NEW ZEALAND GALLANTRY AWARDS

The Queen has been pleased to approve the following New Zealand Gallantry Awards.

NEW ZEALAND GALLANTRY STAR (NZGS)

To receive the New Zealand Gallantry Star:

NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE

Major Geoffrey Michael FARADAY

Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps (Rtd.)

Citation

On 17 April 2014, an armed mob of civilian demonstrators gathered in Bor township, with the intention of moving on to the United Nations Mission in Southern Sudan (UNMISS) base to protest against the UN presence. Major Geoffrey Faraday voluntarily led a group of Military Liaison Officers to establish a mobile observation post and in doing so was able to issue a warning that the mob was approaching a camp occupied by thousands of displaced persons. The mob breached the camp perimeter and began to attack the occupants with rifles and machetes.

Major Faraday arrived at the camp as the attack began and began coordinating the soldiers defending the camp, and at one stage he attempted to personally intervene while under threat by an armed attacker. Without regard for his safety, he reported on the situation to UNMISS Headquarters and was able to guide the quick reaction force to counter the penetration of the camp perimeter. The attack left 53 civilians dead and afterwards Major Faraday was one of the few people who went out into the camp to search for those in need of medical attention.

Following the attack on the camp at Bor, Major Faraday was deployed on a convoy of four barges with civilian crew and a protection force of UN peacekeepers on board, tasked with taking essential food and fuel supplies along the White Nile River to the UN Camp in the town of Malakal.

On the morning of 24 April 2014 the convoy came under heavy attack from a company of the South Sudanese Peoples Liberation Army (SPLA), occupying prepared positions on the west bank of the river. During the attack the fuel barge carrying Major Faraday sustained damage to one of its engines and became detached from the rest of the convoy, drifting towards the enemy on the river bank. It drifted to a stop 200 metres from the SPLA position, where intensified fire from small arms and rocket-propelled grenades struck the barge. The SPLA then tried to close in on the barge, but were repelled by the UN soldiers on board, four of whom were wounded during the fight. Major Faraday took control of the situation, though he had no command authority over the UN soldiers or the civilian barge crews. For four hours from the start of the attack until mid-afternoon, the convoy was kept under constant fire. Throughout this period, Major Faraday provided leadership to all on board the barges, moving under fire between firing positions encouraging the soldiers to fight back, and ensuring the four casualties were being attended to. He exposed himself to enemy fire on a number of occasions to maintain his situational awareness and provide regular reports to the UN Force Headquarters on the state of the battle and to request fire support and assistance.

Realising that assistance would not be available, he made the decision to abandon the two fuel barges, transfer the personnel, casualties and stores to the two ration barges and withdraw the convoy out of danger, which he managed to achieve by nightfall, finding a safe harbour site with an anti-SPLA unit. After the fire-fight and withdrawal, Major Faraday reported to the UN Headquarters that the two fuel barges were probably adrift on the Nile, resulting in the barges being salvaged and recovered to Malakal.

Major Faraday’s outstanding gallantry and leadership resulted in a successful conclusion to the battle with the rebel forces and prevented loss of life among the convoy’s 72 civilian and military personnel, and also enabled the UN’s northern base in South Sudan to remain operational.

NEW ZEALAND GALLANTRY DECORATION (NZGD)

To receive the New Zealand Gallantry Decoration:

NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE

Sergeant David John DUNCAN

Royal New Zealand Armoured Corps

Citation

On 4 August 2012, KIWI Company of the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team were tasked with assisting a unit of the Afghan National Directorate of Security near the village of Baghak. Shortly after midday nine of the company’s vehicles, spread out over 400 metres on a narrow road, came under heavy small arms fire from concealed insurgent positions on the high ground on both sides of the road. Sergeant David Duncan was in command of a Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) that was part of a separate three-vehicle patrol positioned to the south of the vehicles which had come under attack.

As the battle with the insurgent forces intensified and KIWI Company sustained a number of casualties, the three patrol vehicles moved north to assist. Approaching the contact site, the lead vehicle of Sergeant Duncan’s patrol came under heavy fire from high ground to the north-east and west of their position. As the lead vehicle came to a halt, Sergeant Duncan noticed a New Zealand soldier lying on the road in front of it exposed to insurgent fire. Unable to get past the lead vehicle due to the narrow road, he manoeuvred his LAV behind it approximately 20 metres from the casualty. He dismounted his vehicle and ran forward alone and exposed to enemy fire from both sides of the road to assist. Reaching the casualty, who had sustained a serious gunshot wound to the lower abdomen, Sergeant Duncan dragged him back across the open ground until he reached the rear of the lead patrol vehicle, where he handed the casualty over to the Company’s Nursing Officer for treatment. Sergeant Duncan then received a gunshot wound to his right leg as returned to his original vehicle.

