These three brave men happened to be all non-combatants, and the officer considers that they were each as worthy of the Victoria Cross.
Not the courage of dashing into action, but coolly, methodically, two of them medical men and one a storekeeper.
One was Captain Craig (N.Z.M.C.), of Auckland, who was one who first landed under Colonel House, V.C., establishing a hospital there.
But as the wounded were brought in the congestion became so great that Captain Craig was directed to open an auxiliary clearing station at the foot of Artillery Lane, and here Captain Craig attended to the wounded.
It was under fire, and the bullets were flying and shrapnel was whizzing around.
One of his assistants had been shot beside him, and yet Dr Craig worked without cessation from midday till early next morning.
His conduct, his fearlessness, and disregard of danger in the execution of his duty were splendid. He returned to New Zealand after typhoid.
The next was Christchurch medico - Captain Neil Guthrie, of the N.Z.M.C., attached to the C.M.R., one of the bravest of the brave.
Three times was Captain Guthrie wounded, and yet held to his work - never faltering in his duty - refusing to leave even when pressed to do so.
Finally a bullet got him in the back of the neck, and his comrades believed he was dead.
Even the medical officer who was called up when he fell let him lie there as he had fallen face downwards and still, remarking that he was done for, and he must get on with the urgent cases which Captain Guthrie was attending to when finally shot down.
Yet he presently sat up, and, after long suffering, has recovered.
Finally, there was Captain William Beck, an ordnance officer, "Beachy Bill'' was in charge of the store - a miserable little place - and whenever he put his nose out of the door bullets tried to hit it.
The store was simply a shop under fire, and Bill looked out and went on with his work just as if no bullets were about.
He was most courteous and humorous, this brave storekeeper on Anzac Beach.
General Birdwood never failed to call on Captain Beck or call out as he passed on his daily rounds, asking if he were there; and they all dreaded that some day there would be no reply from a gaunt figure still in death.
But Captain Beck was only concerned for the safety of his customers.
He hurried them away - never himself.
Captain Beck was born on the West Coast.
• Mr Thomas B. Phillips, an orchardist engaged by the Cromwell Development Company, who has had experience in the irrigated fruit lands of California, writing to Mr A. Moritzson says: "I was agreeably surprised to find such a good country up here, and I could just imagine that I was back in California again. This country is typical of a Californian valley, before irrigation water is obtained for the land. All this flat needs is water, and if the company puts in a good irrigation system and gives the settlers a good water service, there is nothing to prevent this Cromwell Flat becoming one of the most prosperous settlements in New Zealand. The soil is excellent for fruit, also for lucerne, and I think where Cromwell will score over other fruit districts in New Zealand is in the fact that the settler can grow something else besides fruit. I don't know of any other place in New Zealand where fruit-growing and dairying could be so successfully combined as here. Five to ten acres in lucerne would make a good living for the settler until his fruit trees came to bearing.'' - ODT, 26.6.1916.
• COPIES OF PICTURE AVAILABLE FROM ODT FRONT OFFICE, LOWER STUART ST, OR WWW.OTAGOIMAGES.CO.NZ
