Hinton, John Daniel "Jack"
- Date of birth:
- September 17th, 1909 (Colac Bay/Southland, New Zealand)
- Date of death:
- June 28th, 1997 (Christchurch, New Zealand)
- Service number:
- 7930
- Nationality:
- New Zealander
Biography
Sergeant John Hinton entered service on September 13th, 1939 at Greymouth. He embarked for Egypt at Wellington on January 5th, 1940. During the battles he was wounded and taken POW. He was liberated in 1945. On Match 6th, 1946 he was honorably discharged.
Segeant Hinton passed away on June 28th, 1997 and lies buried at the Ruru Lawn Cemetery in Canterbury/Otago, New Zealand.
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Victoria Cross (VC)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Sergeant
- Unit:
- 20th. Battalion, 2nd. N.Z.E.F., Canterbury Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force (20th. Battalion, 2nd. N.Z.E.F., Canterbury Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force)
- Awarded on:
- October 17th, 1941
"On the night of 28th-29th April, 1941, during the fighting in Greece, a column of German armoured forces entered Kalamai; this column, which contained several armoured cars, 2" guns and 3" mortars, and
two 6" guns, rapidly converged on a large force of British and New Zealand troops awaiting embarkation on the beach. When the order to retreat to cover was given, Sergeant Hinton, shouting "to Hell with this, who'll come with me," ran to within several yards of the nearest gun; the gun fired, missing him, and he hurled two grenades, which
completely wiped out the crew. He then came on with the bayonet followed by a crowd of New Zealanders. German troops abandoned the first 6" gun and retreated into two houses. Sergeant Hinton smashed the window and then the door of the first house and dealt with the garrison with the bayonet. He repeated the performance in the second house and as a result, until overwhelming German forces arrived, the New Zealanders held the guns. Sergeant Hinton then fell with a bullet wound through the lower abdomen and was taken prisoner."
Sergeant Hinton’s Victoria Cross is publicly displayed at the QEII Army Memorial Museum in Waiouru, New Zealand.
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Rank:
- Sergeant
- Unit:
- New Zealand Military Forces
- Awarded on:
- April 18th, 1946
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
War Service Medal 1939-1945
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
Gallantry Medal
- Period:
- Second World War (1939-1945)
Sources
- Photo: Find a Grave (John "J-Cat" Griffith)
- - Second Supplement to The London Gazette of 14th October 1941, Issue 35311, dated 17th October 1941
- Supplement to The London Gazette of 16th April 1946, Issue 37536, dated 18th April 1946
- Victoria Cross Reference
- The History of the Victoria Cross
- NZ Army
Photo
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