W3 Company - Honours  Kahurangi

MID 1:  Nui Dat, South Vietnam 20 November 1970 - acknowledged Government House Wellington ceremony 14 February 2019

676734 Major Evan John Torrance, RNZIR

Major Evan John Torrance joined the New Zealand Army on 24^th January 1955 and graduated into the Royal New Zealand Infantry from the Royal Military College Duntroon on 10^th December 1958.

Major Torrance began the raising and training of Whiskey Company 1^st Battalion The Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment at Terendak Camp in May 1969.  The company joined the 6^th The Royal Australian Regiment/New Zealand (ANZAC) Battalion in operations in South Vietnam in November 1969 and was subsequently transferred to the 2nd The Royal Australian Regiment/New Zealand (ANZAC) Battalion on 15^th May 1970.  During its period of service in South Vietnam Whiskey Company showed itself to be a well-organised, well-trained and competent rifle company which could be relied upon to tackle aggressively any task allotted to it.  The success of the company is due largely to the leadership of Major Torrance who has shown himself to be an imaginative, determined and aggressive officer and whose cool control of his company in action has been an inspiration and high example to the other officers of the ANZAC Battalions.

Major Torrance’s leadership, integrity and professional competency reflect great credit upon himself, his regiment and the New Zealand Army.

MID 2:  Nui Dat, South Vietnam 20 November 1970 - acknowledged Government House Wellington ceremony 14 February 2019

40554 Captain William Anthony Blair, RNZIR

Captain William Anthony Blair joined the New Zealand Regular Army on 15^th January 1964 and was commissioned on graduation from the Officer Cadet School at Portsea, Australia on 9^th December 1967.  He was assigned to the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment, and posted to Whiskey Company in Malaysia in May 1969.  He arrived with the Company in South Vietnam in November 1969.

Captain Blair as a rifle platoon commander led his platoon in a number of successful contacts with the enemy during the period November 1969 to May 1970.

On 15^th April 1970 Captain Blair’s platoon initiated an ambush against an enemy force of five.  As a result of his skilful siting of claymores and the platoon guns all the enemy force were killed instantly.

During the afternoon of 22^rd May 1970 his platoon discovered an occupied well defended enemy camp.  While reconnaissance of the camp was being conducted Captain Blair organised artillery and mortar fire to cover likely enemy withdrawal routes from the camp.  Once contact was made the estimated 20 enemy in the camp returned fire with rocket propelled grenades and automatic weapons.  During the next hour Captain Blair adjusted mortar, artillery and helicopter gunship fire as well as directing the small arms fire of his platoon.

He did this with great accuracy and skill.  Captain Blair’s prompt and aggressive actions forced the enemy to break contact leaving behind one of their number and signs that they had suffered other casualties.

The successes of Captain Blair’s platoon are directly attributable to the bold skilful handling by this most competent infantry platoon leader.

His personal standards, leadership, and professional competency reflects great credit upon himself, his Regiment and the New Zealand Army.

MID 3:  Nui Dat, South Vietnam 20 November 1970- acknowledged Government House Auckland ceremony 14 February 2019

337670 Sergeant Jersey Bassett Yandall, RNZIR

Sergeant Jersey Bassett Yandall joined the New Zealand Regular Army on 20^th April 1959, and was posted to the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.  He joined Whiskey Company in Malaysia in May 1969, and arrived with the Company in South Vietnam in November 1969.

During a year of active service Sergeant Yandall has carried out the duties of platoon sergeant in a most commendable manner.  At all times he has efficiently controlled the administration of his platoon in an energetic yet unobtrusive manner.  When called upon to command the platoon during the absence of the platoon commander he has displayed confident and effective leadership.  On a number of occasions he has led patrols that have made contact with the enemy.  Particularly noteworthy are the four contacts during the period 10 September 1970 to 20 September 1970 which resulted in eight enemy dead without a single casualty being suffered by his patrol.  These and previous successes can be attributed to Sergeant Yandall’s bold and aggressive leadership and his skill as an infantry leader.

The standard of sergeant Yandall’s leadership, and professional ability reflect great credit upon himself, his Regiment and the New Zealand Army.

MID 4:  Nui Dat, South Vietnam 20 November 1970 - acknowledged Government House Auckland ceremony 14 February 2019

43852 Lance Corporal William Charles Teller RNZIR

Lance Corporal William Charles Teller joined the New Zealand Army on 6^th September 1968 and was posted to the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment.  He joined Whiskey Company in May 1969 and arrived in South Vietnam with the Company in November 1969.

Lance Corporal Teller both as a rifleman and section second in command has given a most commendable performance during his year of active service duty.  During the period November 1969 to May 1970 he was wounded on two occasions.  At the time of his second wounding on 22^nd May 1970 he refused medical assistance until he had indicated to other members of his platoon the location of the enemy snipers.  His cool confidence under fire at the time of this contact was most exemplary.

On 21^st July 1970 Lance Corporal Teller’s platoon made contact with six enemy.  The return fire from the enemy immobilised the leading section’s machine gun group.  Without regard to his own safety he quickly organised the moving forward of his own section machine gun and as a result a potentially dangerous situation was thwarted.  The leadership qualities displayed in this action were of the highest order, and reflect great credit on himself, his Regiment, and the New Zealand Army.

Recognition:  a Vietnam veteran awarded a MID wears a bronze oak leaf (1920 - 1994 model) on his Vietnam Medal ribbon.

In February 2019 the Governor-General, Her Excellency the Rt Hon Dame Patsy Reddy, made formal presentations to veterans of the Vietnam War who were Mentioned in Despatches (MID).  The presentations occurred at Government House in both Wellington and Auckland.  Mentioned in Despatches awards were given in recognition of gallantry and high levels of service.  At the time the citations were generally written by the commander of the unit involved and sometimes were read out on a Unit Parade. Many veterans received their bronze oak leaf in the mail.  The thirty awards were presented to veterans, or to the family representatives of those who have passed away.  As the veterans already wear an oak leaf emblem on their Vietnam Medal, which designates they received an MID, they were presented with a formal letter and copy of their citation at the ceremony.               

photos are from the two Government House ceremony's