Who we honour

There’s universal support for recognising Hawera’s two Victoria Cross recipients, John Grant VC and Harry Laurent VC (by way of a statue) but little support for Ronald Hugh Morrieson. It seems his despicable reputation disqualifies him. However, John Grant VC was no saint. A bankrupt Grant abandoned his wife and two infant children in

1927 (after just three years of marriage). He was a heavy drinker and was accused of being volatile.

For the remainder of his life (and I recognise he probably suffered from post-traumatic stress) he couldn’t hold down a job. There’s a documented account of how a heavily intoxicated John Grant VC made a fool of himself in

1956 at a VC celebration in London. An inebriated Grant slapped Lady Mountbatten on the back and asked her: ‘‘How are you Edwina?’’ His behaviour was so bad that Baron Freyberg had him removed from the room.

In my opinion, this erratic behaviour does not disqualify him being recognised for the incredible bravery he showed on the Western Front (September 1 in France in

1918). There’s also a parallel with Morrieson. He was brilliant, had many faults, but his literary genius lives on. The differences are also significant: before the WW1 John Grant was a popular member of the Hawera Fire Brigade and a champion swimmer. He was a ‘‘man’s man.’’ Morrieson by contrast, didn’t like sport and was a musician.

Bryan Vickery

New Plymouth