Colonel Freyberg, V.C.
A New Zealand Soldier With the Qualities of a Fenimore Cooper Hero
Colonel Freyberg is another winner of England’s highest military honor—the Victoria Cross. “For enduring courage and brilliant leadership his achievement,” writes the London Times, “was unsurpassed by any act for which the Cross was conferred.”
To begin with he carried an initial attack straight through the enemy’s front system of trenches, but after the capture of the first objective his command was much disorganized owing to mist and a heavy fire of all descriptions. The Colonel himself rallied and reformed his own men, as well as men from other units who had become intermixed. His own contempt of danger inspired the troops. He was finally able to lead them to the successful attack of the second objective. Colonel Freyberg had by this time been wounded twice, but he again rallied his men and reformed them, and, although under heavy artillery and machine-gun fire in a very advanced position and unsupported, still he held his ground for the rest of the day and throughout the night. On the following morning, having been reinforced, he organized an attack on a strongly fortified village, and such was his dash and enterprise that the village was captured and 500 prisoners were taken. For the third time the officer was wounded, and later in the afternoon he was again wounded, this time seriously, but he refused to leave the line until he had issued final instructions.
“The personality, valor, and utter contempt of danger on the part of this single officer enabled the lodgment in the most advanced objective of the Corps to be permanently held, and on this point d’appui the line was eventually formed.” So closed the official version of the gallant colonel’s performance.
Colonel Freyberg was by birth a New Zealander. He was not yet twenty-eight years of age. Born in Wellington, he developed both the physique and resourcefulness that were essential for the success of some of the enterprises which he undertook in the war. He won fame throughout Australasia as an exceptionally fine swimmer; he grew to be six feet in height, and broad and powerful in proportion; he achieved renown as an oarsman, a footballer and a boxer, and his physique won for him the affectionate nickname of “Tiny.” Leaving New Zealand he went to America, and drifting to Mexico found full scope for his adventurous aspirations; he fought in Mexico’s Civil War.
In 1914, the London Times says, Freyberg came home, joined the Royal Naval Division, and was wounded in the hand at Antwerp. With good service to his record he went to Gallipoli with his battalion, being already a lieutenant-commander. In Gallipoli he again distinguished himself. General Paris was in charge of a force which was to make a feint landing at Bulair, the narrow neck of the Peninsula. Freyberg was given charge of the party, but, while prizing the honor, he proposed an alternative scheme which, he believed, would protect the lives of the men. This idea was that he should take colored flares and swim ashore, that he should then light the flares, as if a landing was anticipated, and then swim out again to a waiting destroyer. This he did, stripping, and painting his face and shoulders a dark color, so that he should not be seen swimming. Freyberg landed on the beach, lit the flares, made a reconnaissance, and swam off again, but owing to the darkness and the current he missed the boat which was to pick him up, and it was almost two hours before he was hauled on to the deck of the destroyer, more dead than alive. This remarkable feat of endurance and resourcefulness, more suggestive of an adventure from Mayne Reid or Fenimore Cooper than a sober act of modern war, won for the young officer the D. S. O.