MILITARY CROSS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23393, 7 January 1938, Page 5

MILITARY CROSS

NEW ZEALAND OFFICER INDIAN FRONTIER FIGHTING The gallant action which resulted in the award of the Military Cross to Second-Lieutenant John D. Haling is described in the latest English newspapers to reach New Zealand. Mr Maling is the youngest son of Mr James Maling, of Christchurch, and has been in the thick of the fighting on the North-west Frontier of India for the past nine months. • The Commander-in-Chief in .■ India, says the report, has approved the immediate award of the Military Cross to Second-Lieutenant J. D. Maling, Ist Battalion, 11th Sikh Regiment (King George V’s Own), (Ferozepore Sikhs), for conspicuous gallantry in face of the enemy during the present operations on the North-West Frontier.

On October 20 Mr Maling was commanding a company advancing along the crest of Ibrahim Khelo Ghundai, in the Bhitanni country He was moving with his headquarters close behind one of the leading platoons when the right flank was suddenly rushed by a party of five of the enemy who had lain hidden until they were 20 to 50 yards away, and who were covered by sniping fire from a position in the rear. He immediately ordered his headquarters forward at the double with the bayonet, and they thus came in on the flank of the attackers, all of whom were killed.

Immediately after this action he coolly and resolutely continued his advance to his further objective, which was under considerable fire from a position in the flank. His prompt action enabled the brigade to continue its advance.

The communique states that throughout these operations Mr Maling "has shown a very fine offensive spirit and has been used on innumerable occasions in night ambushes, which he has always most skilfully carried out.”