# 30 (14)-victoria cross -openers (0630230316) copy hall of valour.pdf · annexes: annex a:...

ISSUE #15 (1130210716)

` VOLUNTARY GUIDES - BACKGROUNDER Number 30 Issue # 15 July 2016

HALL OF VALOUR

MEDAL GROUP: JOHN WILLIAM ALEXANDER JACKSON

The Hall of Valour honours those Australians who have been awarded the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest award for bravery in war and Servicemen who have been awarded the George Cross (GC) for courage and self sacrifice not in the face of the enemy.

• 96 Australians have been awarded the Imperial VC, and 4 have been awarded the VC for Australia.

• There are 78 VC’s in the AWM Collection including 75 of the 100 VC ‘s awarded to Australians and 3 British Awards. All but one of these are displayed in the Hall of Valour.

• Some of the VC’s in the AWC Collection are on Loan. • 14 Australians have been awarded the GC and the 7 awards in the Memorial’s collection are

displayed in the Hall of Valour. See also BACKGROUNDERS

• #32 Issue # 1 May 2000: The Australian Honours System • #73 Issue # 3 Sep 2010: Orders, Decorations and Campaign Medals at the AWM • #105 Issue # 2 Mar 2013: Inquiry into Unresolved Recognition for Past Acts of

Naval and Military Gallantry and Valour John William Alexander Jackson’s Victoria Cross was the first awarded to an Australian on the Western

Front. Aged just 18 at the time, he remains the youngest Australian VC recipient.

PJH

ISSUE #15 (1130210716)

BACKGROUNDER #30

HALL

of VALOUR

FOREWORD

This BACKGROUNDER replaces BACKGROUNDER # 30 Hall of Valour Issue # 14, July 2016 and has been updated to:

• Note that there are 78 Victoria Crosses( VC) in the AWM Collection (75 Australian and 3 British Awards) and all but one of these are presently displayed in the Hall of Valour (HOV).

• Recognise the 14 Australians who have been awarded the George Cross (GC) . The 7 awards in the Memorial’s collection are on display in the HOV.

• Revise some of the information in Annex A - Australian Victoria Cross Locator, to reflect the July 2016 disposition of the foregoing awards, including the Frederick Bell (Boer War), John William Alexander Jackson (FWW) and the James Heather Gordon (SWW) VC’s.

• Revise Annex H - Hall of Valour Layout and Captions to reflect the July 2016 configuration of the HOV.

The issue of the criteria used to assign Victoria Crosses to the Australian Cultural Heritage Register originally addressed in 2011 remains outstanding. Notwithstanding it should be noted that Final Report of the Review of Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 was submitted to Government in September 2015 and this if accepted should resolve the issue. See Section 1.17.

Hope this helps.

Peter Hugonnet Voluntary Guide July 2016

ISSUE #15 (1130210716)

The Hall of Valour (Libby Stewart HOV Curator 2012) In 1953 the Victoria Cross of Major F.H. Tubb was donated to the Australian War Memorial. Some further donations followed and in November 1964 the then Governor-General Lord De L’Isle VC, opened ‘VC Corner’ a small room in which were displayed the Memorial’s six Victoria Crosses. It had been a suggestion of Her Majesty the Queen that the Victoria Crosses should be exhibited in a central place rather than interspersed throughout the galleries. Following the opening of ‘VC Corner’ the collection continued to grow. This expansion placed pressure on the limited space available. Accordingly it was decided that a new gallery to be called ‘The Hall of Valour’ (HOV) should be developed. The Memorial’s Council was anxious that the new gallery would truly represent the nation’s tribute to those men who had received the highest award for valour. In addition men and women who had been highly decorated in other ways would also be represented. Work commenced on the new gallery in February 1981 and was completed on schedule in time for the official opening by His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales, on Monday 13 April. 28 Victoria Crosses were presented in the exhibition. The popularity of the new gallery appears to have been the impetus for even more donations: In only four years a further 10 crosses were donated. In this short time further expansion became necessary and work on the extended gallery was completed in December 1984. In 2009 with the HOV nearly 30 years old it was decided to upgrade the gallery to better reflect the importance of the Memorial’s Victoria Cross collection. The 2009-2011 Upgrade used architectural ‘noble materials’ in the gallery, such as sandstone, granite and bronze, to create an exhibition that is appealing, dignified and inspirational. As well as presenting the Memorial’s VC collection, the Upgraded HOV also properly represents the Memorial’s George Cross collection, the GC being the highest award available for courage and self-sacrifice not in the face of the enemy. The following features were incorporated in the Upgrade:

• The redeveloped HOV represents all 100 Australian VCs (96 are VC and 4 VC for Australia), and displays the 78 VCs held by the Memorial, including 2 British awards belonging to Frederick Whirlpool and Thomas O’Grady .The Norman Holbrook VC is displayed in the Australia in the Great War - Australia goes to War Gallery.

• The medal groups and biographies of all VC recipients are supported by a number of collection

items and facsimile documents relating either directly to their VC action or to their lives in general.

• The VCs are presented in groups, depending on which conflict they relate to, and which particular battles they are specific to. A list of which VC recipients fall into which categories is at Annex H.

• The organisation of the VC groups is chronological, with Boer War recipients represented on the introductory wall, then the rest following in a largely clockwise direction in the outer circle and two side rooms of the gallery (see attached gallery plan). Artworks of various recipients are displayed throughout the gallery.

• The citations for the VC recipients have not been included in the display. This decision was made due to the length of the citations, particularly the later ones. Some selected phrases from

ISSUE #15 (1130210716)

some of the citations are included in the biographical information of a number of the VC recipients. It is envisaged that all of the citations will be available on the Memorial’s website, together with other information about each VC recipient.

• Shortened URLs have been included on the nine Gallipoli VC biographical panels to enable visitors within the HoV who have portable web browsers to obtain more detailed information from our website, without having to leave the gallery. This is a trial, and may be extended to the other panels if successful.

• The George Cross collection is represented on two panels at the Aircraft Hall end of the gallery.The GCs relating to POWs and the Cowra Outbreak are on one wall, and the naval GCs on the other.

