During the attack Cairns was attacked by a Japanese officer who with his sword hacked off the lieutenant's left arm. Cairns killed the officer and retrieved the fallen sword before wounding several other Japanese. He subsequently collapsed and perished the following day.Anthony Staunton. 'The last 1939–45 Victoria Cross gazetted', Sabretache, the journal of the Military Historical Society of Australia, Vol XXXI, No. 1, Jan–Mar 1990., pp. 4–7CWGC entry Calvert wrote, "[i]n front I saw Lieut. Cairns have his harm hacked off by a Jap, whom he shot. He picked up the sword and carried on. Finally we drive them back behind the Pagoda".Calvert, 1952: 50
