BRAVERY AWARDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 78, Issue 24133, 27 November 1941, Page 8

BRAVERY AWARDS

OFFICERS DECORATED DESERT CEREMONY PARADE BEFORE ARMY CHIEF (Official War Correspondent, N.Z.E.F.) CAIRO, Nov. 25 Members of the first forward brigade of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force paraded in a desert camp recently before General Sir Claude Auchinleck, Commander-in-Chief of the British Forces in the Middle East, who decorated three New Zealand officers for outstanding devotion to duty in Crete. General Auchinleck first inspected the brigade, accompanied by Major-General Freyberg, Commander of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force, and other senior officers. j The ceremony was held in brilliant sunshine on a small -plateau overlooking the Mediterranean. A full infantry brigade was drawn up on ceremonial parade. A ring of anti-aircraft guns was placed round the parade ground. V.C., D.S.Q. and M.O. The officers decorated were: —Lieutenant C. H. Upham, Victoria Cross; Lieutenant-Colonel 13. K. Kippenberger, Distinguished Service Order; Major It. J. Lynch, Military Cross. All three officers are members of this, the oldest of the New Zealand brigades. Lieuten-ant-Colonel Kippenberger and Lieutenant Upham are commanding officer and platoon commander respectively of a southern battalion. Major Lynch is a company commander in an. Auckland battalion. Lieutenant Upham was promoted to his present rank only two days ago. After the inspection by General Auchinleck the names of the three officers concerned wero called "out and they lined up before the General in front of the parade. The citation to Lieutenant Upham's award was read out by tho brigade commander. The ribbons were then pinned on the three officers, General Auchinleck conversing quietly with each. The March Past The ceremony ended with a march past, General Auchinleck taking the salute. He also stood at a roadside to take the salute from another brigade as it marched past in a long, dusty column. This formation, which included Maoris, was engaged on a desert route march, the most effective tougheningup exercise the infantryman knows. General Auchinleck spent the remainder of the day with the New Zealand troops. The cejeinony attracted wide attention and probably the largest assembly of war correspondents, radio, film and photographic representatives yet assembled in the Western Desert attended.