English Māori Eric Batchelor Born 29 August 1920 - Died 10 July 2010 PDF Key details Service numberWWII 16827 AWMM Also known asBatch AWMM Armed force / branchArmy AWMM Last rankWW2 Staff Sergeant AWMM 23 Infantry Battalion AWMM WarWorld War II, 1939-1945 AWMM Enquire Lay a poppy Portrait, Sergeant E Batchelor (DCM.M. and MiD). On the back is written ' With Love. To Mum and Dad. … View gallery Hide sources Show empty fields Identity About Contribute › Title ForenamesEric AWMM SurnameBatchelor AWMM Ingoa Also known asBatch AWMM Service numberWWII 16827 AWMM GenderMale AWMM Iwi Hapū Waka Rohe ReligionMethodist, Christian AWMM Images and documents Images Contribute › Documents Contribute › Civilian life About birth Contribute › Birth29 August 1920 AWMM Waimate, Canterbury AWMM Date of birth Place of birth Birth notes Address before enlistmentWW2 Pre 23 April 1905 AWMM Clarewood Dairy, Leith Valley, Dunedin, New Zealand AWMM Post war occupationTaxi Driver/Civilian AWMM Grocer/Civilian AWMM Wine reseller/Civilian AWMM Part time busdriver/Civilian AWMM Next of kin on embarkationWW2 Mrs Lillian Batchelor (mother), King Street, Waimate, South Canterbury, New Zealand AWMM Relationship statusPre 7 April 1941 AWMM Single AWMM Service Wars and conflicts Contribute › WarWorld War II, 1939-1945 AWMM CampaignNorth Africa AWMM Italy AWMM Armed force / branchArmy AWMM Service numberWWII 16827 AWMM Military serviceTerritorials (1 Canterbury - 11 Coastal Godley Heads) AWMM Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers Military decorations Contribute › Medals and AwardsDistinguished Conduct Medal and bar (DCM*) AWMM BATCHELOR, Eric. 16827 Corporal (Acting Sergeant). 23 NZ Battalion, 2nd NZEF. Citation for award of the DCM: "On 21 July 1944 at SAN DONATO, Italy, Sergeant Batchelor was in command of the forward platoon of his Company. With a small covering patrol and on his own initiative he cleared the enemy from all houses on the feature. A total of nine prisoners was taken, five of which he captured single-handed, enabling the advance of the Company to continue. A short time later strong opposition was encountered from an enemy strong-point which dominated STRADA ridge, and which held up the advance. Again Sergeant Batchelor led his platoon in a successful attack on the position against heavy enemy machine-gun and artillery fire. At St. ANDREA Sergeant Batchelor took out a small patrol to investigate a house which it was suspected the enemy occupied. Leaving his party outside, he entered the house alone with total disregard for personal safety and captured two enemy snipers. Throughout the whole of the action Sergeant Batchelor showed extraordinary powers of leadership and initiative and set a magnificent example by his personal courage and supreme devotion to duty under severe conditions." Citation for award of Bar to the DCM:. "On the night of 14-15 December 1944 Sergeant Batchelor was platoon sergeant in one of the forward Companies in the attack on CELLE, Italy. When his platoon commander was wounded at the outset of the battle, this NCO immediately took command and led his men spiritedly into the attack. In a long advance over broken country and without contact on either flank he showed great skill and personal bravery in the liquidation of three enemy strong-points, killing eight of the enemy, wounding eleven and capturing twenty prisoners. On the following night when ordered to proceed across country to his company Headquarters, Sergeant Batchelor mistakenly passed deep into enemy territory and on entering CASA SALDE was confronted not by his Company Commander but by some thirty Germans. Although he had but three men with him, he rapidly appreciated the surprise his entry had caused the enemy and with the greatest initiative immediately engaged them, deploying his small force to great effect. From the resultant fierce and confused fracas, in which Sergeant Batchelor became involved in a shot for shot duel with a German NCO, the party emerged with 19 prisoners, leaving behind them 5 killed and four wounded. Throughout a long and difficult operation against a seasoned enemy, Sergeant Batchelor by his great personal courage, initiative and outstanding leadership was an inspiring example to all ranks. The work of his platoon under his inspiration