Henry John Laurent VC, 2nd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade
Henry John ‘Harry’ Laurent was born at Tarata, Taranaki, in 1895. After attending Hawera District High School, he left school to work in a cheese-making factory – an ordinary beginning for a man who would go on to perform one of the most remarkable acts of bravery of the First World War.
When war broke out in 1914, Laurent joined the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. He travelled first to Egypt before being sent to France, where he served with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade.
Laurent quickly established himself as a capable and courageous soldier. During the fighting on the Western Front, his leadership was recognised with promotion to Sergeant.
A daring attack
In September 1918, as the Allies advanced towards the end of the war, New Zealand forces encountered a strongly defended German position at Gouzeaucourt Wood in northern France.
On 12 September, amid confused and difficult fighting around the objective, Sergeant Laurent was ordered to take a 12-man patrol forward to investigate the enemy’s defences. The patrol discovered a heavily fortified German trench system.
Rather than withdraw, Laurent immediately attacked.
What followed was an extraordinary feat of courage and determination. In fierce hand-to-hand fighting, Laurent and his 11 men captured the trench, killed 30 enemy soldiers and took 112 German soldiers prisoner – almost ten times the size of their own patrol.
The danger was far from over. When the Germans launched a counter-attack, Laurent organised the withdrawal of his small force. He kept his large number of prisoners under control while simultaneously fighting a rearguard action, successfully bringing his men and prisoners back to safety.
The official citation later stated:
“The success of this daring venture was due to Sergeant Laurent’s gallantry and enterprise.”
For his exceptional courage, leadership and initiative, Henry John Laurent was awarded the Victoria Cross, the British Empire’s highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy.
A lifetime of service
After the First World War, Laurent was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant before leaving the Army. In 1921, while working for an engineering firm, he married Ethel Homewood.
His military service was not over. With the outbreak of the Second World War, Laurent was recalled for local defence and appointed a Major in the Home Guard. He served throughout the war in a variety of appointments, including commanding the Hawera Area Defence Unit.
Lieutenant Colonel Laurent finally retired from the Army in 1949.
He died in Hastings in 1987, aged 92.
Today, Henry John Laurent’s Victoria Cross stands in the Museum’s Medal Repository as a lasting reminder of the extraordinary courage displayed by New Zealand soldiers on the Western Front – and of one remarkable day when 12 Kiwis captured 112 prisoners.
