NG Man Gains

Medal

11HE first member of a New Guinea unit to win a Military Medal for operations against the Japanese is now in Australia on well-earned leave (says Brisbane “Courier-Mail”).

He is H. W. Forrester, who before the Japanese took the war to New Guinea was engaged in the gold dredging industry at Bulolo. When the Japanese invaded he took to the mountains with other members of the unit.

“Forrester probably earned his decora tion for his part in holding up the Jap anese at a certain point,” said one of his companions. “About 100 Japanese moved up to contact an Australian post, and Forrester and two others held them up while some equipment was removed.

Then they went bush. Forrester was posted missing for a day or two, and was the last man in.”

Forrester won a similar decoration in World War I for valour at Hill 70 in France, in August, 1917. He was then a member of the Canadian forces.