SEPT. 21] THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE 1143
attackers were literally mown down, 2nd Lieutenant Ngarimu personally killing several. He was twice wounded, once by rifle fire in the shoulder and later by shrapnel in the leg, and though urged by both his company and battalion commanders to go out he refused to do so, saying that he would stay a little while with his men. He stayed till he met his death the following morning.
Darkness found this officer and his depleted platoon lying on the rocky face of the forward slope of the hill feature, with the enemy in a similar position on the reverse slope about twenty yards distant. Throughout the night the enemy repeatedly launched fierce attacks in an attempt to dislodge 2nd Lieutenant Ngarimu and his men, but each counter-attack was beaten off entirely by 2nd Lieutenant Ngarimu's inspired leadership. During one of these counter-attacks the enemy, by using hand grenades, succeeded in piercing a certain part of the line. Without hesitation this officer rushed to the threatened area, and those of the enemy he did not kill he drove back with stones and with his tommy-gun.
During another determined counter-attack by the enemy, part of his line broke. Yelling orders and encouragement, he rallied his men and led them in a fierce onslaught back into their old positions. All through the night, between attacks, he and his men were heavily harassed by machine gun and mortar fire, but 2nd Lieutenant Ngarimu watched his line very carefully, cheering his men on and inspiring them by his gallant personal conduct. Morning found him still in possession of the hill feature, but only he and two unwounded other ranks remained. Reinforcements were sent up to him. In the morning the enemy again counter-attacked, and it was during this attack that 2nd Lieutenant Ngarimu was killed. He was killed on his feet defiantly facing the enemy with his tommy-gun at his hip. As he fell he came to rest almost on the top of those of the enemy who had fallen, the number of whom testified to his outstanding courage and fortitude.
No. 7930. Sergeant John Daniel Hinton, New Zealand Military Forces.
On the night of 28th-29th April, 1941, during the fighting in Greece, a column of German armoured forces entered Kalamai; this column, which contained several armoured cars, 2 in. guns and 3 in. mortars and two 6 in. guns, rapidly converged on a large force of British and New Zealand troops awaiting embarkation on the beach. When the order to retreat to cover was given, Sergeant Hinton, shouting "To hell with this, who'll come with me?" ran to within several yards of the nearest gun; the gun fired, missing him, and he hurled two grenades, which completely wiped out the crew. He then came on with the bayonet, followed by a crowd of New-Zealanders. German troops abandoned the first 6 in. gun and retreated into two houses. Sergeant Hinton smashed the window and then the door of the first house, and dealt with the garrison with the bayonet. He repeated the performance in the second house, and as a result, until overwhelming German forces arrived, the New-Zealanders held the guns. Sergeant Hinton then fell with a bullet wound through the lower abdomen and was taken prisoner.
No. 6751. Sergeant Keith Elliott, New Zealand Military Forces.
At Ruweisat at dawn on the 15th July, 1942, the battalion to which Sergeant Elliott belonged was attacked on three flanks by tanks. Under heavy tank, machine gun, and shell fire, Sergeant Elliott led the platoon he was commanding to the cover of a ridge three hundred yards away, during which he sustained a chest wound.
Here he re-formed his men and led them to a dominating ridge a further five hundred yards away, where they came under heavy enemy machine gun and mortar fire. He located enemy machine-gun posts on his front and right flank, and while one section attacked on the right flank Sergeant Elliott led seven men in a bayonet charge across five hundred yards of open ground in the face of heavy fire and captured four enemy machine-gun posts and an anti-tank gun, killing a number of the enemy and taking fifty prisoners.
His section then came under fire from a machine-gun post on his left flank. He immediately charged this post single-handed and succeeded in capturing it, killing several of the enemy and taking fifteen prisoners. During these two assaults he sustained three more wounds in the back and legs.
Although badly wounded in four places, Sergeant Elliott refused to leave his men until he had re-formed them, handed over his prisoners, which were now increased to one hundred and thirty, and had arranged for his men to rejoin their battalion.
Owing to Sergeant Elliott's quick grasp of the situation, great personal courage and leadership, nineteen men who were the only survivors of B Company of his battalion captured and destroyed five machine guns, one anti-tank gun, killed a great number of the enemy, and captured one hundred and thirty prisoners. Sergeant Elliott sustained only one casualty among his men, and brought him back to the nearest advanced dressing-station.
