544

DATED 23rd April, 1946—
Flying Officer Norman Gregory.
Flying Officer Eric Claud McCook.
Flying Officer Norman William Weblin.

DATED 26th April, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Ian Montgomery.
Flight Lieutenant Ivan Charles Beckbessinger.

DATED 28th April, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Lloyd James Appleton.

DATED 1st May, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant John Donald Rae, D.F.C.

DATED 3rd May, 1946—
Flight Lieutenant Thomas Mackenzie McMullen.
Flight Lieutenant William George Seabrook.

DATED 24th May, 1946—
Flying Officer Thomas George Moore.

Amendments
The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 72, dated 22nd November 1945, page 1455, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” is amended, so far as it relates to “Flight Lieutenant Arthur Vernon Butcher,” to read “Dated 15th November 1945.”

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 74, dated 29th November, 1945, page 1488, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” relating to “Flight Lieutenant Francis Roy McBride,” is amended to read “Dated 5th January, 1946.”

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 76, dated 6th December, 1945, page 1519, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” is amended, so far as it relates to “Flight Lieutenant William Richard Allan Mason,” to read “Dated 24th November, 1945.”

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 76, dated 6th December, 1945, page 1519, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” relating to “Flying Officer Alfred Mather Wilkinson,” is amended to read “Dated 4th November, 1945.”

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 7, dated 7th February, 1946, page 126, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” is amended, so far as it relates to “Flying Officer Ivor William Robyns,” to read “Dated 8th January, 1946.”

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 11, dated 28th February, 1946, page 273, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” is amended, so far as it relates to “Flight Lieutenant Kynaston John Stanford, D.F.M.,” to read “Dated 19th February, 1946.”

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 11, dated 28th February, 1946, page 273, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” is amended, so far as it relates to “Flight Lieutenant John Stanley Asher,” to read “Dated 31st March, 1946.”

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 15, dated 14th March, 1946, page 332, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” relating to “Flying Officer Basil John Francis Bretherton, D.F.C.,” is amended to read “Dated 23rd January, 1946.”

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 15, dated 14th March, 1946, page 332, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” is amended, so far as it relates to “Flying Officer Douglas Haswell Vahry,” to read “Dated 20th February, 1946.”

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 15, dated 14th March, 1946, page 332, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” relating to “Flight Lieutenant Ronald Hamilton Harper,” is amended to read “Dated 15th April, 1946.”

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 15, dated 14th March, 1946, page 332, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” is amended, so far as it relates to “Flying Officer Brian Kevern Baber,” to read “Dated 26th March, 1946.”

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 15, dated 14th March, 1946, page 334, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” is amended, so far as it relates to “Flying Officer John Huppert,” to read “Dated 8th March, 1946.”

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 15, dated 14th March, 1946, page 334, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” is amended, so far as it relates to “Flight Lieutenant Kenneth Gerald Orman, D.F.C.,” to read “Dated 4th March, 1946.”

Cancellations
The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 7, dated 7th February, 1946, page 129, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” relating to “Pilot Officer Norman McLeod McRitchie,” is cancelled.

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 15, dated 14th March, 1946, page 334, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” so far as it relates to “Flight Lieutenant Norman Lambert Purdie,” is cancelled.

The notice appearing in the New Zealand Gazette No. 15, dated 14th March, 1946, page 334, under the heading “Reserve of Air Force Officers—Transfers,” so far as it relates to “Flying Officer Eric Morton Olson,” is cancelled.

F. JONES, Minister of Defence.

THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE [No. 28

Awards approved by His Majesty the King
Office of the Minister of Defence,
Wellington, 30th April, 1946.
The following awards to personnel of the New Zealand Military Forces, which have been approved by His Majesty the King, and published from time to time in the London Gazette, have not previously appeared in the New Zealand Gazette:

Bar to Victoria Cross
Captain Charles Hazlitt Upham, V.C. (8077), New Zealand Militar Forces.

Captain C. H. Upham, V.C., was commanding a company of New Zealand troops in the Western Desert during the operations which culminated in the attack on El Ruweisat Ridge on the night of the 14th-15th July, 1942.

