CORPORAL BASSETT. V.C.

Otago Witness, Issue 3214, 20 October 1915, Page 30

CORPORAL BASSETT. V.C.

HOW HE WON THE CROSS. COOL AND DARING YOUTH. (Feom Oue Own Coeeespondent.) AUCKLAND, October 18. It has been estabasiieu practically beyond doubt that the New .Zealand signaller named Bassett, who was mentioned m a cablegram published to-day as having been awarded the Victoria Gross, is Corporal Cyril Kogdton Guyton Bassett, sou oi Air F. C. Bassett, oi Uurieigii street, Auckland. A letter winch has just been received irorn Sapper Brian Diguan, of the Divisional Signalling Company, describes the incident in whxcll Corporal Bassett ciistmguisned himself. It was alter tnc New Zealanders made tlicir great advance irorn Anzao Cove early in August, and wiiile they were hanging on to t ue ridges ol Cmmuk Bair. “That day was nothing but laying wires and reeling in again all round tiio top of the hills,” says bappor uignan. “1 saw the Aucklanders, the Gnurkas, and some oi Kitchener’s men charge to take the ridge. The Aucklanders took the ridge itself. Then, a night of dead sleep was lollowed by a day oi excitement. Wo had to lay a wire to the ridge in question. Two parties went over—Bassett’s and mine. Bassett was hold up by a wounded man in iiis party, and by the Auckland Mounted Rilies, who were prevented by snipers irorn reinforcing ; so my party got over first. Colonel Malone, oi the Wellington Battalion, took my name as i was first up. 1 believe otaers are going to get something also, as they were recommended by the brigadier. It was nothing much —only taking tne wire over under • snipers’ lire, and latter coming back with an urgent message when the wire was dished. The Auckland boys in it were Bassett, Whitaker, and myself—all College Rifle men. Bassett will piobubly.. get something, as he has been mentioned once already, and he also mended the wire under fire. Boor old Whitaker was hit, but we could not gut him out till next night. Bassett has gone sick, and I am now in command of the lines and the telephones.” Corporal Bassett’s previous exploit, to which Sapper Dignan refers, is mentioned in a letter received by Bassett’s relatives some time ago from Motor Cyclist R. E. Tonkin, who has since been killed at the front. “You will,” ho says, “be pleased to hear that Cyril has been mentioned in despatches for doing good work on May 2. I do not know exactly what he did—ran out wires or something of the sort under fire. However, it came out in orders last night, and he and three or four others in his section were mentioned.” Corporal Bassett, who is now 23 years of ago, was educated at the Auckland Grammar School. Later ho joined the Newmarket staff of the National Bank, and resigned to join the Divisional Signalling Company and leave with the Expeditionary Force. He was promoted to corporal after he had reached the front. He was a wellknown yachtsman. Corporal Bassett was reported to be sick at Malta on August 21, and later he entered the Leicester Hospital, England, where he is now convalescent. The young- hero’s mother stated to-day that the boy had made no reference in his letters to the events which led to his being decorated, or to the fact that he had been mentioned in despatches. She described him—her only son, by the way —as being very quiet and modest when his own qualities were under review. Ho wrote long letters about the war, but nothing about himself. Mrs Bassett added that the boy came of a family of soldiers. His greatgrandfather was Captain and Adjutant J. Rowley, and his grandfather was a Now Zealand pioneer—Mr T. E. Rowley—and one of seven brothers, all of whom belonged to the 96th Regiment. Even in the few years since he left school Corporal Bassett has shown evidence of coolness and daring. One evening as ho was about to enter the bank in which ho worked, be heard an explosion and saw a glare of light inside. He rushed in singlehanded, but the burglars, who had been at work there, had already decamped. He raised an alarm, however, and it was subsequently ascertained that the burglars had been disturbed before they had stolen anything. On another occasion Bassett and others were yachting towards Whangarei when their mullet boat was caught in a very severe East Coast storm. Only great skill and resource saved the little party, and his companions were emphatic in giving all the credit for their escape to Cyril Bassett. Corporal Bassett has lived in Auckland all nia life, and his parents are old residents of the city His father is a well-known dancing master.