THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT

BARTHOLOMEW George Bernard

33950, Sergeant, 8 Field Company, New Zealand Engineers, WW2

CITATION

Distinguished Conduct Medal

Gazetted 29 December 1942, Supp 25840, p5666

As leader of an engineer party attached to a battalion of the 6th NZ Brigade from 17-31 July 1942 Sergeant Bartholomew displayed outstanding devotion to duty and untiring effort in performing valuable patrol work, demolishing enemy equipment and locating and lifting enemy minefields.  On three successive nights prior to the 6th NZ Brigade’s attack at El Mreir, Egypt, on the night of 21-22 July 1942, Sergeant Bartholomew went out with fighting patrols and successfully demolished enemy machine guns and other equipment, and on the two nights immediately prior to the main attack he patrolled the Brigade front, sometimes under sharp machine-gun fire, and located and brought in full and accurate information on enemy minefields.  During the Brigade attack he led his party of sappers in the dangerous task of lifting enemy booby-traps and mines through a 300 yard field.  As the result of his daring and inspiring leadership, mines were rapidly cleared to allow carriers and other supporting transport to move forward.  It was due almost entirely to the personal effort and courageous example of Sergeant Bartholomew in the face of enemy machine-gun and mortar fire that enemy minefields on the battalion front did not hold up the attack

KNOWN AWARDS

Distinguished Conduct Medal

1939-45 Star

Africa Star

       8th Army

War Medal 1939-45

New Zealand War Service Medal

(His medals were presented to his mother)

NOTES

Born 26 November 1911, London, England

Killed in Action 26 October 1942,

Buried at El Alamein Military Cemetery, Egypt