‘Re-union’ with V.C.

Camp News, Volume 1, Issue 6, 19 January 1940, Page 3

‘Re-union’ with V.C.

The new year 1 started off with a “thrill” for Petty-Officer A,. M. Pryde, of Hastings, for on the afternoon of New Year's Day he was the guest of Major-General B. C. Freyberg, V.C., D. 5.0., general officer commanding the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, his “Old Colonel.” They had not met for nearly 24 years and were both decorated, the one being awarded the V.C. and the other the Military Medal, for the same engagement. The meeting took place at Wellington, and was rather a unique event, for though a private one, it was in the nature of a “reunion” of the only two representatives at present in New Zealand of the “Original Hoods,” as their particular Royal Na-, val Division was then called.

It was after their return from the Dardanelles, the then Lieutenant-Com-mander undertook his gallant and famous swim, that the Hoods went to France. In November, 1916, they wer, stationed at Ancre, and were given the job of capturing the Beaucourt Villa.

The Hoods were subjected to terrific fire. They were under the leadership of Colonel Freyberg, who in spite of being injured twice, maintained command of his division until relief came over two days after the onslaught commenced. Of the several hundred men in the division only 12 were left unwounded, and of this mere handful was A. B. Pryde, who later was promoted petty-officer, and eventually quartermaster, and awarded the Military Medal.