• The Shellal mosaic remains on display in the HOV because it is heritage listed and also

because it is impossible to remove from the wall without damaging it. The viewing window has been reduced in size, and a freestanding wall in front of the window serves to separate the mosaic from the VC display. The mosaic has a new caption, attached to the freestanding wall opposite the viewing window.

• The central gallery circle (see attached plan at Annex H) has been deliberately left empty. The outline of a Victoria Cross is engraved in a circle in the centre and some words are attached to the walls, but it was recognised that there was not room for large crowds to gather here, and that many visitors will simply be passing through the space to reach Aircraft Hall and other areas. Two sculptures in open apertures at the sides of the circle allow visual contact with the exhibition elements of the gallery, and are meant to be symbolic of VC actions, rather than represent any particular person.

• When discussing the HOV with visitors, the curators strongly feel that the monetary value of the medals should not be discussed. In fact these medals, although given a monetary value for insurance purposes, are irreplaceable. They are national treasures and their value lies in the fact that they are unique to each recipient, and what they represent. The names of individual donors should also be avoided in discussions with visitors, as many donors are reluctant to be identified. General acknowledgements of some of the donors are listed on a new panel in the HOV.

Ranks shown on the VC’s list are generally those ultimately achieved and may not be the same as ranks shown at the time the award was made. This has not been maintained in the list of other decorations where it was not possible to establish the ultimate rank in many cases. ( Reference: AWM Trainee Notes 1996 as amended by PJH July 2014)

ISSUE #15 (1130210716)

BACKGROUNDER # 30

HALL

of VALOUR

CONTENTS

Foreword The Hall of Valour SECTION 1 VICTORIA CROSS 1.1 Introduction 1.2 The Victoria Cross 1.3 The Victoria Cross for Australia 1.4 Recommendation for Award of Victoria Cross for Australia 1.5 Posthumous and Retrospective awards of Victoria Cross for Australia 1.6 Living Victoria Cross Recipients 1.7 Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 1.8 ”The “Tasmanian “ Victoria Cross Recipients 1.9 The VC Metal 1.10 Metal and Manufacture of the Victoria Cross 1.11 Remembrance Driveway 1.12 Victoria Cross Reading List 1.13 Lord Ashcroft’s Victoria Cross Collection 1.14 Most recent awards of the Victoria Cross 1.15 Captain Charles Upham’s Victoria Cross & Bar SECTION 2 GEORGE CROSS 2.1 Introduction 2.2 The George Cross 2.3 The Island of Malta 2.4 The Royal Ulster Constabulary 2.5 The Star of Courage 2.6 The George Medal 2.7 The Bravery Medal Annexes: Annex A: Australian Victoria Cross Locator as at March 2016 Annex B : Victoria Cross- Imperial War Museum -Frequently asked Questions and Discussion Points (December 2009){Removed Issue # 13} Annex C: The “Tasmanian “Victoria Cross Recipients. Annex D: Background Material on Australian VC Recipients Annex E: Remembrance Driveway. 2016 Annex F: Victoria Cross Reading List Annex G: The Metal of the Victoria Cross Annex H: Hall of Valour Layout and Captions as at March 2016 Annex I: Hall of Valour -Additional notes -Annex to Libby Stewart Briefing Notes on the 2009- 2011 Upgrade. November 2010 Annex J: Australian George Cross Locator as at March 2016 Annex K: Empire Gallantry Medal and Albert Medal Exchanges Annex L: The George Cross Warrants Annex M: Albert Medal Annex N : Imperial War Museum - George Cross-Web Data File-July 2009 {Removed Issue # 13}

6 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

SECTION 1

VICTORIA CROSS 1.1 Introduction There are numerous references and source material on the Victoria Cross (VC) and for those with access to the Internet they would be surprised at how much material is out there on the Medal. Much of this information is not particularly relevant to the Australian Victoria Crosses and some of it is conflicting .particularly in respect of the number of VC’s awarded to Australians. For Guides at the Australian War Memorial the definitive Victoria Cross reference is They Dared Mightly by Lionel Wigmore 1963, ISBN 0.642.99471.4 .This Reference has been updated on a number of occasions and copies of the 2nd Edition are available in the Resource Library at the Memorial. This Reference outlines the exploits and biographies of 98 winners of the VC : it includes those VC winners who had served in Australia's Armed Forces , either before or after the time of their award , or who lived in Australia for a significant period before receiving the VC. Note: VICTORIA CROSS Australia’s finest and the battles they fought. Anthony Staunton, Hardie Books ,2005, is an updated and revised version of They dared mightly. This BACKGROUNDER has been developed to support the foregoing texts and in particular to recognise both the introduction of the Victoria Cross for Australia and the variation to the Memorial’s holdings of VC’s which now at 78 (three of them British) represents the second largest single collection of these medals in the world that are publicly displayed at present ; the Imperial War Museum’s Lord Ashcroft Gallery with some 247 Victoria Crosses and George Crosses on display since Remembrance Day 2010 is now the largest collection. See later notes on this issue. 1.2 The Victoria Cross The highest decoration for valour in the British armed forces, awarded for extreme bravery in the face of the enemy. It was instituted in 1856 by Queen Victoria at the request of her consort, Prince Albert but was also awarded retrospectively to the autumn of 1854 to span the period of the Crimean War 1854-55. The first crosses were awarded for service during the Crimean War and Queen Victoria made the first presentations in Hyde Park herself in June, 1857, decorating 62 officers and men for their heroic actions in that war. In 1858, new statutes allowed the Victoria Cross to be conferred for gallantry when not in the presence of the enemy; instances of this were extremely rare, and by 1881 the cross was again awarded only for conspicuous courage in the face of the enemy. King Edward VII, in 1902, decreed that the honour could be awarded posthumously, which, since then, it frequently has been. Anyone in any branch of the British armed forces is eligible, including women, although no woman has as yet received the award. So great is the prestige of the Victoria Cross that it takes precedence over all other orders and medals in Britain, and recipients are entitled to add V.C. after their name. Only 1,357 crosses (MOD UK Fact Sheet December 2009) have been awarded since the honour was instituted. The medal depicts a lion on a crown with the inscription "For Valour," while the reverse side has the date of the act for which the decoration is bestowed and the name, rank, and regiment of the recipient. (Encyclopædia Britannica Online and MOD UK Fact Sheet dated 18 March 2005:The Victoria Cross dated 18 March 2005)

