Valintine, Denzil

Denzil Alfred Valintine was born in 1922 and was the son of Thomas Ellis and Muriel Nina (nee Bayley) Valintine. His parents divorced in 1928 when Denzil was 6-years-old.

He was educated at New Plymouth Boy’s High School (NPBHS) for just over three years before leaving to work as a clerk for the NZ Loan and Mercantile Agency in Stratford.

He enlisted in the Army in 1940 at the age of 18 and spent the first two years of the war as Sergeant Instructor, training new recruits. He married Joyce Doris Petersen, of Wellington, in December 1942 and they had a daughter, Janice.

He applied to go overseas and was sent to the Middle East in July 1943 as a private in the 22 Infantry Battalion. His battalion was involved with the relentless battles in Italy in 1944 and it was in fighting near Florence that Denzil was killed in action on 30 July 1944, alongside his friend and fellow NPBHS old boy, Leslie (Jack) Medway.

An account of Denzil and Jack’s death was recorded in, 22 Battalion: Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force by Jim Henderson. An unnamed officer from the battalion explained the events that led to him being ordered, against his better judgement, to send three men, two of whom were Denzil and Jack, on a reconnaissance mission to a nearby village of La Romola on the night of 30 July 1944.

“I protested to Major Sainsbury stating that as the answer was obvious since we were even then being heavily shelled, and there was a great deal of machinegun fire coming over from the village and its surrounding area, it was a futile waste of men. I told George that although I had never before refused to obey an order I would do so now.”

However the officer did in the end select two men to accompany Corporal Eddie Edwards on the mission; “To go with him I picked what I thought to be two of the most enterprising and reliable men – ‘Fudge’ Valintine and ‘Nuts’ or Jack Medway. These two were friends and were as keen and fine a couple of chaps as I knew. I called them out as soon as I arrived at the platoon, telling the others to get ready for a move at midnight.”

'Fudge’ was Denzil Valintine’s nickname. The men had orders to reach the village, determine if it was occupied by German troops or not, “establish contact” and return as soon as soon possible. This information would determine where the battalion should attack.

The officer continued; “Having compromised with the authorities and my conscience as best as I could I saw them go, feeling profoundly disturbed. I then went in to give the rest of the platoon the orders for the attack. Just before we moved off at midnight word came to me that Eddie Edwards had crawled in on hands and knees, with his feet badly smashed and his scalp badly wounded, and the information that Fudge and Nuts were dead. I didn't tell the boys as we moved off what had happened.”

Denzil was buried in the Florence War Cemetery, Italy. Next to him lies his friend, Leslie (Jack) Medway. Nearby lie the remains of at least nine other NPBHS old boys.

Related Documents

Denzil Valintine death notice, Evening Post, 11 August 1944

Books

22 Battalion: Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Jim Henderson, p.316

Lest We Forget, Jack West, p.344