John Daniel Hinton
Sergeant, 20th Battalion, 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (Canterbury Regiment)
- Register No.
- 572 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Sergeant all Sergeants →
- Unit
- 20th Battalion, 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (Canterbury Regiment) (register: 2nd Division, NZEF) all 2nd Division, NZEF VCs →
- Date of action
- 29 April 1941 on this day → all of 1941 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- London Gazette
- 17th October, 1941 on this day → all of 1941 →
- Born
- 17th September, 1908 at Colac Bay, near Riverton, Southland,
- Memorial / grave
- Dunedin RSA headquarters
Digest of citation
On 20th/29th April, 1941 at Kalamai, Greece, New Zealand troops heading for the port to await evacuation were attacked by enemy machine-gun fire and self-propelled six-inch guns. Although the order to retire had been given, Sergeant Hinton rushed forward to the nearest gun and, hurling two grenades, killed the crew. He continued towards the quay, and clearing out two light machine guns and a mortar with grenades, then dealt with a garrison of a house where some of the enemy were sheltering. Later, when they were attacked by the main enemy force, Sergeant Hinton was only subdued and captured after being severely wounded
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
HINTON, John Daniel. (reg No. 572).
Sergeant. 20th Battalion, 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (Canterbury Regiment).
London Gazetted on 17th October, 1941.
Born on 17th September, 1908 at Colac Bay, near Riverton, Southland, New Zealand.
Memorial at Dunedin RSA headquarters.
Digest of Citation reads: On 20th/29th April, 1941 at Kalamai, Greece, New Zealand troops heading for the port to await evacuation were attacked by enemy machine-gun fire and self-propelled six-inch guns. Although the order to retire had been given, Sergeant Hinton rushed forward to the nearest gun and, hurling two grenades, killed the crew. He continued towards the quay, and clearing out two light machine guns and a mortar with grenades, then dealt with a garrison of a house where some of the enemy were sheltering. Later, when they were attacked by the main enemy force, Sergeant Hinton was only subdued and captured after being severely wounded.
New Zealand.
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Alf recorded the memorial as: Dunedin RSA headquarters
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