7 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

1.3 The Victoria Cross for Australia The Victoria Cross for Australia was established on 15 January 1991 as the highest Australian operational gallantry award. It supersedes the Victoria Cross instituted by Queen Victoria in 1856 but is physically identical and carries the same award criteria. The Victoria Cross for Australia is a bronze cross with each axis measuring 35 millimetres. The arms of the cross have raised edges. The obverse bears a Crowned Lion standing on the Royal Crown with the words 'FOR VALOUR' inscribed on a semi-circular scroll below the crown, the reverse bears raised edges on the arms of the Cross and the date of the act for which the Cross in engraved within a circle in the centre. The medal is suspended from a crimson ribbon 38 millimetres in width. The Victoria Cross for Australia shall only be awarded for the most conspicuous gallantry or a daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice or extreme devotion to duty in the presence of the enemy. Subsequent awards to the same person will be made in the form of a Bar. It may be awarded posthumously. (DVA Website) The Victoria Cross for Australia should not be confused with the Cross of Valour that was established on 14 February 1975 to recognise acts of bravery in other than warlike situations. The Cross of Valour is a gold cross ensigned with the Crown of Saint Edward in gold and surmounted by the shield and crest of the Arms of the Commonwealth of Australia The Cross is suspended from a ribbon by a bar inscribed "FOR VALOUR". The magenta ribbon is 38 millimetres wide and has a blood-red central band 16 millimetres wide. As at March 2016, five Crosses of Valour have been made, all to Civilians. 1.4 Recommendation for Award of Victoria Cross for Australia The initial nomination for the Victoria Cross (VC) for Australia is made in accordance with the Defence Instruction (General ){DI(G)} PERS 31-3 Australian Gallantry and Distinguished Service Decorations and as detailed at para 21 and 22 therein: * there is no provision for the immediate award of the VC, nominations should be passed immediately through the parent Service to the CDF in the manner detailed at Annex A to the aforesaid DI(G); and * Nominations for the VC are to be supported by signed statements of at least three witnesses for the most conspicuous act of gallantry for which the award is recommended. Wherever possible these statements should be on oath. Note: Nominations for the VC can be made for members who become missing in action. * Nominations should be submitted through the parent Service to HQADF Service Personnel Policy Branch for further action. * Subsequently the Governor-General awards the Victoria Cross for Australia with the approval of the Sovereign ,on the recommendation of the Minister for Defence ( through the Prime Minister I suspect). 1.5 Posthumous and Retrospective awards of VC for Australia The Labor Party Platform at the 2001 Federal Election included an intention to sponsor the posthumous award of the Victoria Cross of Australia to Private Simpson, Teddy Sheean and Albert Cleary. For a number of reasons this intent was not implemented however in 2011 as a

8 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

result of questions in the Senate, the Government established the Inquiry into Unresolved Recognition for Past Acts of Naval and Military Gallantry and Valour, to be undertaken by the Defence Honours and Awards Tribunal (DHAAT).

In this matter concerns were expressed from various quarters including:

• Some of the Perceptions and Expectations provided in this document would indicate a general concern that any retrospective awards will open “a Pandora’s Box”.

• The Retuned Services League’s position in the matter was that without new evidence, the matter should remain in the past.

• That prior to 1979 ,a Mention in Despatches (MID) was one of the few awards that could be made posthumously , the others being the Victoria Cross and George Cross. In January 1991 the MID was replaced in the Australian Honours System by two decorations- the Commendation for Gallantry, a fourth level gallantry decoration, and the Commendation for Distinguished Service , a third level distinguished service decoration.

The outcome of the Inquiry, handed to Government on 6 February, that contained the following Recommendations that were accepted by Government on 01 March : Recommendation 1: No action be taken by the Australian Government to award a Victoria Cross (VC) for Australia or any other form of medallic recognition for gallantry or valour to any of the 13 individuals named in the Terms of Reference.

Recommendation 2: That a Unit Citation for Gallantry be awarded to HMAS Yarra.

Recommendation 3: That the names of the Ships HMAS Perth, Rankin, Sheean, Waller and Yarra be perpetuated in the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) after the present named ships are decommissioned.

Recommendation 4: Other proposals to recognise the gallantry of some of the individuals, such as a permanent or rotating exhibition at the Australian War Memorial, be explored further.

9 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

Recommendation 5: The Australian Government continues to ensure that the memorial erected to commemorate the Sandakan death marches at Ranau, East Malaysia, is maintained in perptuity.

Recommendation 6: The Department of Defence amend its Honours and awards manual to reflect changes resulting from the establishment of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal and the advice from the Australian Government Solicitor that the Australian Parliament could pass a valid act directing the Minister for Defence to recommend particular honours. The amended manual should, as required by Section 8A of the Freedom of Information Act 1982, be made publicly available.

See BACKGROUNDER #105 Issue #2 March 2013 Inquiry into Unresolved Recognition for Past Acts of Naval and Military Gallantry and Valour.

1.6 Living Australian Victoria Cross Recipients

There are 10 world-wide remaining living Victoria Cross holders as at March 2016,including four Australian VC recipents:

Keith Payne, Daniel Keighran, Mark Donaldson and Benjamin Roberts-Smith 1.7 Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 The Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 (the Act) regulates the export from Australia of cultural heritage objects in order to retain for the benefit of the nation, those objects whose loss by export would significantly diminish Australia's cultural heritage. As well, the Act includes provisions which allow Australia to respond to an official request by a foreign government to return objects which have been illegally exported from their country of origin. The Act implements a system of export permits for certain heritage objects defined by the Act as 'Australian protected objects'. Some Australian protected objects of Aboriginal heritage cannot be granted a permit for export under any circumstance. Other Australian protected objects may be exported provided a permit has been obtained. Permits are granted by the Minister for Communications, the Information Economy and the Arts, on the advice of the National Cultural Heritage Committee and expert examiners. Heritage objects located overseas may also be defined as Australian protected objects under the Act. A certificate of exemption may be issued for an Australian protected object to enter Australia and return overseas without restriction. National Cultural Heritage Control List Regulations made under the Act include the Schedule on the National Cultural Heritage Control List which defines the categories of objects classed as Australian protected objects. The Control List includes Class A objects which cannot be granted a permit for export and Class B objects that may be granted a permit for export.

