Victoria Cross plaque unveiled at Parliament

NZME.

7 May, 2015 12:09 AM2 mins to read

New Zealand's first Victoria Cross recipient Cyril Bassett who gained the recognition for bravery at Chunuk Bair on the Gallipoli Peninsula during World War I. Photo / Supplied

A memorial to New Zealand's 16 Victoria Cross recipients during World War I has been unveiled at Parliament.

The memorial plaque was presented to Parliament three months ago by the British Government and will be placed near the Cenotaph in Wellington.

In a ceremony in the Beehive today, British High Commissioner Jonathan Sinclair said the plaque was a symbol of the "enormous respect and admiration that the UK has for the people of New Zealand".

Speaker David Carter said the memorial was "another timely reminder of the sacrifices made by so many New Zealanders 100 years ago".

"These 16 men were ordinary New Zealanders who in unimaginable conditions served their country with great courage and honour."

The Victoria Cross medal and ribbon is the top award for gallantry, and is awarded for "most conspicuous gallantry, or some daring or pre-eminent act of valour, self-sacrifice or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy or of belligerents".

The only living Victoria Cross holder, Corporal Willie Apiata, read the list of 16 VC winners before the plaque was unveiled, his voice choked with emotion.

Among the names inscribed on it was Wellingtonian Samuel Forsyth, part of the 2nd Auckland Battalion.

Forsyth showed "dashing leadership and total disregard of danger", his citation says, while his company attempted to capture the village of Grevillers in northern France in August 1918.

He was twice wounded while helping his company rush three German machine guns, and carried out "daring reconnaissance" missions to assist two tanks before being killed by a sniper.