His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve the following awards for gallant and distinguished service-
Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (Military Division)
Brigadier Kenneth MacCormick (6163).
To be Additional Knights Commanders of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Major-General B. C. Freyberg (4006), V.C., C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., LL.D.
To be Additional Commanders of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Major-General Owen Herbert Mead (50745). Brigadier James Hargest (31156). Brigadier Reginald Miles (6191). Temp. Brigadier Patrick Augustine Ardagh (31821). Colonel George William Gower (37928). Brigadier Alexander Smith Falconer (10491). Colonel Harry Selwyn Kenrick (9384). Brigadier Kenneth MacCormick (6163). Colonel William George Stevens (6356). Colonel Norman William McDonald Weir (800278). Colonel Thomas Duncan MacGregor Stout (31441).
To be Additional Officers of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Lieut.-Colonel William George Gentry (40002). Lieut.-Colonel Thomas Joseph King (6192). Colonel Francis Prideaux (6196). Colonel Frederick Montgomery Spencer (31141). Major (temp. Lieut.-Colonel) George Lawrence Agar (4534). Lieut.-Colonel Stanley Fairgrieve Allen (4005). Lieut.-Colonel (temp. Colonel) Raymond Candlish Queree (20001). Lieut.-Colonel William Hunter Alexander (6320). Lieut.-Colonel Benjamin Barrington (31625). Lieut.-Colonel Lancelott John Hunter (31138). Temp. Lieut.-Colonel Monty Claude Fairbrother (7192). Temp. Lieut.-Colonel Cedric Montgomery Williamson (4725). Lieut.-Colonel John Edward Anderson (11365). Lieut.-Colonel Douglas Farquharson Leckie (9245). Lieut.-Colonel Allan Huia Andrews (4191). Lieut.-Colonel Frederick Melrose Horowhenua Hanson (20034). Lieut.-Colonel Albert Henry Sage (27881). Major Reginald Trevor Smith (27158). Lieut.-Colonel George Frederick Bertrand (6117). Temp. Lieut.-Colonel Roland Harry Packwood (11374). Major Francis William Aickin (27764). Major George Grantham Good (7167). Major Thomas Wishart Harrison (40001). Captain Donald Gavin Steele (8855). Major George Harold Whyte (3612).
To be Additional Members of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Major John Owen Kelsey (2239). Major Allan Barnard Ross (5437). Temp. Captain George Douglas Pollock (2121). Temp. Captain Robert Moore Bell (6188). Captain Robert Walter Dunbar (2637). Captain Joseph Stewart King (9631). Captain Arthur James Neil (7189). Major Neil Middleton Pryde (20031). Major Albert Edward Smith (4161). Captain James Alexander McAlpine (7132). Lieutenant Robert Frederick Moody (11718). 2nd Lieutenant Clement Augustus Morton (5480). Captain Melville Clark Rice (7191). 2nd Lieutenant Neville John Rollinson (1168). Captain John Charles White (6361). Rev. Norman Ernest Winhall, Chaplain, 4th Class (22809). Lieutenant Reginald William Cawthorn (7781). Lieutenant James Douglas McKechar (1572). Major Percy Elrick Coutts (20036). Major Richard Oliver Pearse (31655). Captain John Blyth Austin (31611). Captain Richard Bethell (8520). Captain Stanley Henry Betts (6255). Captain Robert Benjamin Corlett (11242). Captain Robert Revel Livingstone (1402). Captain William Grant Quirk (7186). Captain James Bruce Wallace (31522). Captain Frederick William Wilson (11024). Rev. Victor Roy Jamieson, Chaplain, 4th Class (4043). Rev. Harold Frederick Harding, Chaplain, 4th Class (17901). Temp. Captain William Sydney Jordan (2627). Temp. Captain Harold Frank King (40487). Temp. Captain Joseph Herbert Hugh Pierce (38685). Acting-Captain Denis Barrett (1062). Lieutenant Russell Leonard Ball (1090). Lieutenant Eric William Bolwell (8185). 7094 W.O. II Rangi Bernard Radley. 431771 Mr. Hector Archibald Tankersley. 23210 W.O. I James Roy Spence. 39098 W.O. II Martin Te Takahi McRae. 66085 W.O. II Eric William Gerrie Forsyth.