A Victoria Cross medal is a Class A object if it is awarded to any one of the persons listed at Part 7.3 to the Regulations and as indicated at Annex A to this BACKGROUNDER. Under the Act, a Class A object that is in Australia cannot be exported from Australia. However, for a Class A object that is not in Australia and that a person wishes to temporarily import, a certificate may be granted by the Minister authorising the subsequent export of the object. However, a medal to which item 7.3 applies is not an object in this category if it is owned:(a) by the person to whom the award was made; or(b)in the case of a posthumous award — by the person’s next-of-kin to whom the award was made.

10 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

Refusal of export permits Application 534-Victoria Cross Medals group awarded to E T Towner MC was refused on 5 February 1998 .The application was considered by three expert examiners and by the National Cultural Heritage Committee. After consideration, the Minister made a decision to refuse the permit on the basis that the objects are of such significance that their export would significantly diminish Australia's cultural heritage. The reasons for the permit refusals are recorded below. *The Victoria Cross is the highest award for bravery within the Commonwealth and holds a unique and pre-eminent position as a bravery award in Australian society. *Major E T Towner was a foremost military hero. His feat of bravery at Mont St Quentin stood out in a battle which is described in the Australian official history as 'what is held by many soldiers to be the most brilliant achievement of the AIF'. *Two of the three expert reports sought clearly indicate that the cultural heritage of Australia would be significantly diminished by the export of this object. *The Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) has affirmed a decision of the (previous) Minister to refuse an export permit for the Towner VC on a previous occasion. No additional information or changed circumstances have arisen since the AAT's ruling in 1995. Review of the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986 Borders of Culture –Review of the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act Final Report- Shane Simpson AM was submitted to Government on 30 September 2015. Section Part 4.4 – Numismatic Materialof the Report suggest that : The only medals currently given the highest level of protection are Victoria Crosses awarded to named recipients. These are included as Class A objects. In the proposed scheme, Victoria Crosses with significance to Australia (either awarded to Australian citizens or to soldiers fighting in or with an Australian force) would continue to receive maximum protection as Declared Australian Protected Material. It is suggested that this level of protection should also be explicitly extended to the Australian-only medals that replaced the imperial honours system, and also extended to other medals and decorations of extraordinary significance: 1. the Victoria Cross for Australia; 2. the George Cross; 3. the Cross of Valour; and 4. the insignia of the Dames and Knights of the Order of Australia and the Companion of the Order of Australia. It is right and proper that Australia should give the same level of protection and significance to its highest civil awards as it does to its highest military awards. Both honours are given in recognition of an extraordinary contribution to the nation. If this Report is accepted by Government and legislated in due course, the foregoing concerns as to those VC’s that will be Declared Australian Protected Material will no longer exist.

11 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

1.8 The “Tasmanian “ Victoria Cross Recipients 13 Victoria Crosses, representing 14% of all the Imperial Victoria Crosses awarded to Australians, have been awarded to Australians who were either born in Tasmania or Enlisted there for war service. Tasmania proudly lays claim to 13 of Australia’s VC recipients, including the first Australian-born soldiers to win the VC, Lieutenant Guy Wylly and Trooper John Bisdee, as well as Australia’s most decorated serviceman, Lieutenant Colonel Harry Murray. Annex C refers. The Tasmanian VC Recipients are commemorated on the Hobart Victoria Cross Memorial that was unveiled at the Cenotaph on the Domain , Hobart on 11 May 2003 by the Hon Danna Vale MP Minister for Veterans and Minister Assisting the Minister for Defence. 1.9 The VC Metal In recent years there has been some discussion on the metal from which the Victoria Crosses have been manufactured. Annexes B and G refer. The Ministry of Defence UK Fact Sheet December 2009 states that ,…” The VC is made from the bronze of Russian guns captured at Sebastopol, though modern research suggests that Chinese guns may have been used at various times.” The Imperial War Museum website December 2009 states, “….The metal comes from melted down breeches of guns captured from the Russians at Sebastopol in the Crimea. The rough cast Crosses are then individually hand finished; each is therefore unique. The remaining ingot of bronze, believed to be sufficient for a further 80 Crosses, is held by the Ministry of Defence.” An email from Mark Smith, Curator The Royal Artillery Museum to Voluntary Guide Roger Marchant dated 10 July 2009 states that ,…” The Royal Artillery Museum has in its collection the two Chinese Guns that have supplied the metal for all VC’s since 1914.The guns are fully working weapons of about 18-pr shot, they were captured ,it is believed, at the Taku Forts in 1860. The idea that the original metal came from a Russian gun captured in the Crimea lends quite a lot of its history to myth. It is believed that such a story was published by the Times newspaper when the announcement of the award was made in 1856,but after talking to Hancock’s the jewelers they have no delivery note, docket or information relating to delivery from War Office of such metal. The origins of the metal for those first VC’s remains a mystery. It is known from War Office papers that the two Chinese guns we display are the guns chosen in 1914 as the stock of metal ran out.” In discussion with Craig Blanch ,A/g Curator Military Heraldry and Technology in November 2012 he suggested that the true origin of the metal in the manufacture of all VC’s since their inception in 1856 cannot be authenticated with any degree of conviction. It is possible, perhaps even probable, that the VC’s manufactured up until the First World War did originate from ordnance captured during the Crimean War. The powerful symbolism of a Sebastopol gun so soon after the war would have typified Queen Victoria’s approach to the award. It is also possible that the two Chinese guns at Woolwich that have supplied the metal since the First World War came from Sebastopol but there is no supporting evidence at this stage. Alternatively, they could have been captured during one of the two Opium wars of 1839-1842 and 1858-1860 respectively. The guns were chosen from the Woolwich arsenal once the original ‘block’ ran out but the details of their capture have not survived. There is little about the origin of the VC metal that can be known

12 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

with absolute certainty which just adds to the mystique of this prestigious award. Craig’s summation is commended to the Guides. 1.10 Metal & Manufacture of the Victoria Cross

The bronze from which all Victoria Crosses are made is supplied from the Central Ordnance Depot, Donnington and all the Crosses made throughout this century have been made from the same source of metal. This was taken from captured enemy cannon. When more Crosses are required Hancocks request a supply of metal and this is then delivered to them by COD Donnington. In fact, the metal is of Chinese origin and not Russian as if often stated. The medal is engraved with both the name of the recipient and the date of the action for which the medal is awarded.

