WITH THE NEW ZEALANDERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 17424, 19 September 1918, Page 5

WITH THE NEW ZEALANDERS

REWARDS FOR GALLANTRY. SOME DASHING EXPLOITS. (From the Official War Correspondent.) September 11. The following medals have been awarded for acts of gallantry in the field:— DISTINGUISHED SERVICE ORDER. Major J. Ilargest (Otago). DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT MEDAL. Corporal 11. .T. Crosbio (Rifles), Sergeants r. T. Moir (Otago), J. Kenneth (Otago), and T. Ilielly (Otago). MILITARY CROSS. Second Lieutenant R. E. Fyfo (Otago). BAR TO MILITARY MEDAL. Sergeant P. Prendergast (Auckland), Second Lieutenant J. A. M'llroy (Rifles), Lieutenant K. Scott (Otago), Sergeant C. E. : Dowsing (Auckland). MILITARY MEDAL. Private D. Lauristoe, Corporal C. Macauley (Otago), Sergeant J. S. Brunton, Sergeant L. Nankivell, Lance-corporal- R. Milne, Sergeant-major G. Kelk, Sergeant J. L. Dewar, Sergeant W. Motion, Sergeant W. B Timmins, Rifleman A. Dalzell, Rifleman E. Bagloy, Corporal E. J. M'lnnes, Sergeant J. P. Glcnworth, Lance-corporal H. A. Matheson, Rifleman R. Murray, Rifleman J. S. Fraser, Rifleman C. W. Walles (Rifles), Private T. A. M'Lean, sergeant C. E. Turley, Private A. F. F. Bath, Sergeant R. S. Judson, Private D. Gray, Private R. H. Hadfield, Corporal L. M. Dacro, Lance-corporal E. M. Smith, tvergeant E. A. M'Gowan, Sergeant W. E. Williams, Company Sergeant-major W. Sutton, Private A. J. Hunter. Private F. E Lobinson. Private H. A. Donghi, Private L. lurnbull, Private A. J. Andrews. Private D. Church. Private J. Shchan, Private A. Stokes, Private .T. F. Richardson, Private J. Gunn, Corporal L. O. Morgan, Prix-ate R. Cameron, Private R. A. G'ltnrie, Corporal G. J. Roper, Corporal J. 1 1 . I?obr'rt«on (Auckland Regiment), Sorgeani 11. S. Thomasson, Lance-corporal C. •T. Gordon, Lance-corporal W. H. * May, Private K. Camrro!), Corporal J. R. Blake Private T. Richardson, Corporal W. E. Ball Private W. E. Elton. Private W. A Private E. S. Brigley. Private W\ H. Pavnter, Private R. Campbell, Corporal •n Cr H tc ; h,e y. Corporal E. D. O'Donncll, Private G. J. Sooth ern, Lancacorporal .W. J. Lewis, Private T. C. Nicholls. Corporal H. R. Hampton, Private F. A. Bellin, -IPrivate A. Park. S-rgeant K. Mackenzie. Private E. L. Black. Private N. 11. Law, Private C. Bargh, Lanee-cor-poral J. M. Hammersley. Private J S Butterworth (Wellington). Private 'T* Pempleton. Private R, T. Mnllo-lc. Private W. Richards, Corporal 11. P. Evles. Sergeant W. Dagnall, Sergeant W. C* Pliittington. Private R. Alley, Private G. 0. D Proud Corporal TU D. Russell, Private W. j. Adams, Corporal .T 'W. Armstrong, Private H. H. A. Blomkvist. Private J. J. Kearney, Private .T. Kerniek, Private N G. Brown, Private J. W. M'Leeley. Private n • ? Lance-corporal P. J. Gassnoy. Privat" P. Qnimi, Private P. J. p; c her (Canterbury) Private O AT. Ohong, Private p - Tn f a S- W - '■ T- Tchernegovski, Private T. lleekin. Serg;ant M. C. Black, P-rgeant R C. Evans, Lance-corporal C. W. Olemce, Private D. D. Metge, Private t . K Pyesmith (New Zealand Medical F A. Gunstall. Gunner A. TV Wilkinson, Gunner L. J. M,inder Gunner F. W. John«on. Sergeant E. A. a' Mackny. Sergeant W. Hutch ins. Bombardier A. Gadman Corporal W. C. Perry. Bombardier J I. Y. Cochrane, Driver W. R Cousins, Driver K. Onrl (Artillery). -D-n r> • ■> September IS. • j n* lo ' o attacked this morning a , n "V east and north of Havrincou.t Uood on a front of 3000 yards.- The p™ Zealanders share m to-day's opera.;ons was to advance bevond the crest of a ndge on portion of which tho Rifles had already got a footing two days arro. One battalion had advanced through Gouzoaun'u fraM,ecl the crest portion 2 'hp "dire with some 25 casualties, going thiouglii TOjthont, a barrage. Another battalion that had really less to do was not f" l ' 'argely. perhaps, owing, to the 1 c ? rrimand four times within 36 hours. A colonel was wounded and then a major carried on till he m turn was wounded, and hll captain then .assumed control, till another major had arrived from the ?K S Camp., All this occurred durinsr