Slain soldier's brother to care for bravery award

Act MP Richard Prebble's emotional plea to find the family of a long-dead soldier has been successful.

In his final speech in Parliament before retiring, Mr Prebble was reduced to tears as he told MPs how he wanted to use his valedictory to tell a story so a closer relative of another Prebble, one who died in a wartime battle, could be given a "symbol of bravery" the MP had in his office.

Mr Prebble said that a few years ago he had been sent an old artillery shell case. It had been presented by the platoon of Sergeant Roy ("Bill") Prebble, who led his soldiers across Crete, in recognition of his bravery.

Richard Prebble said the soldiers wanted their sergeant awarded the Victoria Cross but were told that was not possible because no officer had witnessed his actions.

The soldiers took the artillery shell, polished it, engraved it and, in their own ceremony, presented it.

Sergeant Prebble was hit in the head by a stray bullet on the road to Monte Cassino in Italy.

The shell case has had a place of honour in the MP's office but he told the House he hoped a closer relative would claim it.

In an Act newsletter yesterday, Mr Prebble said Roy Prebble's younger brother Allan had made contact. "There were three brothers - Roy killed at Monte Cassino, Maurice at El Alamein and Allan too young to go. He is delighted to learn of his brother's heroism and of the shell case," the newsletter said.

A member of the platoon had also confirmed Sergeant Prebble's "remarkable heroism".

- NZPA