OEIDS OF HEROISM.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 14711, 17 September 1918, Page 3

OEIDS OF HEROISM.

THE NEW ZEALANDERS T\ ACTION.

j (Official Cable.) (From the New ZeaJand Official War Correspondent.) n , "' September 12. Jjoi- a. .ong spek now .Now Zea.anuer.s liave been m tlie line, and tnere i^v* been stirring episodes ■m tlieir liL'iitino m most oi it. They have met w.tn stubborn opposition. Officers and noncommissioned officers, and oven privates have shown rare qualities of leadership and ivami-ce, and at times utter disregard oi danger. There was one stout-hearted sergeant l™° \ l l «^k sncfessio.u had recently Irv* Conduct aaid Military MedaJs) who N iiqnr set out to ec.ipso his former deeds. Under heavy lire lie .ed a small bombing mrtv and cap tmed a machine gim . iVthel, proceeded up a sap alone, borabhijr the crews ot three other machine guns helure him then he jumped oat of the toteiich aaid ran ahead of tlie enemy and standing „„, lhe pa . r , apet order^ omcers and ten mem to surrender: Instantly, they iired at kirn. He replied oy throwing a bomb arid jumping from the parapet into tlieir midst, and m less tluura mircut* had killed two; others an for their nves and the sergeant got their machine guns. b ™f 'r H^ mcourfc {l P'atoon sergeant, of a Wel.mgton reg;ment displayed creat bravery Coring the attack on the hiffh ground east of Hamcourt. ' When "fie crest was reached it was found that a line of five machine gun posts directly m front dominated the ridge and the ground , <;1 . 120 yards down the upward s.»pc, making the position uutenaiKo for our men, lhe -whole company went liom wlwch hre cam©' point blank and ffj* M ?^- «"» Wlinfc"«nd- this. «ergeairt, reahsinig the seriousness of the WTj ab . out 2° >' wds -way;ivd i 1 h y * n ? th .er m an, dashed for' n ard ahead of his platoon, rushed the centre j^ost, and «ucceoded m demorailisnig the gammon. Tlie platoon followre»W T. °Pi >oslt:o " from, that point teased. ..I-he sergeant then rushed the post on the left m a similar manner and the other posts were quickly <• « -.red by_the remainder of the company. line story of .another sergeant'attached to an Auckland company nr ;>v-&* an-- experience m iteaf/ The company, on reaching the outskirts of Fruv.llerY came under heavy machine gun fire, hu'C through the clashing leadership of this man, time© machine gun positions were rushed and-.; the crews taken prisoner Lofore they inlbcted many casualties on our advancing troops. The .company : headquarters had reached the o ul skirts ot tlie village m advance of fcl;e iirst attacking -wave, which was neai/lv 600 yards . •n. the rear. As soon as our. men I appeared on the crest the machine" r Mnfe opened fire on them from conned wieUer-hole positions 100 yards i-.i advance of headquarters, * Without a moments hesitation the sergeant dished straight for these position* over! ground devoid, of cover, aud with the assistance of the headquarters personnel killed or captured the whole of three opposing mm teams. Later the advance was held up on the right on the edge of a road. Intense machine. c un fire swept the ground. -Our attickinc troops took what shelter they could find m » small sap and m the sh c Vl boles. At this critical juncture tine, sergeant walked forward regardless of the enemy fire and located the positions of the nearest guns. He returned and reported to his lieutenant. Some w;i / off was a British tank m action and the sergeant started to get it t.-> com." tc the assistance of his mien. This adventure led him across 300 yards of open ground swept by the enemy's Pre. T,Y e Germans were firing at the tank with a light gun and before he could ieic!i it the sergeant was wounded- m the right arm by one of these anti-tank shells. Tlie ami was bleeding- , freely, so he cam© back once more tn Ivrs i-em-mini and had it bound' up. This accomplished ; lie went forward again/ and' this time succeeded m reaching' the tank, when . he proceeded to guide, it into a pos'tion \ from which it eou'd silence the enemy machino guiis. Before 'it eoufd roach the position the tank was put out of. action, and the officer m command was badly wounded. With undauted courage the sergeant organised the tank's ereiw with their Lewi's guns, some New Zealaudeirs joining them. This party he Led m two sections under heavy fire to commanding positions, so that th>> enemy machine gunners had to withdraw and our advance continued successfultv. At this moment he was killed by a buillet from' a sniper's r'lie.