first to cross the Bapaume Road, which was there carried on an embankment. They had to pass over a stretch of marshy ground, and by the time the first gun was taken two men had fallen. Jpdson became separated f.'om the other three, and went on single-handed. Given up as Killed When he called upon the Germans in tho trench to surrender, the two officers covered him with revolvers and some of the men called out to him to surrender himself. He had a bomb in one hand, and this he threw among the Germans at the same instant that the officers fired. Their bullets missed him, and he jumped down into the trench, killing two men with the bayonet. The rest showered bombs all about him, but by a miracle he was hit by only one fragment, which embedded itself in the calf of his leg. It was never removed. The Germans then fled along the trench, and Judson was left in possession of two machine-guns, which he carried back, one on each shoulder. His single-handed combat was plainly seen by the troops on the other side of the road, who, when they saw him jump down into the trench and heard the German bomb fusillade, quickly made up their minds that he had been blown to pieces. Everyone was amazed beyond words when he emerged .with the two machine-euns as trophies of victory.