John Daniel Hinton

Led a counterattack and seized enemy guns before his capture

John Daniel Hinton, known as Jack, served as a sergeant in the 20th Battalion, 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force. On the night of 28–29 April 1941, British and New Zealand troops were awaiting evacuation from Kalamata, Greece, when German armoured forces entered the town.

Hinton charged a gun position and killed its crew with grenades. Other New Zealanders followed his bayonet attack. He cleared defenders from two houses, and his men held the captured guns until overwhelming German forces arrived. A bullet struck his abdomen and he was taken prisoner.

His Victoria Cross was announced in October 1941. King George VI presented it at Buckingham Palace on 11 May 1945, after Hinton's release from captivity.

Born at Colac Bay, New Zealand, on 17 September 1909, Hinton later worked as a publican. He died in Christchurch on 28 June 1997 and received a state funeral. His original nine-medal group is preserved at the National Army Museum, Waiouru.

Victoria Cross citation, London Gazette supplement, 17 October 1941:

On the night of 28th-29th April, 1941, during the fighting in Greece, a column of German armoured forces entered Kalamai; this column, which contained several armoured cars, 2-inch guns and 3-inch mortars, and two 6-inch guns, rapidly converged on a large force of British and New Zealand troops awaiting embarkation on the beach. When the order to retreat to cover was given, Serjeant Hinton, shouting "to Hell with this, who'll come with me," ran to within several yards of the nearest gun; the gun fired, missing him, and he hurled two grenades, which completely wiped out the crew. He then came on with the bayonet followed by a crowd of New Zealanders. German troops abandoned the first 6-inch gun and retreated into two houses. Serjeant Hinton smashed the window and then the door of the first house and dealt with the garrison with the bayonet. He repeated the performance in the second house and as a result, until overwhelming German forces arrived, the New Zealanders held the guns. Serjeant Hinton then fell with a bullet wound through the lower abdomen and was taken prisoner.