David Russell (GC)
David Russell | |
---|---|
Born | Ayr, Scotland | 30 March 1911
Died | (aged 33) Italy |
Cause of death | Executed by German military firing squad |
Burial place | Udine Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery 46°06′59″N 13°13′31″E / 46.11636°N 13.22536°E |
Nationality | British |
Occupation | Lance Corporal in the New Zealand Army |
Known for | Escaping from a POW camp and being awarded the George Cross |
David Russell GC (30 March 1911 – February 1945) was a lance corporal with the 22nd (Motor) Battalion, New Zealand Infantry, 2nd NZEF, who was awarded the George Cross posthumously after being executed by German forces in Italy.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/93/David_Russell_WWII_Personnel_File_%281939_-_1960%29.jpg/220px-David_Russell_WWII_Personnel_File_%281939_-_1960%29.jpg)
Russell was born in Ayr, Scotland, son of James and Jessie Russell, of Corsehill, Ayrshire, but the family emigrated to New Zealand. He worked as an orderly at Napier Hospital in Hawke's Bay before enlisting in the New Zealand Army in September 1939.
He was captured at Reweisat Ridge in Egypt in 1942 and taken to a POW camp in Italy. He escaped and helped Italians who were assisting other Allied POWs to escape. He was particularly active in the Ponte di Piave township and district between 22 and 28 February 1945 but was recaptured.
Russell refused to name the Italians he had assisted, and was shot by firing squad. A German officer who witnessed the execution said he died very bravely.
His George Cross is displayed at the QEII Army Memorial Museum, Waiouru, New Zealand. On Sunday 2 December 2007, it was among a dozen medals stolen from the museum.[1] On 16 February 2008 New Zealand Police announced all the medals had been recovered as a result of a NZ$300,000 reward offered by Michael Ashcroft and Tom Sturgess.[2]
References
[edit]- ^ Derek Cheng (December 2007). "Army medal theft 'insult' to our nation's heritage". nzherald. Retrieved 2 December 2007.
- ^ Stolen War Medals Recovered
Bibliography
[edit]- The New Zealand Almanac ISBN 0-908570-55-4
- 1911 births
- 1945 deaths
- People from Ayr
- British emigrants to New Zealand
- New Zealand Army soldiers
- New Zealand military personnel killed in World War II
- New Zealand recipients of the George Cross
- World War II prisoners of war held by Germany
- World War II prisoners of war held by Italy
- Deaths by firearm in Italy
- New Zealand prisoners of war in World War II
- People from Napier, New Zealand
- British people executed by Nazi Germany
- New Zealand escapees
- Escapees from German detention
- Executed New Zealand people
- People executed by Nazi Germany by firing squad
- New Zealand people executed by Nazi Germany
- Military personnel from South Ayrshire