SERGEANT BASSETT, V.C.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16687, 6 May 1916, Page 10

SERGEANT BASSETT, V.C.

FIRST NlttV ZRALAND RECIPIENT. (Know Ociii Own ConnESi'ONDKNT.) WELLINGTON, May 5. Writing from tho Now Zealand Camp at Ilorncliurfli (Knglajid) to lib mother (who is at present in Wellington), f?orgcaiit Cyril Basse tt, V.C., of Auckland, says, under dato March 3:— " I have received my modal at last, and its all over now. j drove to Buckingham Palace in a motor car with Captain .Shera and Lieutenants Bishop and Turnbull, three Military Cross men, and there his Maj c,sty the King pinned on my decoration. I had to stand at attention, facing him, whilst the ucnouut of my action was read to the "King, and then 1 advanced up to within alwut three paces, when I .lx/wcd, and the King said to mc: ' You are tho first Now Zealandcr to receive trie decoration'/' I said 'Yes, your Majesty,' ■whereupon he said: ' 1 iiitn proud to congratulate you,' at the same tune shaking hands with me. He then said something about the gallant way the colonials had gathered round the flag, after which I backed out of tho chamber. When I got to the gates of the palace I was met by a lot of my pals and officers, who congratulated me. unci then I had to undergo the ordeal of having my photograph t.aJa;n by a battery of 30 or 40 ' cameras' who pushed and jostled to get a snap of me. The ' movits' were there, too, and we had to stand for them. People— perfect strangers—came up and shook handsi with me. At last I arrived at tho place tho boys had guided me to with the camp band and 50 men as my escort. I had to fall in in the place of honour, and away wo marched to the Hotel Windsor, where Sir Thomas Mackenzie was giving me a complimentary luncheon. . . . Major Dawson was as proud as punch. After the luncheon he took me clown to camp and to dinner at, tho officers' mesg. . . . The National Bank of New Zealand directors gave me a pleasant surprise about a month ago—£loo worth of bank" shares—as a token. of their appreciation."