In spite of being twice wounded, once when crossing open ground swept by enemy fire to inspect his forward sections guarding our minefields and again when he completely destroyed an entire truck load of German soldiers with hand grenades, Captain Upham insisted on remaining with his men to take part in the final assault.

During the opening stages of the attack on the ridge, Captain Upham’s company formed part of the reserve battalion, but, when communications with the forward troops broke down and he was instructed to send up an officer to report on the progress of the attack, he went out himself armed with a Spandau gun, and after several sharp encounters with enemy machine-gun posts succeeded in bringing back the required information.

Just before dawn the reserve battalion was ordered forward, but when it had almost reached its objective very heavy fire was encountered from a strongly defended enemy locality consisting of four machine-gun posts and a number of tanks.

Captain Upham, without hesitation, at once led his company in a determined attack on the two nearest strong- points on the left flank of the sector. His voice could be heard above the din of battle cheering on his men, and in spite of the fierce resistance of the enemy and the heavy casualties on both sides the objective was captured.

Captain Upham, during the engagement, himself destroyed a German tank and several guns and vehicles with grenades, and although he was shot through the elbow by a machine-gun bullet and had his arm broken he went on again to a forward position and brought back some of his men who had become isolated. He continued to dominate the situation until his men had beaten off a violent enemy counter-attack and consolidated the vital position which they had won under his inspiring leadership.

Exhausted by pain from his wound and weak from loss of blood Captain Upham was then removed to the regimental aid-post, but immediately his wound had been dressed he returned to his men, remaining with them all day long under heavy enemy artillery and mortar fire until he was again severely wounded, and being now unable to move fell into the hands of the enemy, when, his gallant company having been reduced to only six survivors, his position was finally overrun by superior enemy forces, in spite of the outstanding gallantry and magnificent leadership shown by Captain Upham.

The Victoria Cross was conferred on Captain Upham for conspicuous bravery during the operations in Crete in May, 1941, and the award was announced in the London Gazette dated 14th October, 1941.

To be Additional Members of the Third Class or Companion of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (Military Division)
Major-General Howard Carl Kippenberger, C.B.E., D.S.O. (7128).
Major-General (Acting) Cyril Ettrick Weir, C.B.E., D.S.O. (1523).
Brigadier Harry Selwyn Kenrick, C.B.E. (9384).

To be Additional Commanders of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Brigadier Stanley Herbert Crump, D.S.O. (6193).
Brigadier Lindsay Merritt Inglis, D.S.O. and bar, M.C. (9495).
Brigadier Thomas Joseph King, O.B.E. (6192).
Brigadier Graham Beresford Parkinson, D.S.O. and bar (1522).
Brigadier Keith Lindsay Stewart, D.S.O., O.B.E. (6194).
Brigadier (temp.) Cyril Ettrick Weir, D.S.O. (1523).
Brigadier (temp.) Russell David King, D.S.O. (31346).
Brigadier (temp.) Raymond Candlish Queree, O.B.E. (20001).
Colonel Harry Kenrick Christie (31381).
The Reverend James William McKenzie, M.M., Chaplain to the Forces, 1st Class (26128).
Colonel Francis Prideaux, O.B.E. (6196).

To be Additional Officers of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire
Colonel Robert Allan Elliott (7005).
Colonel William Beaumont Fisher (6166).
Colonel Herbert Ellery Gilbert, D.S.O. (23245).
Colonel James Seaton Martin (31489).
Colonel Douglas Gordon Radcliffe (31439).
Colonel Lawrence Frederick Rudd, D.S.O. (2116).
Colonel (temp.) William Hawksworth (972).
Lieut.-Colonel Charles Byers Barrowclough (15418).
Lieut.-Colonel Keith Buchanan Bridge (42289).
Lieut.-Colonel Alaister Edward Barry Burge (5581).
Lieut.-Colonel Arthur Gruchy Clark, M.C. (42656).
Lieut.-Colonel Robert Vincent Closey (23072).
Lieut.-Colonel Jack Dinham Cottrell (9818).