GALLANT CONDUCT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25699, 22 November 1944, Page 4

GALLANT CONDUCT

SERVICEMEN DECORATED INVESTITURE IN TOWN HALL Service decorations for gallantry and devotion to duty were presented to 19 members of the armed forces by the Governor-General, Sir Cyril Newall, in the Town Hall last night at the first public investiture to be held in the South Island. His Excellency was accompanied by Lady Newall, and was attended by Commander T. S. Critchley, Colonel J. G. Jeffery, Colonel S. M. Satterthwaite, and Lieutenantcolonel J. F. Cracroft-Wilson, as aides, and by his military secretary, Major H. Jaffray. There was a large attendance of the public, including many official guests representing local bodies and other organisations in the city. The Band of the Ist Battalion, Otago Regiment, provided the music.

The members of the forces who were to be invested were lined up in two ranks on the floor of the hall, and as each name was called by Major Jaffray the recipient of the decoration marched to the foot of a ramp leading to the stage and remained there while the official citation was read. He then advanced to the stage, where he received his decoration from Sir Cyril Newall and the congratulations of their Excellencies, and then returned to the body of the hall. The arrangemenis for the investiture were carried out without delay, and the entire ceremony was completed in about three-quarters of an hour.

The following is the list of recipients:—

Distinguished Service Order, Distinguished Service Cross, and Volunteer Officers’ Decoration

Lieutenant-commander Gordon Brtdson, R.N.Z.N.V.R., of Dunedin (formerly of Auckland).

The official citation stated that, while serving as commanding officer of a corvette which was operating in the Solomon Islands, on January 29, 1943, he made contact with a Japanese submarine which he immediately attacked with depth charges. The submarine was forced to the surface and Lieuten-ant-commander Bridson displayed exceptional tenacity in pressing home the attack. His ship rammed the submarine twice and secured several direct hits with her guns. His skilful and

courageous action was in keeping with the highest traditions of the service.

Distinguished Flying Cross

Flying Officer Francis Campbell Carswell. R.N.Z.A.F., of Invercargill. Pilot Officer William Noel Williams, D.F.M., R.N.Z.A.F., of Dunedin Flying Officer Carswell had taken part in many sorties, and had participated in attacks on Berlin, Essen, and Cologne, the citation stated. His painstaking work as a navigator had been of inestimable value. In an attack on Mannheim his aircraft was attacked by ground defences, and Flying Officer Carswell, although wounded, had successfully navigated the machine back to its base, where it crashlanded and caught fire. This painful experience did not deter him from taking part with diligence and enthusiasm in many further attacks on enemy targets. His courage and devotion to duty were outstanding. Pilot Officer Williams, on December 24, 1943, was the navigator of a Ventura bomber which was on patrol in the vicinity of Bougainville. The aircraft was attacked by nine Zeros, the fire controller was wounded, and the intercommunication system was put out of action. Pilot Officer Williams took over the fire control and, giving verbal directions to the pilot, enabled the latter to take evasive action. He then saw a Zero attacking from the rear, and operating a telly gun, forced the enemy plane up within the zone 1 of fire of the upper turret, with the result that it was shot down. He was credited with a share in its destruction. Air Force Cross Flight Lieutenant William Bernard Pettet, R.N.Z.A.F., of Dunedin. The official citation of this award was not available. Associate of the Royal Red Cross Matron Miss Doris Irene Brown, N.Z.A.N.S., of Dunedin. Miss Brown was matron in charge of the Second New Zealand General Hospital from the establishment of the institution in July, 1941. She showed great organising ability and strict devotion to duty. Military Medal Second-lieutenant Malcolm Kitchener Gibbs, of Owaka. / Second-lieutenant Harry Clifton Poole, of Invercargill. Warrant Officer (First Class) Phillip George, of Dunedin. Sergeant Charles Honori Parks, of Invercargill. Gunner Richard Wixon, of Bluff. Second-lieutenant Gibbs, while a driver, on the Island of Crete, on May 25, 1941, was the No. 2 on a light machine-gun crew. In the previous six days’ fighting he and his No. 1 handled his gun with skill and determination and caused heavy casualties among the enemy. After the death of his No. 1, Driver Gibbs kept his gun in action until heavy enemy fire compelled him to withdraw, but even then he covered the withdrawal of his platoon with cool courage and marked skill. On November 3, 1941, a three-ton artillery ammunition lorry was hit by enemy fire in the Western Desert and the cordite charges were ignited. In spite of the risk of the ammunition exploding, Battery Sergeant-major George climbed on to the lorry and was instrumental in saving a large quantity of the ammunition, which was badly needed. Sergeant Parks was a member of the crew of a six-pounder anti-tank gun at El Ruweisat Ridge on July 15, 1942, when his gun was over-run by enemy armoured cars and tarms. The position was under intense fire, and five members of the gun crew were wounded, and Sergeant Parks was himself hit. He showed great courage and devotion to duty and kept his gun in action, with the result that he destroyed a tracked car and scored several hits on a tank before he was compelled to withdraw. Although badly wounded he succeeded in extricating his gun and the wounded members of the crew. _ „

The citations in the cases of Secondlieutenant Poole and Gunner Wixon, who served in the Western Desert, have not been received. Distinguished Flying Medal

Flying Officer Morris Bruce Fearn, of Makarewa, Southland. Pilot Officer Harold Ernest Anzac Price, of Otahuti R.D., Invercargill. Warrant Officer George Edwards Hannah, . of Dunedin (formerly of Invercargill). In May. 1941, Flying Officer Fearn, who was then an observer, took part in a daylight attack on Malemi aerodrome, Crete, but, owing to wireless failure and bad weather, the plane was

unable to locate its base and was abandoned over the desert. Flying Officer Fearn landed by parachute and walked without food or water for seven days before he was found by a searching aircraft. , . .... Pilot Officer Price, his citation stated, had at all times displayed keen devotion to duty as an air-gunner, and had taken jiart in a large number of sorties agaflst heavily-defended enemy positions. By his efficiency and alertness he had set a wonderful example to the other members of his crew. Warrant Officer Hannah was the turret gunner in a Ventura bomber on December 24, 1943, when the aircraft \sjs on patrol in the vicinity of Bougainville Island. His aircraft was attacked by nine ‘Zeros, and he engaged them so skilfully that he destroyed one enemy plane, shared in the destruction of another, and damaged five more, three of them so severely that it was probable that they did not get back to their base. Efficiency Decoration Lieutenant-colonel George Swan, M.C., of Dunedin. Lieutenant-colonel Harry William Daniel Blake, of Invercargill. Major Alexander Douglas Reid, of Gore. Major Ernest' Henry Walton Rowntree, of Gore. Squardon Leader Harold Ray Gibson, of Dunedin. Captain Ivan Patterson, of Dunedin.