a relief and preparations for attack. In this ?f ! ' experienced for the first time T d i cv ? lo P mont of scattering gas r' ls sm ' mised that they were TfcT ™° m a of manufacture. The grass where they fell was charred. !lft " s battle our Riflemen advanced atter a magnificent barrage from all our ut' le °t her , art iHery. One of our finest fighting battalion's commanders had ,l S o n me ,\ d i? hln ° fon V ard befor e the first Jiells ..hit the ground, and in 15 or 20 minutes had gamed the first objective with only one casualty. This battalion here captured two officers and over 100 prisoners, mostly from a Jaeger regiment. Other battalions also captured prisoners, and bv 10 oe.ock iOO had gone past Brigade Headquarters After the first surprise, however, there was fierce fighting for several hours, the enemy /making a stubborn stand. Wo got prisoners from all the battalions of two divisions that were in the line here, our men having to repel counter-attacks made by fresh troops that had only come in the previous night. With tho Jaegers were \>est Prussians, who also fought well At the time of writing the New Zealanders iiavo made oxcollent progress. Most of the prisoners T saw were sturdy fellows, especially a Guards Battalion of Jaegers. Their strength had been greativ reduccd m the defence of Soissons and at the Villers Cotteret fighting, and la«t nifht some of their companies came into the line only 20 strong. They spoke freely, and to.d an interesting story. Of late they have got to know all about the German de.toats from their own comrades. Since the last few wcelcs they had lost all confidence ;n the supreme command, and now thought the war a useless massacre. The loss of Kommel they regarded as a great blow, for io was the key to a position whjch thev . had gamed at great cost. In nlnv instances now groat reluctance was shown to fro to the front, ar.d even good troops would surrenoer if awav from their officers Inese _ men of the Guards Battalion, who were in an outnost line away from their officers, willingly gave themselves up. tnoncrh the- were told they would be mas-' • sacrcd. This they d'd. not bel'ove, and were not surprised when the Now Zealanders gave (hem excellent biscuits, cigarettes, and cigars. Their own tobacco was made mainly from cherry leaves. Thev were a fine stamp, being an' intelligent lot. and though they were delicrhted at beincr captured, their comrades who were farther back with their officers, fought most stubbornly. They had no great complaint to make about their food in tho line, but said tho conditions in some of the larger manfacturinsr towns were terrible. Tn the country it was not so bad. as the farmers were petting all they needed and slaughtering whenever they thought fit. A large section of the G"rmnn nrmy had now come to doubt their ool'tical as well as their mlb'tnn* leaders, and but for the discipline which still there would bo a danger of a revolution. " September 13. Ah yeste'rday afternoon and niffht our thin lchaki line was strucfrHng with superior forces of green and West Prussian fi«ldgrey. with attack and counter-attack. Tim outpost I'iie swayed back and forward. The was whipped with a b'tter wind, and rain storms presented a cheerless scene. He was a stout, fighter yesterday who could find anv iov in battle. By "the evening the Now Zealanders had been compelled to withdraw from tho ground they had gained during the day; but in the night-time, fiffht'ng with grim determination, they regained it all. Then once more the enemy countered, and recovered some ground in the centre. Underneath a crucifix in a ' vault dimly lit with candles, advanced Head- 1 quarters were established, and from these ' strange surroundings, hour after hour, was ' fought a battle, the result of which was a severe blow for the enemy, for his losses in killed and wounded, to say nothing of prisoners, were far beyond ours. i For a long spell now the New Zealanders ' have been in tho line, and there have been stirring episodes in their fighting. In most ' of it they have met with stubborn opposi- 1 tion. Officers and non-commissioned