Sergeant Duncan’s exceptional gallantry in crossing open ground exposed to enemy fire enabled a seriously wounded soldier to receive the medical treatment that saved his life. His actions were in the finest traditions of the New Zealand Army.

NEW ZEALAND GALLANTRY AWARDS

The Governor-General, under authority delegated by The Queen, has been pleased to approve the following New Zealand Gallantry Awards:

NEW ZEALAND GALLANTRY MEDAL (NZGM)

To receive the New Zealand Gallantry Medal:

NEW ZEALAND DEFENCE FORCE

Lance Corporal John Frank Manila LUAMANU

Corps of Royal New Zealand Engineers

Citation

On 4 August 2012, KIWI Company of the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team were tasked with assisting a unit of the Afghan National Directorate of Security near the village of Baghak. Shortly after midday nine of the company’s vehicles, spread out over 400 metres on a narrow road, came under heavy small arms fire from concealed insurgent positions on the high ground on both sides of the road. Lance Corporal John Luamanu was travelling in a Light Armoured Vehicle (LAV) that was part of a separate three-vehicle patrol, positioned to the south of the vehicles which had come under attack.

As the battle with the insurgent forces intensified and KIWI Company sustained a number of casualties, the three patrol vehicles moved north to assist. Approaching the contact site, the lead patrol vehicle came under heavy fire from high ground to the north-east and west of their position. As the lead vehicle came to a halt, the patrol's second in command Sergeant Duncan moved forward and recovered a New Zealand casualty, bringing him to the rear of the lead vehicle for treatment by the Company’s Nursing Officer. As Sergeant Duncan returned to his own vehicle he received a gunshot wound to his right leg and fell to the ground. Lance Corporal Luamanu assisted a comrade to move Sergeant Duncan to the rear of the LAV.

Orders were then received to move Sergeant Duncan to another vehicle that had other casualties on board for evacuation to the Casualty Clearing Post. Lance Corporal Luamanu picked up Sergeant Duncan and carried him 20 metres over open ground, exposed to insurgent fire, to the rear of the designated casualty evacuation vehicle. On arrival they found that it was already full and the only alternative transport was the third vehicle of their own patrol, which meant retracing their steps over the open ground they had just crossed. Without hesitation, Lance Corporal Luamanu picked up Sergeant Duncan once again and carried him safely to the rear of the third patrol vehicle to be transported to the Casualty Clearing Post for treatment.

Lance Corporal Luamanu displayed both gallantry and comradeship in twice carrying a wounded colleague over open ground and under enemy fire to ensure his safety.

The late Lance Corporal Rory Patrick MALONE

Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment

Citation

On 4 August 2012, KIWI Company of the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team were tasked with assisting a unit of the Afghan National Directorate of Security near the village of Baghak. Shortly after midday nine of the company’s vehicles, spread out over 400 metres on a narrow road, came under heavy small arms fire from concealed insurgent positions on the high ground on both sides of the road. At the time the attack began, Lance Corporal Rory Malone was providing observation and cover at the front of his vehicle, as the Company Commander was being briefed at the same vehicle by one of his officers.

As the insurgents began firing at his vehicle from both the north-east and south-west, Lance Corporal Malone returned fire at the group that was firing from the south west. The Company Commander then sustained a gunshot wound and fell to the ground. Working with another officer, Lance Corporal Malone assisted in dragging the Company Commander to the rear of the vehicle where he might receive treatment for his wound. While the officer treated the Company Commander inside the vehicle, Lance Corporal Malone remained outside in a relatively exposed position providing cover and engaging insurgent positions to the south-west. It was at this time that he was struck in the right hip by a bullet that failed to penetrate his body armour.

As soon as the Company Commander had been stabilised, the driver of Lance Corporal Malone’s vehicle prepared to leave the contact site for the Casualty Clearing Post. There was no room in the rear of the vehicle, so Lance Corporal Malone had to move down the exposed west side of his vehicle to reach the passenger door. As he opened the door he was struck in the chest by an insurgent bullet and killed.

Throughout this incident, Lance Corporal Malone displayed both gallantry and comradeship in providing assistance and covering fire to his wounded Company Commander while in positions that were exposed to insurgent fire.

Dated at Wellington this 3rd day of December 2015.

MICHAEL WEBSTER, Clerk of the Executive Council.