Unlike any other award for gallantry the Victoria Cross is not made in a die. It is not struck, as are coins and many other medals, it is cast. Traditionally it is sand cast in moulds usually containing four specimens at a time. The medals are removed from the sand moulds when the metal has cooled, and then the hand finishing process begins. The obverse and reverse is hand chased even to the minutest detail and the whole medal has a special bronze finish applied at the end of the process. This gives even colour to the medal, because the bronze from which it is cast never has an overall attractive appearance. The suspender bar from which the cross itself is hung, is cast at the same time as the medal and receives the same hand finishing. It has been customary to produce 12 Victoria Crosses at a time. Note: Jane Peek and Craig Blanch advised at the Guides 2011April CTP that Hancocks only act as the “prime “ contractor for the manufacture of Victoria Crosses that are produced by a variety of “subcontractors “ as required. 1.11 Remembrance Driveway

The development of the Remembrance Driveway began in 1954 when the Queen planted a Plane tree in Macquarie Place, Sydney to mark its Sydney beginning. It follows the route of the Hume Highway and ends in the Remembrance Park, behind the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. The Remembrance Driveway is 320kms in length. It is a living memorial of parks and rest areas and plantations of native trees and shrubs, dedicated to those who served in the Australian Armed Forces in World War II, in Korea, Malaya and Vietnam, and who continue to serve in other theatres around the

world. The Victoria Cross Rest Areas and Memorial Parks sited along the Driveway honour the 24 Australian World War II and Vietnam War Victoria Cross winners who because of their acts of valour and extraordinary personal courage have been selected by name to represent all the servicemen and women commemorated. It is hoped that the Driveway will cause Australians to reflect on the sacrifices made by the members of its Armed Forces while defending our nation’s interests and forging our national identity. See Annex E for further details.

13 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

1.12 Victoria Cross Reading List See Annex F. ITS ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE SOME SNIPPETS FOR INTERNATIONAL VISITORS 1.13 Lord Ashcroft’s Victoria Cross Collection Twenty years ago Michael Ashcroft bought his first Victoria Cross, that of Leading Seaman James Magennis, believing it to be a one-off. Today the Michael Ashcroft Trust, which was established to care for and protect the VC collection, now owns more than 160 Victoria Cross groups, just over a tenth of the 1357 VCs that have been awarded to individuals since 1856. It is by far the largest collection of Victoria Crosses in the world. In July 2008, Lord Ashcroft announced a donation of £5 million for a permanent gallery at the IWM where the 48 Victoria Crosses and 31 George Crosses held by the museum will be put on display alongside his own collection of 167 VCs. The Lord Ashcroft Gallery opened on Remembrance Day 2010.

1.14 Most recent awards of the Victoria Cross CORPORAL BENJAMIN ROBERTS-SMITH VC MG - Australian Special Air Service Regiment. Invested with Victoria Cross for Australia awarded for action in Afghanistan 11 June 2010. TROOPER MARK DONALDSON VC - Australian Special Air Service Regiment. Invested with Victoria Cross for Australia awarded for action in Afghanistan16 January 2009. CORPORAL BILL APIATA VC - 1st New Zealand Special Air Service Group. Invested with Victoria Cross for New Zealand for action in Afghanistan 02 July 2007. CORPORAL BRYAN BUDD VC - 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment. A posthumous Victoria Cross was awarded for action in Afghanistan 14 December 2006. PRIVATE JOHNSON BEHARRY VC - 1st Bn, Princess of Wales's Royal Regiment. Invested with Victoria Cross for action in Iraq 27 April 2005. CORPORAL CAMERON STEWART BAIRD VC MG-2 Commando Regiment. Uruzgan Province ,Afghanistan.22 June 2013.Postumous award. LANCE CORPORAL JOSHUA MARK LEAKEY VC 1st Battalion ,The Parachute Regiment. Helmand Province. 22 August 2013.

14 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

1.15 Captain Charles Upham's Victoria Cross & Bar The only double VC ever awarded to a combat soldier, has been bought by the Imperial War Museum in London, England. Under the purchase agreement the VC will be lent to New Zealand for a period of 999 years and therefore will remain in the country. The director of the Army Museum, Waiouru, confirmed the VC & Bar group had been sold and would go on permanent display at the museum. In April 2006 New Zealand newspapers reported that the daughters of Charles Upham were prepared to sell their father's Victoria Cross medal group as they were all in agreement. The family thought it only proper to offer the group to the New Zealand government for a sum of NZ$3.3 million ( £1.17 million ), the same sum they were offered a year earlier by a private overseas collector. The New Zealand Defence Minister said "The sale of Charles Upham's Victoria Cross and Bar would be a huge public loss. However, the Government does not believe it is appropriate for the public to pay the NZ$3.3 million asked for the medals. This would clearly be unfair to the 19 other families who have gifted or lent VCs to New Zealand museums seeking nothing in return".