officers, and even privates, have shown rare t qualities of leadership and resource, and at ' all times an utter disregard of danger. < There was one stout-hearted sergeant, who i in quick succession had recently won the £ Distinguished Conduct and Military Medals, and who now set out to eclipse his former I doeds. Under a heavy fire ho led a small ] bombing party and captured a machine gun. 1 He then proceeded up a sap alone, bomb- b ing the crews of three other machine guns c before him. Then he jumped out of the c trench, ran ahead of the enemy, and stand- \ ing on the parapet ordered three officers r and 10 men 'to surrender instantly. They r fired at him, and he replied by throwing a i bomb and jumping from the parapet into a their midst. In less than a minute ho had i killed two, and tho others ran for their lives and got out their machine guns. Near Hamcourt a platoon sergeant of a e Wellington Regiment displayed great bray-

c-ry during an attack on the high ground east of Hamcourt. When the crest was reached it was found that a line of five machine-gun posts directly in front dominated the ridj'e and the ground for 120 yards down a forward elope, making the position untenable for our men. A whole company went forward in lino to deal with this post, from which the fire came pointblank mid heavy. Men wero falling, and this sergeant, realising the seriousness of the position, when about 20 yards away followed by another man dashed forward ah end of his platoon, rushed the centre post, and succeeded in demoralising the garrison. Tne platoon followed, and the opposition from that post ceased. The sergeant then rushed the post on tho left in a similar inannor, and the other posts were quickly ViM by the .remainder of the company. Iho story of another sergeant attached to an Auckland company provides an experience in itself. A company on reaching the outskirts of Frevillers came under heavy machine-gun fire, but through the dashing leadership of this man three machine-gun positions were l-uahed and the crews prisoners before they inflicted many casualties on our advancing troops. The company headquarters had reached the outsorts of the village in the advance of the first attacking, wave, which was nearly 600 ysirds in the rear. As soon as our men appeared on the crest the machine guns opened fire on them from concealed snellhole positions 100 yards in advance of headquarters. Without a moment's hesitation the sergeant dashed straight for these positions over ground entirely dovoid of cover, and with the assistance of the headquarters personnel killed or captured the whole of three opposing gun teams. Later the advance was held up on the right on tho edge of Sutqen road. An intense machinegun fire swept the ground. Our attacking troops took what shelter they could find in a small sap and in shell-holes. At this critical juncture the sergeant walked forward regardless of enemy fire, and located the positions of the nearest guns. He returned, snd reported to his lieutenant. Some way off was a British tank in action, and the sergeant started off to get p° come to the assistance of his men. This advent.nrtt led him across 300 yards of open ground swept by the enemy's fire. r P ermans were firing at tho tank with a "ght gun, and before he could reach the sergeant was wounded in the right arm by- one of these anti-tank shells. His arm was bleeding freely, so ho ran back. On he came- back once more to his lieutenand had it bound up. This accomplished, hfi woc.t forward again, and this time succccded in reaching the tank, which he proceeded- to guide into a position from which it could silence tho enemy machine guns. Before it could reach the position the tank was nut out of action, and the m command was badly wounded. With undaunted courage the sergeant organised the tank's crew with their Lewis guns, some New Zealanders joining them. Ihis party he led in two sections under a heavy fire to commanding positions so 'that the enemy machine-gunners had to withdraw. and our advance was continued successfully. At this moment ho was killed bv a bullet from a sniper's rifle.