BUTTON, Edward James

Edward ‘Jim’ Button joined the Royal New Zealand Navy as a Boy Seaman in 1947. He completed his training in HMNZS Tamaki and then joined the crew of HMNZS Bellona. He remained with Bellona for two years, reaching the rate of Able Seaman in May 1949. In May 1950 he was sent to train in HMAS Watson where he qualified as a Plot Specialist before taking up a year’s posting in HMNZS Rotoiti on operation in the Korean War. On 11 July 1951, while serving in Rotoiti, Button was part of a raiding party under the command of Lieutenant Webber that attacked enemy positions at Sogon-Ni Point on the North Korean coast. Supported by HMNZS Rotoiti lying approximately 1800m offshore, Button and fellow sailor, Norman Scholes, scaled the cliff capturing two North Korean soldiers. They successfully withdrew under fire and returned safely to the ship with their prisoners. This was described in several official sources as a classic example of a great raid. It was for this action that Button was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM).

Upon his return to New Zealand, Button served mainly on motor launches attached to HMNZS Philomel. In January 1953, Button went to HMAS Cerberus for training as a Physical Training Instructor. Once qualified Button went on to serve in HMNZS Black Prince, Royalist, and Otago as well as in the shore establishments Philomel and Tamaki. He received a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1964 and was discharged from the RNZN in 1968. Button was awarded a British Empire Medal (BEM) in the 1965 Queen’s Birthday Honours New Zealand List, though this is not held by the Navy Museum.