Employees honoured

Certificate from General Montgomery: "...without consideration of his personal safety. His prompt action saved the Governement many thousands of pounds."

The certificate states: "I award you this certificate in token of my appreciation of the outstanding good service which you have rendered. I have given instructions that this shall be noted in your record of service."

Seriously wounded at Sidi Rezegh.

Returned to office 1 June 1943.

Attached to Skipton sub office and decorated September 1941.

Member of the fire department.

Gazetted 10 May 1945.

Member of life department.

Citation states "On arrival at the gate he was ordered to halt by a Jew who pointed a pistol at him. Captain Barrow was himself unarmed but he made a dive for the Jew's pistol and succeeded in seizing hold of it as the Jew fired. The bullet went past Captain Barrow's leg and another armed Jew tried to fire at him.

"Captain Barrow managed to hold the first Jew between himself and the second until a lorry with a number of other Jews came up and opened fire. Captain Barrow then jumped behind a civilian taxi and as the lorry drove off, he got into the taxi and followed the lorry despite the fact that he was fired on from the back of the lorry and from a neighbouring orange grove.

"Captain Barrow, despite being completely unarmed, showed great courage and devotion to duty by doing all in his power to follow the terrorists, despite considerable fire from two directions. By his actions he delayed the escape of the terrorists for very valuable minutes."

Played rugby for the New Zealand All Blacks 1928 - 1931.

"Sergeant Batty was at Bel Hamid on the morning of 1 December, when troops and artillery were forming up to be lead to a new position. Sergeant Batty, with a gun and a tractor, had nearly reached his post when he was subjected to a hail of tank shells.

"Single handed, he engaged eight tanks at long range. Now the rest of the troops were ready for action, but the tanks not relishing the fate of their leader, made off. The prompt and determined action by Sergeant Batty in accepting battle single handed undoubtedly saved the troop, who were reforming and unable to accept tank attack from that particular quarter."

For further information about Walter playing for the All Blacks visit www.oceaniarugby.com.

• Photo supplied by New Zealand Rugby Museum.