This move by the Imperial War Museum in September 2006 has ended nationwide controversary in New Zealand over the fate of the Charles Upham VC & Bar and the wishes of the Upham family have been met.(www.victoriacross.org.uk)

15 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

SECTION 2

GEORGE CROSS 2.1 Introduction In the discussion on the George Medal I have queried the last award being made in 1982 on the basis that the Australian Honours and Awards system was introduced in 1975.In this matter I am advised by a reliable source that the States were constitutionally able to put forward recommendations for Imperial awards and they continued to do so for several years. The last Imperial award recommendations are understood to have come from Queensland, probably as late as 1992. This BACKGROUNDER also includes some background material on the George Medal, The Star of Courage and the Bravery Medal as these awards are considered germane to the George Cross and are not addressed in any other BACKGROUNDER.

2.2 The George Cross On 23rd September 1940, just over a year after the outbreak of World War II, His Majesty King George VI announced the creation of a new honour for civilians of both sexes by the institution of the George Cross and the George medal. (The original Warrant of this date was later cancelled and replaced by one of 8th May 1941. The George Cross is awarded ‘only for acts of the greatest heroism or of the most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger’. Although intended primarily for civilians throughout the Commonwealth, there is a Military Division to permit of its award to members of the Services for actions for which purely military honours are not normally granted. Posthumous awards are made, recipients are entitled to the use of the letters GC after their names, and there is provision for the award of bars for further acts of heroism. The George Cross ranks second only to the Victoria Cross in the Order of Wearing of medals. The decoration consists of a plain silver cross with a circular medallion in the centre, bearing a representation of St. George and the Dragon,

surrounded by the words ‘For Gallantry’. In the angle of each arm of the cross is the Royal cypher ‘GVI’. The reverse is plain and contains only the name of the recipient and the date of award. The cross is suspended by a link from a silver bar adorned with a laurel leaf design, and the ribbon is dark Blue, 1 1/2 inches wide. When worn by women the cross is worn on the left shoulder from a ribbon of the same width and colour, which is tied in a bow. When the ribbon is worn alone on undress uniform , a tiny silver replica is centred upon it, and the award of bars is indicated by the appropriate number of these small replicas. Between the first award of the George Cross to an Australian in 1942 and the final bestowal in 1978, 14 Australians were decorated with the medal. Of these, 9 were awarded to military personnel and 5 to civilians; 8 of the medals were awarded posthumously. At the time of the institution of the George Cross, living recipients of the Empire Gallantry Medal (EGM) automatically became recipients of the new award, and were required to return their previous medal; 2 Australians became holders through

16 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

this method. In 1971, the British Government announced that living recipients of the Albert Medal (AM) and Edward Medal were invited to exchange their medals in substitution for the George Cross, and would henceforth formally become recipients of the latter award. The decision for such an action was the result of the decline in the status and significance of the two awards, leading recipients to feel they were not receiving the recognition they were due. Of the 27 Australian holders of the AM, 6 were living at the time; all 6 became awardees of the George Cross. None of the 8 Australians awarded the Edward Medal were alive in 1971, and thus no Australian became a recipient of the George Cross through this variant of exchange. Between 1942 and 1978, when the last George Cross awarded to an Australian was presented, 14 Crosses were awarded, five of this total going to civilians. This total does not include substitutions of the George Cross for the Albert Medal and the Edward Medal carried out in 1971. Including exchange awards, a total of 22 Australians have been decorated with the George Cross.

SEVEN OF THE 14 GEORGE CROSSES AWARDED TO AUSTRALIANS ARE PRESENTLY IN THE AWM COLLECTION

Annex J contains details of the 14 GC awards to Australians and Annex K lists the EGM and AM Exchanges The George Cross has been awarded twice to a group of people as distinct from an individual as detailed below. 1.3 The Island of Malta The only award of the George Cross which was not published in the London Gazette. The award was made by King George VI to the Governor of Malta by letter dated 15 April 1942: "To honour her brave people I award the George Cross to the Island Fortress of Malta to bear witness to a heroism and devotion that will long be famous in history.", (sgd) George R.I. 1.4 The Royal Ulster Constabulary In November 1999 the Queen awarded the George Cross to the Royal Ulster Constabulary to honour the courage and dedication of police officers and their families during the troublesin Northern Ireland. The full citation reads as follows: "For the past 30 years the Royal Ulster Constabulary has been both the bulwark against, and the main target of, a sustained and brutal terrorist campaign. The Force has suffered heavily in protecting both sides of the community from danger - 302 officers have been killed in the line of duty and thousands more injured, many seriously.Many officers have been ostracised by their own community and others have been forced to leave their homes in the face of threats to them or their families. As Northern Ireland reaches a turning point in its political development this award is made to recognise the collective courage and dedication to duty of all of those who have served in the Royal Ulster Constabulary and who have accepted the danger and stress this has brought to them and their families."

17 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

1.5 The Star of Courage With the introduction of the Australian Honours System in 1975 the George Cross will no longer be awarded to Australians and The Star of Courage will be issued instead .See BACKGROUNDER # 32 . 1.6 The George Medal

Instituted in 1940 by King George VI as a second level to the George Cross. It is awarded for acts of bravery in a non-war setting by civilians and members of the armed services involving circumstances of extreme danger where military honours are not otherwise available. Holders of the Medal are entitled to use the post-nominal GM. The ribbon is of crimson with five equally spaced narrow blue vertical stripes. It takes precedence immediately after the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal. The George Medal is of silver and its obverse bears the crowned effigy of King George VI, with the original inscription ‘Georgius VI D.G. Br. Omn. Rex et Indiae Imp.’ The

current inscription is ‘Elizabeth II Dei Gratia Regina F.D.’ The reverse depicts St. George slaying the dragon, and this design is circumscribed ‘The George Medal’. Medals to Australia R.D. Williams1990 reports that 65 George Medals had been awarded to Australians servicemen and women as follows: WW II: 42 ( including the GM to Nancy Wake; First Bar 3 - all to RAN); Korea: 1: Vietnam : 3; and Peace Time Issues: 16. Notable George Medals presently on display in the AWM are: Arthur Henry Cobby - Air Commodore Arthur Henry Cobby CBE, DSO, DFC & Two Bars, GM was an Australian military aviator.(Over the Front) Hugh Randall Syme - Hugh Randall Syme GC, GM & Bar was an Australian naval officer, bomb disposal operative and newspaper proprietor.(War Against Germany) Nancy Wake - Nancy Grace Augusta Wake AC, GM served as a British agent during the later part of World War II. She became a leading figure in the Maquis groups of the French Resistance . .(War Against Germany) John Thomas Humpheries - Humphries was awarded the George Medal for his courage during the diving operations in which he carried out to help salvage the German merchant ship Hohenfels on August 25 1941 at Bandar Shahpur, Iran.(ANZAC Hall) The last award to an Australia was in 1982(??) representing the 118th awarded to Australians since 1940. Forty-nine of the 118 awarded were presented to civilians. {Reference: www.itsan honour.gov.au} Note : See Introduction re recommendations for Imperial Awards after 1975.

