The Ferret

Published 2017

ISBN 978-0-9941059-9-8

Hardcover with dust jacket. 250 x 190mm. 190 pages. Non-Fiction

The Ferret tells the story of Sergeant Eric Batchelor, DCM and bar, m.i.d who was one of New Zealand’s most decorated soldiers of World War Two. He was known as the ‘Waimate Warrior’ in his South Canterbury home town but secretly known as “The Ferret”, by his commanding officers during the war. That name arose from his exploits as an adventurous youngster in and around Waimate as much as his night time exploits against the German Army when just 21 years old.

Such was his conduct and courage under fire that he won the rare Distinguished Conduct Medal, not once but twice and was the only New Zealand serviceman of World War Two to do so. The DCM is surpassed only by the Victoria Cross, the highest military award in the British Commonwealth.