NEW ZEALANDER WINS V.C.

Camp News, Volume 2, Issue 96, 31 October 1941, Page 4

NEW ZEALANDER WINS V.C.

Sergeant John Hinton

GALLANT EXPLOITS IN GREECE

Charge On Advancing Nazis

His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to - approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to Sergeant John Daniel Hinton, 20th Battalion, New .Zealand Military Forces. An announcement to this effect was made on Saturday by the Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser. Sergeant Hinton is the fourth New Zealander to receive the Victoria Cross in the present .war. The following is a copy of the citation appearing in the “London Gazette” : — ■ , . “Sergeant John Daniel Hinton, New Zealand Military Forces. On the night of April 28, 1941, during fighting in Greece, a column of German armoured forces entered Kalamai. This column, which contained several armoured cars, 2-inch guns and 3-inch mortars, and two 6-inch guns, rapidly converged on large forces of British and New Zealand troops awaiting embarkation on the beach. When the order to retreat to cover was given, Sergeant Hinton shouted, “To hell with this. Who will come with me?” He ran to within several yards of the nearest guns. The guns fired, missing him, and he hurled two hand grenades, which completely wiped out the crews. He then came on with a bayonet, followed by a crowd of New Zealanders.

“The German troops abandoned the first 6-inch gun and retreated into two houses. Sergeant Hinton smashed the Windows and then the door of the first house and dealt with the garrison with his bayonet. He repeated the performance in the second house, and as a re suit, until overwhelming German forces arrived, New Zealanders held the guns. Sergeant Hinton then fell with a bullet wound through the lower abdomen, and was taken prisoner.”

Born in Southland.

Sergeant Hinton is a son of Mrs. Mary Hinton, of Colac* Bay, Southland, states an N.Z.E.F. Official News Service message from Cairo. He was bom at Riverton. Southland, in 1909. He is single.

Before the war Sergeant Hinton lived in Greymouth, where he was employed as a driver with the Public

Works Department. Sergeant Hinton, who had no previous military experience, enlisted at Greymouth on September 13, 1939. He entered Burnham camp on October 5, and sailed with the Southern Battalion in the first echelon. Sergeant Hinton is thus the second win ner of the V.C. in this battalion, the first being Second-Lieutenant Upham, whose award was announced several days ago.

Sergeant Hinton was appointed a temporary lance-corporal on October 14, and promoted temporary corporal on November 22, 1939. He received further promotion to the rank of sergeant in the field on August 13, 1940. By the short space of two days Ser geant Hinton just managed to make the trip to Greece, having previously been away from ' his unit because of illhealth.

A former company commander described Sergeant- Hinton as a mediumbuilt, wiry individual, who appeared to be ten years older than he actually is. By nature quiet and-unassuming, Hinton is a man who made friends freely?.

When his exploit was described to a -man who served in the same unit, his remark was: “That’s exactly the sort of thing Jack would do.”

Sergeant Hinton was coach of a football team on ; the West Coast before joining the Army, and took a great interest in Rugby.

The official record shows that Sergeant Hinton was posted .missing as at May IS, and on June 23 he was reported as a battle casualty, wounded and missing. Information was eventually received that he was a prisoner of war in hospital at Kokinia, Athens, with a gunshot wound in the abdomen.

Excitement at Home.

Excitement prevailed at Colac Bay. a small seaside settlement, 34 miles from Invercargill, when it became known that a son of well-known local residents, Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Hinton, had been awarded the .Victoria Cross, says a Press Association telegram from Invercargill.

Sergeant Hinton’s mother was handl'd the official announcement shortly after 11 o’clock on Saturday morning. Meanwhile, the father was working in the bush. When a neighbour told him the news he was inclined to treat the story with scorn.

Sergeant Hinton is the fifth child of a family of seven children, only two of whom are boys. His brother is at

present working on the West Coast.

Sergeant Hinton was educated at Colac Bay. Later, he worked at a store in Tokanui, and then went to the West Coast, where he was employed by the Public Works Department in Greymouth. He was also in South Westland* Sergeant Hinton is a keen athlete, boxer, and footballer.

A Greymouth Press Association telegram says Sergeant Hinton was with Admiral Byrd’s South Pole expedition.

His was the twenty-second enlistment at Greymouth. He was a member of the United Rugby Football Club.