18 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

1.7 The Bravery Medal With the introduction of the Australian Honours System in 1975 the George Medal will no longer be awarded to Australians and The Bravery Medal will be issued instead. See BACKGROUNDER # 32.

ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

ANNEX A TO BACKGROUNDER #30

AUSTRALIAN VICTORIA CROSS LOCATOR

AS AT JULY 2016

(All amendment since Issue # 14 are in Bold type) STATISTICS 1. “Australian” Awards: South Africa : 6; WW1 :64; Russia :2; WW2: 20; Vietnam :4 Afghanistan :4 - Total : 100 2. Awards to Services: Army : 97 ; Air Force 3; Navy : Nil 3. Posthumous Awards : WW1 : 15 (23%Total WW1); Russia : 1; WW2 : 10 (50% Total WW2);Vietnam: 2.;Afghanistan 1 - Total : 29 4. AWM Victoria Cross Holdings: South Africa: 4; WWI: 49 WW2: 14; Vietnam: 4; Afghanistan :4 ,British: 3 – Total 78 5. “Australian” Awards Privately held : 16(16% of 100) 6. Living “Australian “ Recipients :4

PJH

RECIPIENT They Dared Mightly (2)

(YES= “AUST”VC NO = NOT LISTED)

Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM

Reference: AWM Trainee

Notes 1.2.1996

LOCATION Victoria Cross (4)

& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)

Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986

Section 7.3 Listing

REMARKS (1)A&NZ VICTORIA CROSS. John Cantwell. (2)They Dared Mightly.Lionel Wigmore 1986 ISBN 0642 994714 (3)Victoria Cross Reference. Mike Chapman. (4)Victoria Cross. Iain Stewart. (5) Victoria Cross Locator.Dennis Pillinger& Anthony Staunton ISBN 0646.39741.9.2000

1 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

ANDERSON, Charles Grove Wright 1942; Muar River, Malaya

YES YES AWM 1989 AWM (5) YES 1.Sold Glendennings 18.7.130 for STG 38 (5) Note by Ian Stagoll 21.05.05: The oldest Australian to receive the VC at 44 years 11 months and 6 days

AXFORD, Thomas Leslie 1918; Hamel Wood, France

YES YES AWM 1985 AWM (5) YES

BADCOE, Peter John 1967; Huong Tra, Vietnam (POST)

YES YES AWM (IN PARTENERSHIP WITH HISTORY SA AND THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT)

2015 NK YES 1.Minatures at RMC Duntroon (1) 2.Medals acquired by AWM 1981 returned to family on request late 2007. 3. www.victoriacross.org.uk 20.05.08:The Victoria Cross and campaign medals awarded to Major Peter Badcoe, Australian Army Training Team Vietnam, have been sold at auction by the Sydney auction house Bonhams and Goodman for a hammer price of AUS$400,000 (£195,444 ). The identity of the purchaser has been revealed as Seven Network Chief Kerry Stokes and the Government of South Australia. The Acting Premier of South Australia admitted to making a "spur of the moment" decision to go halves with Mr Stokes in purchasing the Peter Badcoe Victoria Cross group, along with other memorabilia. The media tycoon had called the Acting Premier before the auction to outline his plans because of the significance to South Australia. It is intended the Peter Badcoe VC group will go on display in Adelaide ( for 12 months) and eventually be displayed in the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, but will be brought back to Adelaide for special occasions. 4. Victoria Cross medal group goes on display at Australian



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


2 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

War Memorial Fri 5 Feb 2016: The medals of one of the most decorated Australian soldiers of the Vietnam War, Major Peter John Badcoe VC, went on display today at the Australian War Memorial. The medal group, which includes the Victoria Cross, service medals, United States Silver Star, and South Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry belonging to Major Badcoe, arrived at the Memorial this morning. Dr Nelson……“His is a story of leadership and courage – one to inspire every one of us – and it is an honour and a privilege to now display his medals in partnership with History SA and the South Australian government.”

BAIRD Cameron Stewart. 22 June 2013 Uruzgan Provence. Afghanistan (POST)

AWM 2014 YES idc Posthumous Award. Loaned to AWM by Family

BEATHAM, Robert Matthew 1918; Rosiere, France (POST)

YES YES

QUEENSLAND MUSEUM

YES 1. Medal like Beatham never returned to Australia after WW1. (2) 2.1967 sold to an American in London (1) 3. Re -Sold 27 March1999 to Neil Jenman for $A180,000 Canberra Times 07.08.06{Other sale prices quoted were $178,500 (1) and $A120,000 (5)} 4.Medals lent to Queensland Museum for 5years from 24.04.07 5. Born UK (1)



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


3 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

BELL, Frederick William 1901; Transvaal, South Africa

YES YES AWM AWM on loan from the West Australian Museum as at July 2016.

YES 1.Buried Bristol UK (4) 2.AWM Media Release 14.07.2016: Lieutenant Bell’s VC action occurred on 16 May 1901 at Brakpan in the Transvaal region of South Africa. His citation from 1901 reads: when retiring through a heavy fire after holding the right flank, Lieutenant Bell noticed a man dismounted and returned and took him up behind him. The horse, not being equal to the weight, fell with them. Lieutenant Bell then remained behind and covered the man’s retirement till he was out of danger. Bell’s medal group comes to the Memorial on loan from the Western Australian Museum and will be on display here until June 2019. After the Boer War Bell moved to England and joined the colonial service, holding several postings in British Somaliland, Nigeria, and Kenya. During the First World War he served as an officer with the British Army in the Cavalry’s 4th Reserve Regiment and the Royal Irish Dragoon Guards. He later became a district commissioner in Kenya, after which he returned to England. He passed away in 1954. Two of Bell’s brothers, Private Edgar Watson Bell and Lieutenant Bert Adams Bell, were killed while serving with the Australian Imperial Force; Edgar on Gallipoli with the 16th Battalion on 2 May 1915 and Bert with the 28th Battalion at Pozières on 29 July 1916.