was largely responsible for the firm hold the Battalion had on its objective." AWMM 1939-1945 Star AWMM Africa Star (8th Army clasp) AWMM Italy Star AWMM Defence Medal AWMM War Medal 1939-1945 with oak leaf AWMM New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM Coronation Medal 1953 AWMM Efficiency Medal and bar AWMM Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) AWMM LG 10/05/1945 AWMM Training and Enlistment Contribute › Military trainingBurnham Military Camp AWMM Branch Trade Proficiency EnlistmentWW2 1940 AWMM Age 19 AWMM Milk vendor/Civilian AWMM Dunedin, Otago AWMM Occupation before enlistment Age on enlistment Embarkations Contribute › Embarkation detailsWW2 Vessel was Mauretania AWMM Private AWMM New Zealand Infantry Brigade AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF), 5th Reinforcements AWMM Prisoner of war Contribute › Capture details Days interned Liberation date Liberation Repatriation POW liberation details POW serial number Medical history Contribute › Medical notesHospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM Arm and leg wound, ear trouble AWMM Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM Wounded in action on 27 November 1941 and 24 October 1942 AWMM Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWII AWMM Admitted to 1 British Hospital and No. 3 NZ General Hospital AWMM Last known rank Contribute › Last rankWW2 22 August 1946 AWMM End of war AWMM Staff Sergeant AWMM 23 Infantry Battalion AWMM Biographical information Biographical information Contribute › Husband of Thurza, father of a son and daughterJoined the Territorials at age 15Enlisted circa 1940Only one other allied non-commissioned officer received a similar honourMr Batchelor returned to NZ on 20 April 1945 and was released on 3 August 1945. He then re-embarked with the Victory Contingent on 20 April 1946 and was discharged in August. In 1953 he was a member of the Coronation Contingent, as well as going to Monte Cassino for the 50th Commemorations in 1994 and the 60th anniversary of Al Alamein in 2002.Cenotaph record initially prepared with the serviceman in 1999 AWMM Read more Death About death Contribute › Death10 July 2010 AWMM Age 89 AWMM Waimate, Canterbury AWMM Date of death Age at death Place of death Cause of death Death notes Cemetery Cemetery name Grave reference ObituaryObituary: Dominion Post, 17 July 2010 AWMM Memorial name Memorial reference Memorials Memorial Contribute › Memorial name Roll of Honour Remember Eric Batchelor by laying a poppy. Clive Robert Batchelor Edward Harvey Stacpoole Batchelor Eric Batchelor Ernest Robert Batchelor Ferdinand Campion Batchelor Lay a poppy for 2021 Leave a note Leave a tribute or memory of Eric Batchelor Leave a note Contribute › Processing Sources Sources Contribute › External linksRoss, A. (1959). 23 Battalion. Wellington, Dept. of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-23Ba.html Sources Used Wikidata Entity http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q5386098 Further Reference DocumentsPolaschek, A. (1983). The Complete New Zealand Distinguished Conduct Medal. Christchurch, N.Z.: Medals Research. AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 4 (Embarkations from 1st April, 1941 to 30 June, 1941). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM p.24 AWMM Ross, A. (1959). 23 Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM pp 367, 376 and 42 AWMM New Zealand Army. (1990-2008). Wellington, N.Z.: Army General Staff. AWMM Mortlock, J. (2002). A very special man. Army News, 02 AWMM Dominion Post AWMM Crean, M. (2010, July 17). NZ's down-to-earth soldier humble about his awards [obituary]. Dominion Post. Includes portrait AWMM Dominion Post AWMM Full Honours for World War II hero's sendoff. (2010, July 13). Dominion Post. p. A9 AWMM Roger Sommerville, ed., Moss's war 1941-1988: new worlds and lives on hold, Tokoroa, N.Z.: Creative Vision NZ AWMM p.34, p.50, p.52, p.53, p.57, p.80, p.110 AWMM Information kindly provided by family AWMM Contributors Processing Command item Command item Add new record Refresh DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact 25 March 2018DonaldHamilton, New ZealandFriend The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided. 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