BRAVERY AWARDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24785, 7 January 1944, Page 2

BRAVERY AWARDS

j ISLAND LANDING NEW ZEALAND SOLDIERS I 1 BRIGADIER'S BAR TO D.S.O. j fP.A.J WELLINGTON. Thursday j The Governor-General. Sir Cyril rXesvalL has announced that the King j has approved the following. immediate ■operational awards io personnel of the I Second New Zealand Expeditionary 1 Force in recognition of gallant and dis- - ilngtiishad service daring operations |'oo Treasury island, ia the South Pacific | .area: — ; Bar to Distinguished Service Order.— i Brigadier Robert. Amos Row, D.S.O. ' fformerly Officer Commanding the Central District and Commander of the ■ Northern Field Force). | Military Cross. —-Second - Lieutenant ' Leslie Thomas George Booth—Chnst~ ;church. Distinguished Conduct Medal.—Sergeant William Albert Cowan, for dis- ; tiDgaished conduct before and danog : operations in the Solomons area—Sirs. :L. B. Cowan, Taamaranai (wife). « Military Medal. —Sapper Jack Keith ; Duncan, far bravery in the field —Mrs. i il.* Duncan, Auckland (wife); Private ; Joseph fcdward Srnstb, for gallant condhsct during a determined enemy attn>"fc on <najiot.ahj on November "2—Mrs. E. M. Smith. Waiheke Island (wife); !Ci»rp»ral Frederick Arthur Armstrong j—Napier: Private Edward Valentine ■ Owen*, for bravery in the field during I and subsequent to the Sanding on | Treasury Lhand—Mrs. M. A. Owes. ! Tauranga (wifeh

Well-planned Expeditions | Brigadier Row was in charge of the I operations which resulted ia the c?,p- ---\ tare and occupation of Treasury Island ; The landing force comprised norner- ; ot;s technical troops in addition to the ; norma! brigade group and the --oootn i oi siK^essive transport.- ecii^ions ;| -ss-hole operation were, eloquent % of ■the thorough a»d carml way which inßrisad ier Row had conceived and planned the expedition. Its operations ■: ashore he displayed similar skill and I aggressive, courageous leaderslup. His ■ oersona! appearance at each threatened j>oint of his defences did much to ia- | spire his ufßces and men with confidence fin the seneraj direction of the operai lions and contriloUed in a large measure ? to their success.

SecV'iid-Lie»t€>naßt Booth took part in the assault on Japanese headquarters on October 27. He was ordered to attack and capture a mortar position. He led his platoon up a very steep ridge in the face of heavy machine-gnu and rifle fire. Although the enemy was in considerable force on this ridg-e Lieutenant Booth luoeeeded hi driving the enemy from the ridge arid captured_two i'im.m.' wincis tuid bis® sin©!!! HK* ili© €*!s€'s. Courageous OScer UeahsiHi* that the eneusv had a mortar in operation higher up on the rids? Lieutenant Booth left r *ne section to hold the 2nr. o - t : *n and oosben on -.it- the none. Toe pip. toon enooußterod a strong position surrounding the roortar. hot in spite of being en ™ onihered a rietenTiine-d attack was made on the enemy and the position vras captured. The enemy ded. leaving 10 -.boot around the position. Lieutenant Booth de-tr-ovoi the mortar and howitzers and withdrew his platoon, which sotfered seven casualties. Vt'ouTidedi in this action. Lieutenant B.v.'th sftowed hin'oelf an officer of out.staitdins courage and initiative and the sofo-f-isfn? termination of the unloading of the ia»sdia£ craft «s ; due in no small measure to his a<-t;on. ger-eant Powasi to «'nnmaud two patrol? to Treasurv hhml before the landing on October' 27. The first patrol was carrtpd tbroush most successfully under difficult conditions and resulted in much vahuahle information h-ing The second patrol successful]" cut a telephone line at 4 a.rra. on* October and thus delayed information of the approach of the aMaa'tinz troop* r«a."hiji!* the enemy. During' the m-st five dav? the patrol was continuously active behind en cits T - line?? and nsiich inforrnatioß was obtained. Sergeant Cowan's personal ox^loand cooln.6ss- in th© fsce of considerable danger was largelj mpon?ibl*e for the suceessfisl achievement of I!k & mimolls. During tbe landing on October 27 the he&ohe? were subjected to verv heavy riiehhiz and mortar Sre for aboht five hour? after the initial landing had been made. Sapper Duncan, during the whole of this time and wilh utter disregard for hi* own personal safe-tv. continued to operate his huihjo;o- 011 and in the close vicinity of the beaches in constructing tracks vitally necessary for the expf-ditious unloading of ammunition. stores and equipment. Private Takes Command Private Smith was with a party of 10 who defended a small beach at Soasiotalu. The defenders were considerably outnumbered. When his officer and st.ait-sergeant had been isortaslv wounded and the situation was. at its. worst. Private Smith took command and by resolute actios and kept xbe defence intact, Snallj, after fire hours' fighting, complei-eh* anniliiJBtiriZ that portion oi the raeißj force whicL had penetrated to the beaeh. Corporal Ar;ro"troi.g. when following a wounded Japanese, discovered a strong Japase-o uartv in a *.---ries of care-T'e-u Muoboro In the etpuifig a; tiurj, in ~«hh-b 30 Japanes-e 'iver« killei.i ai d one captured, CWpora* Aniotrong c'oj.luy.ri absohite disregard of |M'r«onal fOtety end by courage and leaderiinp inspired ids section, Craiviiijg down a clili to s ledge above a cave, he pulled the pin from a grenade, held it. for three seconds, and t-jien tosoed it ins to the cave. He repeated this ' with a second grenade, and then jumped into tb«» cave to find the Japanese dead.

Private Owen, who is a man of P'h ja»ded with the assaulting corapanies and in-smediately carried out daring As a result of this be led a fighting patrol against a stronglyhv!<! enemy post. With a total disregard for his own personal safety, he advanced and threw a grenade into the post, which enabled the rest, of the patrol to close in. He has since been most active on patrols into enemy i-erritorv.

FREEZING WORKS STRIKE

NO SETTLEMENT AT KAIAPOI 'P.A.) CHBISTCHUBCH. ThutwJ#*

No settlement of the slaughtermen's | -strike at-the North Canterbury Sheep- | farmers' Co-operative Company's works |at Ksiapoi was effected to-day when j officials of the National Service and j Labour Depart men te addressed a meetj ins at tbe works. The strikers decided j to meet again to-morrow morning, and I indicated _that if the company did not * meet their demands all operations at the works would ceis.se. At the present time only 37 slaughtermen are on strike.