Seeking out the enemy in night-time forays

Eric Batchelor. Photo / Oamaru Mail.

Eric Batchelor was the only New Zealander to be awarded DCM and bar in WWII. Died aged 89.

Eric Batchelor was one of New Zealand's most highly decorated soldiers.

He was twice awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) for conspicuous bravery during the Italian campaign, an award second only to the Victoria Cross.

He had the distinction of being the only New Zealand soldier so recognised during World War II.

Only one other World War II Allied non-commissioned officer received similar honours.

Mr Batchelor was promoted to sergeant in the Italian campaign, gaining a reputation as an effective search and destroy operator with the nickname The Ferret.

Leading a platoon of infantrymen, mainly from the West Coast of the South Island, he became a specialist in working many kilometres behind enemy lines at night.

His first DCM was awarded in 1944 after he captured a group of Germans following a fierce, close-quarter fight in a small house at St Donato in Italy, behind enemy lines. Batchelor was in command of a forward platoon of his company.

His action enabled the advance of the company to continue, and resulted in the capture of nine of the enemy, five of whom were taken single-handedly by Sergeant Batchelor.

His second came from a similar engagement two months later when he and three New Zealand soldiers, working well behind enemy lines at night, came upon a remote house.

Mr Batchelor said he could smell sauerkraut, a favourite German dish, so he knew there were Germans in the house.

When the building was attacked "there were about 30 Germans inside and there was a bit of a fight".

His men ran out of ammunition, but used captured German weapons to take 19 prisoners back to the New Zealand lines before daylight. They also found maps vital to the Allied effort.

They discovered later that the house had been the German forward headquarters and one of the prisoners was their commanding officer.

As a result of the action, Batchelor was recommended for, and received, a Bar to his DCM. He was also mentioned in despatches, and fought at El Alamein in North Africa, and Monte Cassino in Italy, both key battles for New Zealand troops.

His other medals included Italy and Africa Stars, 1939-45 Star and the New Zealand War Service Medal.

In Egypt to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the second battle of El Alamein, Mr Batchelor remembered his time in the desert.

At 9.40pm on October 23, 1942, the 900 guns of the Allied forces lit up the sky.

Batchelor and his infantry mates were face-down in the sand, just metres from the front line.

"We were waiting for the counter-barrage to start - and it did. All hell broke loose. In the first wave, a shell landed almost on top of us. My mates on either side of me were killed instantly."

Mr Batchelor was slightly wounded twice but otherwise came through the war unhurt.

Born in Waimate, South Canterbury in 1920, Batchelor attended primary school, but his education was cut short by the Depression of the 1930s. He worked in the area for a time, and then moved to Dunedin.

He enlisted with the 11th Heavy Field Battery unit of the infantry in 1939, and after training at Godley Heads artillery station near Christchurch, embarked for Egypt in early 1941 aboard the Mauritania.

At war's end, Batchelor returned to Waimate and married Thurza Hardwicke in 1948.

He ran a taxi service, a grocery store and, later, a wine shop.

Eric Batchelor was buried with full military honours in Waimate on Wednesday. He is survived by his wife, son Craig, daughter Gisella, and their families.