Lance Corporal William Teller
William Charles Teller.43852. Lance Corporal. Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. Whisky Three Company
New Zealand Gazette Number 38 dated 27 May 1971
Lance Corporal Teller joined the New Zealand Regular Army on 6 September 1968 and was posted to the Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment. He joined Whisky Three Company in May 1969 and arrived in Vietnam with his Company in November 1969.
Lance Corporal Teller as both a rifleman and section second in command has given a most commendable performance during his year of active service duty. During the period November 1969 to May 1970 as a rifleman he was wounded on two occasions.
At the time of his second wounding on 22 May 1970 he refused medical treatment until he had indicated to other members of his platoon the location of the enemy snipers. His cool confidence under fire at the time of this contact was most exemplary.
On 21 July 1970 Lance Corporal Teller’s platoon made contact with six enemy. The return fire from the enemy immobilised the leading section’s machine gun group. Without regard to his own safety he quickly organised the moving forward of his own section machine gun and as a result a potentially dangerous situation was thwarted.
The leadership qualities displayed in this action were of the highest order, and reflect great credit on himself, his Regiment, and the New Zealand Army.