File:Page from the WWII personnel file for David Russell, GC (49526998766).jpg
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After more than a year on the run in northern Italy, New Zealand prisoner of war David Russell was recaptured and executed. His courage in the face of death earned him the first George Cross awarded to a member of New Zealand’s military. Captured by German forces in July 1942 at Ruweisat Ridge in Egypt, Russell spent over a year in an Italian work camp before making his escape after Italy’s surrender in 1943. He joined a local partisan group and began moving around northern Italy. Despite having chances to escape to safety, Russell chose to remain in Italy to find and assist other escaped Allied prisoners. After a series of narrow escapes, Fascist troops caught up with him in February 1945. Despite brutal interrogation, Russell refused to reveal the whereabouts of other escaped prisoners and partisans. He was executed at Ponte di Piave on 28 February. For his heroism Russell received a posthumous George Cross in 1948. The following year Napier Hospital opened the David Russell Memorial Ward in his honour. The page pictured above is included in David Russell’s WWII military personnel file. The entire file has been digitised and can be viewed online here: <a href="https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServlet?dps_pid=IE21461054" rel="noreferrer nofollow">ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/delivery/DeliveryManagerServle...</a> Archives New Zealand reference: AAAL 18806 W478 Box 3 <a href="https://www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=23523711" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=23523711</a> To enquire about this record, please email research.archives@dia.govt.nz For updates on our On This Day series and news from Archives New Zealand, follow us on Twitter <a href="https://www.twitter.com/ArchivesNZ" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.twitter.com/ArchivesNZ</a> Image from Archives New Zealand Te Rua Mahara o te Kāwanatanga, caption information copied from <a href="https://nzhistory.govt.nz/page/kiwi-soldier-faces-nazi-firing-squad" rel="noreferrer nofollow">nzhistory.govt.nz/page/kiwi-soldier-faces-nazi-firing-squad</a> |
| Date | |
| Source | Page from the WWII personnel file for David Russell, GC |
| Author | Archives New Zealand from New Zealand |
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This image was originally posted to Flickr by Archives New Zealand at https://flickr.com/photos/35759981@N08/49526998766. It was reviewed on 17 December 2020 by FlickreviewR 2 and was confirmed to be licensed under the terms of the cc-by-2.0. |
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| current | 14:08, 17 December 2020 | | 900 × 973 (512 KB) | Eyes Roger (talk | contribs) | Transferred from Flickr via #flickr2commons |
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