Walter Batty

Forenames

Walter AWMM

Surname

Batty AWMM

Service number

22909 AWMM

Gender

Male AWMM

Birth

1 Jan 1905 AWMM

Address before enlistment

Unknown AWMM Hampton Court, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM

Next of kin

Mrs C. Batty (wife), 25 Clifton Road, Herne Bay, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM

Relationship status

Unknown AWMM Married AWMM

War

World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM

Campaign

• Greece AWMM
• 1941 AWMM Crete AWMM

Armed force / branch

Army AWMM

Service number

22909 AWMM

Medals and Awards

• Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) AWMM
  On the morning of 1 December 1941 at Belhamed Libya, the 6 New Zealand Field Regiment were withdawing in the face of very heavy opposition in the shape of tanks and infantry. A troop had succeeded in extricating itself from the main position and were forming up to be led to a new position some distance away. Sergeant Batty was with his gun and tractor and had nearly reached the troop forming-up place when the troop was subjected to a hail of tank shells and small-arms fire. One tank was actually in the process of charging the troop. With firm determination Sergeant Batty ordered 'Halt, action rear,' brought his gun into action and with his first shot disposed of the charging tank. He then proceeded single handed to engage another eight tanks at longer range. By now the remainder of the troop had deployed for action and the tanks, not relishing the fate of their leader, made off. The prompt and determined action of Sergeant Batty in accepting battle single-handed undoubtedly saved the remainder of the troop who were at the time reforming and not able to accept a tank attack from this particular quarter. AWMM
• 1939-1945 Star AWMM
• Africa Star (8th Army clasp) AWMM
• Italy Star AWMM
• War Medal 1939-1945 AWMM
• New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM

Enlistment

WW2 Insurance agent/Civilian AWMM

Embarkation details

WW2 29 Field Battery AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Third Echelon AWMM

Last rank

WW2 Sergeant AWMM
New Zealand Artillery, 6 Field Regiment AWMM

Embarkation Unit listed as 3rd Echelon, 2NZEF in biography in Distinguished Conduct Medal book.

Played for the All Blacks. AWMM

Death

10 May 1979 AWMM
Age  74 AWMM

Cemetery

Purewa Cemetery and Crematorium, Meadowbank, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM

Related objects

External links

• 'Victory Parade Contingent: Three services sailing April 20' in the Gisborne Herald, 13 April, 1946.
  https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/HAWST19460413.2.103
  Further Reference
• 'Parading for Victory: Air Force Contingent' at the website of the Air Force Museum of New Zealand.
  https://airforcemuseum.co.nz/blog/parading-for-victory-air-force-contingent/
  Further Reference

References

• Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 3 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1940 to 31st March, 1941). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
  WW2 3: WW2 Unknown page
• Davin, D. (1953). Crete. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
• Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1950). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 16 (Embarkations from 1st January, 1946 to 30th June, 1948). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
• 'Victory Parade Contingent.' Gisborne Herald, vol. 73, no. 21996, 13 April 1946, p.4. Identified with assistance from the Kippenberger Research Centre, National Army Museum Te Mata Toa (2026).