april october new_zealand soldier served second world war awarded victoria_cross highest prestigious award gallantry face enemy awarded british commonwealth forces actions born farm manager second world war began volunteered service abroad second new zealand expeditionary force posted 22nd battalion saw action battles greece crete north_africa sergeant november new prisoners war position overrun germans freed months later serving platoon commander awarded promoted second lieutenant sent home new_zealand discharged returning civilian life resumed farming career priest shifted lower half years serving number churches chaplain retired died years later age early life born april new_zealand children farmer wife educated nearby firstly unable complete formal schooling drop work family farm years later began managing large farm second world war tried enlist hearing outbreak second world war initially declined poor state teeth successful later attempt january joined raised service overseas posted commanded victoria_cross winner world war lieutenant colonel battalion embarked middle_east diverted england transit arrived england june remained rest year garrison duty england promoted lance corporal early redesignated 2nd sent greece allied contingent set counter likely invasion germans battalion positioned shortly invasion commenced engaged advancing german tanks new withdrew day beginning gradual retreat country evacuated crete april defending airfield german attacked airfield abandoned evening displeasure platoon holding positions allies eventually evacuated egypt week later wounded arm skirmish enemy north_africa division following fighting greece crete promoted lance sergeant platoon sergeant november platoon attached headquarters 5th security november men captured headquarters overrun elements lieutenant general allies spent months harsh conditions captivity liberated south african troops lost considerable weight time prisoner war rejoined 2nd syria contracted malaria missed hasty recall egypt subsequent fighting recovery rejoined 22nd battalion july time battle battalion short commissioned officers found acting platoon commander forthcoming operation capture commencing attack early morning july battalion reached ridge began digging discovered new passed german tanks advance previous evening spotted tanks began advancing 22nd battalion position dawn notified commanders nearby believed tanks british disregarded warning german tanks began attacking battalion positions performed actions led award victoria_cross citation read dawn july battalion belonged attacked flanks tanks heavy tank machine gun shell fire led platoon commanding cover ridge yards away sustained chest wound formed men led dominating ridge yards away came heavy enemy machine gun mortar fire located enemy machine gun posts right flank section attacked right flank led seven men bayonet charge yards open ground face heavy fire captured enemy machine gun posts anti tank gun killing number enemy taking prisoners section came fire machine gun post left flank immediately charged post single handed succeeded capturing killing enemy taking prisoners assaults sustained wounds legs badly wounded places refused leave men reformed handed prisoners increased thirty arranged men rejoin battalion owing quick grasp situation great personal courage leadership nineteen men survivors company battalion captured destroyed machine guns anti tank gun killed great number enemy captured thirty prisoners sustained casualty men brought nearest advanced dressing station 22nd battalion bar platoon killed captured fighting battalions participated battle incurred heavy losses managed link elements commander recommended evacuated hospital spent months recovering wounds returned battalion september september learnt award previous day divisional commander major general commissioned field second lieutenant shortly presented ribbon lieutenant general ordered return new_zealand likely desire military authorities harm way following recent capture division winner unhappy sent home friends remained field uncomfortable attention received public arrived new_zealand remained modest achievements discharged december resumed farming later life february married couple met war children continued farming interested career encouraged friend chaplain military began training february priest took north chaplain nearby entailed joining rank chaplain 4th class years moved number parishes lower spent periods time city mission wellington present unveiling memorial egypt years later attended centenary celebrations london authored book life dog collar retired april moved died cancer october survived wife children buried military honours medal donated victoria_cross school later loaned display victoria crosses medals stolen museum december february announced medals recovered result reward offered
Keith Elliott