BRAVE SOLDIER

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21167, 17 July 1940, Page 7

BRAVE SOLDIER

SAVED SUPERIOR OFFICER AWARDED MILITARY CROSS FACED TERRIBLE ODDS (Official wireless) (Received July 17, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, July 16 How a young officer risked his life in rescuing his superior officer is told in an account of the award of the Military Cross to Second-Lieu-tenant Dixon, of the Royal Artillery. Second-Lieutenant Dixon, during the retreat from Dunkirk, was seen at a burning car dump 800 yards to the rear of Pont-aux-Corps, the only bridge not blown on the Bergues Canal. He was seen to be urgently seeking some form of transport remaining undanvged, avid, having found a small car, he replied to inquiries that he was going immediately into Hondschoote, about three miles away, to collect his senior officer, whom he knew to be wounded. He was warned that was seemingly impossible, as there had been a tank engagement there the previous night and the village was in enemy hands. He said he was aware of this but intended to go. It was obvious that the odds were heavily against his returning at all, but within forty minutes he came back with a lorry with the senior officer and seven other ranks, all wounded. He then took the lorry on to the field round the burning dump and safely across the canal bridge.