Honours for local VC recipient

TRIBUTE: Corporal Leslie Andrew will be commemorated at a ceremony in Belgium's La Basse-Ville. PHOTO: SUPPLIED

A Manawatu corporal is among 13 New Zealand recipients of the Victoria Cross who will be honoured in a Belgium village.

To commemorate the centenary of the Battle for Passchendaele during the First World War, all 13 names will be honoured in a ceremony next year in La Basse-Ville.

Among them is Corporal Leslie Andrew who was born in Ashhurst in 1897. He received a Victoria Cross during the early phase of the battle when he was just 20 years old.

He led his troops as they destroyed three machinegun posts around the village on July 31, 1917.

The New Zealand contingent lost 845 men during the battle, and suffered 2700 casualties.

When Corporal Andrew was awarded the Victoria Cross, the September edition of The London Gazette described his performance as demonstrated through "cool daring, initiative and fine leadership and his magnificent example was a great stimulant to his comrades".

Corporal Andrew ended the First World War as a second lieutenant, remaining in the army until he became commander of the 22nd Battalion in 1940.

And, although his battalion saw little action in the Battle of Greece, it was involved in defending Crete's Maleme airfield.

In February 1942 the now Brigadier Andrew returned to New Zealand and commanded the Wellington Fortress area before retiring 10 years later.

A 10-day Battlefield Tour is being organised by Steve Parson's House of Travel and includes a number of battlefields and memorials. It will visit the official Battle of Passchendaele commemoration site and the grave of 1905 All Black captain, Dave Gallaher.

The tour starts in Paris on October 7 next year, and departs from Brussels on October 16.

Mr Parsons says creating lasting memories is at the heart of the centenary pilgrimage.

"There are so many Kiwis who want to honour a family member and return to the Western Front where they served. This tour provides them with that opportunity and includes one of our distinguished historians who can describe where the action took place and the role that was played by New Zealanders in the conflict."

For more information on the tour contact (06) 350-7366.