V5 – South Vietnam – 10th March 1971
John Winton graduated from the Officer Cadet School into the Royal New Zealand Infantry Corps in December 1968.
In May 1970, Lieutenant Winton was posted with V Company attached to Australia’s 2RAR/NZ. The unit was involved in operations across the north of the Province.
On 10 March when 1 Platoon V5 Company (Lt J. R. Winton) was ambushing a
track at the western end of the Viet Cuong; a sentry engaged an enemy soldier with his rifle which was followed up with MG fire through the killing area. However, tracer ammunition started a fire which caused a claymore mine to detonate from overheating just as the Platoon Commander and one other commenced to clear the contact area. Lieutenant Winton died from the wounds he received and the other soldier was seriously wounded.
For more information see:
- Memories of New Zealand and the Vietnam War – Lt John Ramsey Winton | VietnamWar.govt.nz, New Zealand and the Vietnam War
- Lt John R. Winton | VietnamWar.govt.nz, New Zealand and the Vietnam War
- Medal Presentation to Next of Kin – Medal Presentation to Next of Kin | Beehive.govt.nz