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Cenotaph record

Maurice Francis Dodson

Preliminary record

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  • Service number
    Vietnam 30761 AWMM
  • Also known as
    • Maurie AWMM
    • M. F. Dodson AWMM
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Last rank
  • War
    Vietnam War, 1961-1975 AWMM

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Maurice Francis AWMM
  • Surname
    Dodson AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    • Maurie AWMM
    • M. F. Dodson AWMM
  • Service number
    Vietnam 30761 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    Vietnam War, 1961-1975 AWMM
  • Campaign
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    Vietnam 30761 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Military Cross (MC) AWMM
      NZ Gazette Number 59 dated 26 September 1968 CITATION Lieutenant Maurice Dodson graduated from the Royal Military College, Duntroon, on 14th December, 1965. After further training at various establishments in New Zealand he was posted to the 1st Battalion, Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. He arrived in South Vietnam as a platoon commander with Victor Three Company of the 4th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment/New Zealand (ANZAC), on 13th May, 1968. On 22nd June, 1968, Lieutenant Dodson was in command of a nine man patrol which tracked, located and killed three Viet Cong. Immediately afterwards the patrol came under heavy, short range automatic fire. It was subsequently discovered that there were seventy to eighty of the enemy in a well prepared defensive position. In the first burst of fire1 Lieutenant Dodson received painful wounds to his head and shoulder, which soon caused him to lose most of his vision. Pte Wickman MJ was killed instantly close to him. The second in command of the patrol2 and two other riflemen were wounded soon afterwards. The enemy quickly attempted to assault and envelop the patrol, but so steadfast was the patrol that it not only avoided being overrun, but also prevented the enemy from capturing an unconscious rifleman and his machine gun which were both in an exposed position nearby. Throughout this period Lieutenant Dodson coolly directed the actions of the patrol, arranged its dispositions and directed close mortar and artillery fire. The engagement lasted one hour and forty minutes, during which time the enemy deployed continuous and at times heavy fire, including many grenades from short range. An assault by an enemy platoon came within twenty metres of the patrol’s position before being beaten off by accurate rifle, grenade and mortar fire. Envelopment by another enemy platoon was forestalled by the well placed fire of armed helicopters also directed by Lieutenant Dodson. Many casualties were known to have been inflicted on the enemy and finally the Viet Cong abandoned their prepared position and withdrew. By his gallantry and leadership Lieutenant Dodson so inspired his patrol that they held their ground, regained the initiative and defeated a strong enemy force under extremely difficult circumstances. His fine example was a credit to himself, his company and the New Zealand Army. As a result of the wounds he received in this action Lieutenant Dodson has since been evacuated from South Vietnam. AWMM
    • Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) AWMM
    • New Zealand Operational Service Medal AWMM
    • Vietnam Medal AWMM

Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
  • Enlistment
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes

Last known rank

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  • Last rank

Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Served in NZ Army 1962-2002. CGS 1998-2002. Retired as a Major General. Wounded in action, 22 June 1968 – shrapnel wounds to right arm, head and back in contact at YS523586. Read citation for MC.



    Vietnam War Oral History Project interviewee. Interview and transcript held at the Alexander Turnbull Library Oral History Centre in Wellington, New Zealand. Reference: OHInt-0959-10

    Photo of Lt M.F. Dodson in The Officers, 1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (Terendak Camp, Malaya 1966-67). Source: The First Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment Journal (1983)

    Photo of Lt M.F. Dodson in The Officers, 1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (Terendak Camp, Malaysia 1967). Source: The First Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment Journal (1983) AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Leave a note

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Subritsky, M. (Ed). (1995). The Vietnam scrapbook: The second ANZAC adventure. Papakura, N.Z.: Three Feathers Publishing Co. AWMM
    • Hall, C. (2014). No front line : inside stories of New Zealand's Vietnam War. Auckland, New Zealand : Penguin Books. AWMM
    • This record was created from data kindly provided by the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. AWMM
    • Fry, P., & New Zealand. Army. Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. Battalion, 1st. (1983). The First Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment : Journal / [P.J. Fry, editor] (25th anniversary commemorative ed.). Singapore: The Regiment. AWMM

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