A WELLINGTON HERO.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14608, 18 May 1918, Page 5

A WELLINGTON HERO.

r- :.... ♦ .... -r— •< HIS VISIT TO BUCKINGHAM PALAGE. ■;■■•:;' Perhaps no- soldier who lias gone from Wellington to the ' war achieved so much distinction arid promotion m sd short a time -as the late Captain Oscar Gallic, R.F.A., son' of Mr. John Gallic, of Stoke street j: Wellington. As' a second lieutenant he received the Military Cross on. September 15, 1917; on October 15 the- D.S.O. became his cherished possession'; on October 20 he was promoted to a' full lieutenancy, and eleven days after : a capta-imcy. The most remarkable •of 1 the four, proud incidents was the fact that he^ as a second lieutenant, had' won the D.5.0. , an honor usually reserved for great gallantry by majors, ■lieutenant-coloriels, and colonels. The late Captain ,Gallio' (killed on December 8) w^is one' of the few New Zealand officer^ who have had the. distinction qf .haying the M.Ci arid D.S.O. orders pinned on their -breasts by His Majesty the King ;iit one and the same time, • , , Desci'ibing his visit to Buckingham Palace, the late; Captain Gaillie, m a letter to his mother, said : "At 10.45 a.m. a general came along tto me and said, 'Captain.' Gallic,. come this ■ way, please,' and- vhe. took me into a room, andy I bowed l'loiw., to, His .Majesty^ King George of England. There r'were only foiu: of ;us m tlje.- i'oom-^r-the general, a colonel, the King, and I. The ICing smiled and held tout' his hand. He was jin uniform, and standing .' by a big throne-like cham: He: asked me how long I'd been m France, what battles I liad been through with .my battery, and the Wonderful luck I have liad he remarked upon. . ;.He wished toi [ know; when I was returning to '-Brance, and what I thought iOf'tha spirit 'of the Briiish troops. We . lhad 1 a great yarn together; and then we shook hands again; and he wished me all good luck.; •••■: Jiist before shaking^ .■■.'with him: 'he' pinned to my coat the Military Ci'OSs, find said : 'Tlie Miiittuy Cross jit is fine!' He I then pinned on the.. D.S.O. ■ and said: 'It is a splendid achievement for' a , second lieutenant to gain the D.S.O. m the field, 'and, I. tfrittk it magnificent, and trust your good luck -will continue." I again' bowed and went out. "When I fot to the main entrance of the Palace had to walk between people oii each' side, clapping and cheering. .- . .. „ I had to run the gauntlet ■ right % across the •street all by myself, and was jolly gjapl' when Mrs. C . hopped. out and pushed me >into ' a taxi hard '• by. ' ' "