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Cenotaph record

Anthony Gordon Howell

Preliminary record

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Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Anthony Gordon AWMM
  • Surname
    Howell AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
    A. G. Howell AWMM
  • Service number
    Vietnam 39042 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    9 July 1943 AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
    Scuba diving school Public - Tony - Other relative - 10 June 2021 - Family member
  • Next of kin on embarkation
  • Relationship status
    Nephew Public - Tony - Other relative - 10 June 2021 - Family member

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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  • Medals and Awards
    • Military Cross (MC) AWMM
      NZ Gazette Number 65 dated 17 October 1968 CITATION Lieutenant Howell graduated into the New Zealand Army from the Officer Cadet School, Portsea on the 13th June, 1964 and was posted to the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. He served with the 1st Battalion of that Regiment in Malaysia and Borneo from February 1965 to November1967, and arrived in South Vietnam on 12th November 1967 as platoon commander of 4 Platoon, Victor Two Company. During Operation Duntroon on the 13th January 19681, 4 Platoon was given the task of ambushing a track which was being used by the Viet Cong. Lieutenant Howell so carefully sited this ambush, that, when an enemy platoon moved along the track at 2030 hours, the whole of the enemy lead elements were caught in the ambush. As soon as the ambush had been sprung, Lt Howell led his reserve section forward to deal with the remaining enemy, but his party was pinned down by enemy fire. Lieutenant Howell crawled forward by himself until coming within range of two enemy soldiers, he was able to kill them both with grenades. Eight enemy were killed in this contact and ten weapons captured. On the 7th February 19682 during Operation Coburg in Bien Hoa Province, Victor Two Company was attacked by a large enemy force. Lieutenant Howell’s platoon was occupying a perimeter defensive position which was attacked by the enemy. At 0630 hours Lieutenant Howell received a report that his forward section could hear a large number of enemy approaching their position. He moved forward and waited until he was sure his defensive fire would be most effective. The ensuing enemy assault, which lasted for one hour, was mainly directed against 4 Platoon and Lieutenant Howell, with complete disregard for his own safety, moved about his platoon coolly and efficiently directing the fire of his men. The enemy were forced to withdraw leaving seven dead on the platoon perimeter and the signs of many more casualties. During these operations, 4 Platoon was responsible for killing nineteen enemy without suffering a single casualty. Much of the success which the platoon achieved is due to the personal efforts of Lieutenant Howell. His skill, coolness and outstanding courage under fire have shown a high degree of leadership which brings credit to himself, his company and the ANZAC Battalion. AWMM
    • General Service Medal 1962 (Borneo clasp) AWMM
    • New Zealand Operational Service Medal AWMM
    • Vietnam Medal AWMM
    • Military Cross (MC) Public - Roscoe - Researcher - 21 June 2018 - https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/44713/supplement/12118

Training and Enlistment

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

Embarkations

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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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  • Read citation for MC.

    Photo of Lt A.G. Howell in The Officers, 1st Battalion Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment (Terendak Camp, Malaya 1966-67) AWMM

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

Leave a tribute or memory of Anthony Gordon Howell

Leave a note

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  • Military Cross (MC) citation;

    https://vietnamwar.govt.nz/sites/default/files/documents/honours-awards/howell-mc.pdf

    The London Gazette - Publication date: 12 November 1968, Supplement: 44713, Page: 12118.
    Report 

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
    • Medals and Stars - General Service Medals Borneo - Archives New Zealand, Wellington (R12456000) AWMM

Contributors

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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
10 June 2021TonyChristchurch, New ZealandOther relative

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