GALLANTRY IN THE FIELD.

Te Aroha News, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5499, 13 June 1917, Page 1

GALLANTRY IN THE FIELD.

HOW THE NEW ZEALANDER# STEMMED A RUSH. IMMEDIATE AWARDS FOR VALOUR. (From Malcolm Ross, War Correspondent with the N.Z. Force* in the Field.) NORTHERN FRANCE, March T. About a week ago, shortly before dawn, the enemy suddenly opened a fierce bombardment upon the front and support lines of some trenches that the New Zealanders happened at the moment to he holding. A few machinegunners, some men with Lewis guns, and a few infantry were in that partieular sector. The bombardment lasted for an hour, and there could he no dould that it presaged a raid. II was just after 5 o'clock in Hie morning when the straining eyes of our look-outs saw between ninety and a hundred Germans following their bombardment across No Man’s Land. But out.' of that I'd only six ever reached our front line, and of those six, one mortally wounded by our

lire, was taken prisoner. The enemy had come over for he probably got. Rut the New Zealanders stood their ground with a gallantry, endurance and devotion to duty woiVliy of |ho. highest praise, and while, the Germans got their identification we also succeeded in getting ours. Among those who stuck it out during the severe bombardment and showed the greatest gallantry was Private Leonard Ross Dickinson. He was with a Lewis gun detachment on the left, and it was his lot (hat suffered most from the bombardment. Out of live men three were killed and one wounded by a minnenwerfer that exploded near the gun position. Dieknison, who was the remaining' man left, stuck to his position throughout, and was largely instrumental in driving the enemy back. With the utmost disregard of danger he continued firing until his magazines ran out.

William Elliot Gordon, a Lewis gunner, was the first to see Hie enemy approaching across No Man's Land in the dim light. Immediately he gave the alarm, and at once turned his gun on the enemy. Throughout the whole bombardment and attack he displayed great courage, initiative and devotion to duty. .lolm T. Clearwater, who was in command of a night post during the raid, showed great bravery and coolness. Wlicn a few of the enemy entered the trench lie cheeked (heir progress and drove them back, showing an utter contempt of danger and setting a line example to his men. Private Frederick Andrew Brill kept his machine-gun in action throughout the raid, and. after two of the men had been wounded, repelled a bombing attack from the rear, tie it was who shot the German who was taken prisoner, by means of which the identification of the attacking regiment was obtained.

All these men were recommended for immediate reward, and each of them has,received the military medal.

The other day, during a visit to the front, 1 saw some of the men who were in this encounter. The General was having a look at their dug-outs, and, learning that they were the men who had behaved so gallantly, lie called up a corporal who was standing by. “You are the men who were in the raid the other night,” lie said. “Yes, sir,” replied the corporal. “Well, you did splendidly,” added the General. "We’re very proud of our machine-gunners sir,” was all the corporal said, "You’re a damned fine, lot,” "remarked the General, as he turned on his heel and went 1 1 is ways. As the corporal saluted I could see his eyes become moist at tin' compliment lie. had received from his General, and, as I followed along the trench, I could hear the corporal proudly repeating to the men of his platoon the General’s last remarks with, if anything, a little more emphasis on the adjective. Jl was but a little incident in a three hours’ walk at the front on a pleasant day, but there was something intensely human in it, and the compliment rang so true that it fixed itself in the memory of those who were privileged to witness it, OTHER AWARDS. The system of immediate awards, which of late our army lias instituted, is without doubt an excellent one, and one that will help us on to victory. Not only is it an Incentive to further gallant deeds and devotion to duty on the part of the recipients of the awards, but it is an incentive and an inspiration to the whole of Hie unit concerned. Three other instances of similar awards may well be mentioned. Corporal John McQuillan, during a heavy bombardment, and in spite of minnenwerfer bombs snd shrapnel fire that was bursting about him, kept his trench mortar in action for 45 minutes, and fired over a hundred rounds into No Man’s Land on an advancing enemy attempting a raid, thus assisting materially in their defeat. This corporal, in the words of the official recognition, has shown great courage and fine powers of leadership. Sergt. Walter James Murray, with a rifleman who was afterwards killed in the bombardment, opened fire on an advancing raiding party that was on the point of coming over the parapet, and, at great personal risk, continued till they turned and lied. He had already done gallant work in a raid on the Somme in September, and his courage lias always been an inspiration to his men.

Sergt. Adrian John Mason, when the battery to which lie is attached was. under heavy fire, did a heroic tiling. Three, men were wounded, two of them seriously, in a billet close by. He went alone to the billet, bandaged the wounds of the three men, and got two of them away. The third man he carried on his back a distance of 300 yards to safety. He undoubtedly saved their lives. He lias , been conspicuous for acts of gallantry on other occasions as well.