"FOR MERITORIOUS SERVICES - GLENBROOK SOLDIER HONOURED - 2nd. LIEUT. ALBERT GILMORE - WELL-KNOWN DISTANCE RUNNER - STILL MISSING AFTER CRETE

His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve honours and awards recommended by the Commander-in-Chief of the Middle East in a despatch on operations in the Western Desert, Libya and Cyrenacia from December, 1940, to February, 1941. The awards include: — Medal of the Order of the British Empire (For Meritorious Services) Gilmore, Albert Alexander (Cpl.). — now Second Lieutenant. — Mrs M. E, Gilmore, Glenbrook (mother). The citation is as follows, — Corporal Gilmore, N.Z.A.S.C., for continuous good work and devotion to duty while in the Western Desert. He was in charge of three vehicles attached for a period to the 7th Armoured Division. His role was to carry wooden tank-trap bridging and to negotiate tank traps during the advance. The officer commanding during his attachment reported that the work was done in an extremely business-like manner, and that the driving was of a particularly high standard. This n.c.o. maintained the standard and did outstanding work throughout the campaign.

Albert Alexander Gilmore, who left New Zealand as a Corporal, was selected to enter an officer’s training centre in Egypt and information was received last March that he had been granted his commission, with the rank of Second Lieutenant. Albert was a keen hockey player, having represented Franklin district in White Horse Cup matches. As a distance runner, he has been rated as being in world class and has been referred to as New Zealand's Nurmi. This expression was used by Australian commentators when he visited there a few years ago and won all the main professional mile events in the Commonwealth, including the Stawell mile, the big athletic event in Australia, in record time. While in Egypt, he represented the British Empire Forces in running events, defeating several recognised champions. On June 19 Second Lieutenant Gilmore was reported missing after the evacuation of Crete." [Franklin Times, Volume XXX, Issue 76, 11 July 1941, Page 5]