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The 22 New Zealanders who won the Victoria Cross fighting for their country are rightly lauded as heroes, but the seven men who won the highest military award for bravery while serving for other countries' armed forces should not be forgotten, one of their relatives says.
Glennys Adams'
great uncle, William Edward Sanders, won the Victoria Cross in World War I. As a war hero he is remembered with a street name, a plaque in the Auckland Town Hall and a yachting trophy which is still sailed for today.
But he is still remembered as a member of the family by his descendants, Mrs Adams said.
"I'm proud of him. My mother, who is now deceased, was his godchild. He is my grandmother's brother.
"We've always known of him and felt we knew him as a person ... and he has been very much part of my life."
Lieutenant Sanders' family have often visited the Auckland War Memorial Museum to see the collection of family memorabilia it holds, including a uniform and the Victoria Cross.
A merchant seaman, Sanders joined the British navy soon after World War I broke out.
Within one year he rose from sub-lieutenant to lieutenant-commander in the Royal Navy, and won both the DSO and the Victoria Cross.
"There wasn't a [New Zealand] navy then and he was a naval man," Mrs Adams said.
"It was the same war really and he was a New Zealander. The only time he wasn't in New Zealand was while he was serving in the war."
New Zealanders who have won the Victoria Cross serving with other nations' armies are:
William B. Rhodes-moorhouse
Courtrai, France, 1915.
The first airman to win the Victoria Cross. Scored a direct hit on a key railway junction while on a bombing mission in his biplane, despite having been hit in the stomach by a bullet during his approach. Wounded twice more before flying back to British lines, and died of his wounds the next day. British commander General Sir John French said the mission involved delivering "the most important bomb dropped in the war so far".
Alfred John Shout
Gallipoli, 1915.
Served with the New Zealand Army in South Africa, and as a captain in the first infantry battalion, Australian Imperial Forces, in World War I. One of seven soldiers awarded the Victoria Cross at the famous offensive at Gallipoli, Shout led his men on two successful attacks which captured Turkish trenches. He died from wounds some days later.
Thomas Cooke
8th Battalion, Australian Imperial Forces. Pozieres, France, 1916.
Awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously for extreme valour under fire as a machine-gunner at Pozières, in the Battle of the Somme. Private Cooke was the only man left alive from his unit but remained at his post and continued to fire. When help arrived, Cooke was found dead beside his gun.
Percy V. Storkey
Bois de Hangard, France, 1918.
Lieutenant in 19th Battalion, Australian Imperial Forces. Won the Victoria Cross in April 1918 after leading 10 men in an attack on German machine-gun installations, killing or wounding about 30 and capturing 53.
William E. Sanders
Atlantic, 1917.
Lieutenant, (later Lieutenant-Commander) Sanders was killed in action at sea in the Atlantic near southern Ireland on August 14, 1917, with all but three of his crew. His vessel, the HMS Prize, was used as a decoy to trap and sink German submarines, hazardous work which earned Sanders the VC. In June 1918 Sanders' father received his son's VC and DSO from the Governor-General at Auckland Town Hall. A sailing trophy, the Sanders Cup, was named after him and is still contested.
Bernard Freyburg
7th (Hood) Battalion of the Royal Naval Brigade. Beaucourt, France, 1916.
Cited for his leadership in capturing a vital village, on which the frontline was eventually formed. He was stretchered from the battlefield after being wounded four times, but survived to command the 2nd NZEF in World War II, and subsequently become Governor-General of New Zealand.
Lawrence C. Weathers
Peronne, France, 1918.
Acting corporal with 43rd Battalion, Australian Imperial Forces. When an attack was held up by a strongly held enemy trench, Corporal Weathers attacked alone. Returning for more bombs, he and three comrades attacked under heavy fire. Took 180 prisoners and three machine-guns. Killed in action three weeks later, without knowing he had won the VC. Killed in action three weeks later, without knowing he had won the VC.