BELL, Mark Sever 1874; Battle of Ordashu, Ashanti

NO YES Royal Engineers Museum UK (5)

NO 1. Nationality Australian (3)



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


4 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

(now Ghana) BIRKS, Frederick 1917; Ypres, Belgium (POST)


BISDEE, John Hutton 1900; Transvaal, South Africa

YES YES Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery.Hobart(5)

YES 1.Tasmanian 2.Together with Wylly was the first Australian- born soldier to win the VC on 01.09.1900.

BLACKBURN, Arthur Seaforth 1916; Pozieres, France

YES YES AWM AWM (5) YES

BORELLA, Albert Chalmers 1918; Villers-Bretonneux, France

YES YES

Not publicly held (5)

YES

BROWN, Walter Ernest 1918; Villers-Bretonneux, France

YES YES AWM 1954 AWM (5) YES Tasmanian

BUCKLEY, Alexander Henry 1918; Peronne, France (POST)




Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


5 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

BUCKLEY, Maurice Vincent 1918; Le Verguier, France

YES YES AWM 1958 AWM (5) YES 1.Deserted from Langwarran Camp in Australian in 1916 after return from M.E. 2.Re-enlisted as Sexton. G.(1) 3. VC was first made available to the Memorial on loan in 1921. The family returned it to the memorial in 1958 where it has remained ever since.(Peter Burness email 07.04.00)

BUGDEN, Patrick Joseph 1917; Zonnebeke, Belgium (POST)

YES YES Queensland Museum.Southbank.Brisbane.(5)

YES

BURTON, Alexander Stewart 1915; Gallipoli, Turkey (POST)

YES YES AWM 1967 AWM (5) YES 1.Lone Pine

CALDWELL Thomas 1918; Belgium

NO NO Royal highland Fusiliers Museum. Glasgow.

NO Born Scotland. Died Adelaide 1969.

CARROLL, John 1917; St. Yves, France


CARTWRIGHT George 1918; Bouchavesnes, France

YES YES Imperial War Museum London(5)

YES



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


6 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

CASTLETON, Claude Charles 1916; Pozieres, France (POST)


CHASE William St Lucien

NO Army Museum of WA Artillery Brks Fremantle (4)

NO 28TH Bombay Native Infantry

CHERRY, Percy Herbert 1917; Lagnicourt, France (POST)


CHOWNE, Albert 1945; Dagua, New Guinea (POST)


COOKE, Thomas 1916; Pozieres, France (POST)

YES YES Army Museum.Waiouru.NZ(4) (5)

YES Born Kaikoura,Malborough.NZ.

CURREY, William Matthew 1918; Peronne, France


CUTLER, Arthur Roden 1941; Merdjayoun-Damour, Syria

YES YES AWM 2002 YES



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


7 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

DALZIEL, Henry 1918; Hamel Wood, France

YES YES AWM 2011 Not publicly held (5)

YES Medal auctioned Sydney 25 November 2010 for $525,000 to Kerry Stokes who once again donated the medal to the AWM.

DARTNELL, Wilbur Taylor 1915; Maktau, Kenya (POST)

YES YES AWM 1984 AWM (5) NO 1.Born Victoria. Enlisted in the British Army in UK.UK award. 2. Sold STG 12,000 Southebys 01.04.1981(5) 3. Sold $A 367,000 Spinks (Aust) 16.11.1983(5)

DAVEY, Philip 1918; Merris, France


DERRICK, Thomas Currie 1943; Sattelberg, New Guinea


DONALDSON,Mark 2008: Afghanistan

NO NO AWM 2009 NO YES IDC 1.VC awarded 16.01.2009 and subsequently “Gifted” to the AWM.

DUNSTAN, William 1915; Gallipoli, Turkey

YES YES AWM 1977 AWM (5) YES 1.Lone Pine

DWYER, John James 1917; ZonnebekeBelgium




Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


8 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

EDMONDSON, John Hurst 1941; Tobruk, Libya

YES YES AWM 1960 AWM (5) YES First VC awarded to an Australian in WW2

EDWARDS, Hughie Idwal 1941; Bremen, Germany

YES YES AWM 1982 AWM (5) NO 1.Born WA .Served with RAF.(2) 2.UK award.

EVANS, Arthur Simpson 1918 France

NO NO Not publicly held. N0 1.Born Liverpool UK. Died Sydney 1936. 2.Served as Walter Simpson in the Lincolnshire Regiment. Ashes taken back to UK by Sullivan VC who was a personal friend in 1937(2)

FRENCH, John Alexander 1942; Milne Bay, New Guinea (POST)

YES YES Not publicly held (5)

YES

GABY, Alfred Edward 1918; Villers-Bretonneux, France (POST)

YES YES Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery Hobart (5)

YES Tasmanian

GEE ,Robert 1917 ; France

NO NO Royal Fusiliers Museum.UK (5)

NO Born Leicester UK. Died Perth 1960.



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


9 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

GORDON, Bernard Sidney 1918; Bray, France

YES YES AWM 2006 AWM YES 1.Tasmanian 2.Acquired at auction Dec 2006 by Kerry Stokes for $480,000 and presented to AWM on behalf of the RSL(Australian 11.11.07)

GORDON, James Heather 1941; Djezzine, Syria

YES

YES AWM AWM on loan from the Gordon family as at July 2016.

YES Jim Gordon enlisted in 1940 aged 33. In Syria his infantry company was ordered to capture a Vichy French-held feature but became pinned down by intense machine-gun fire from a strongly fortified position. Gordon crawled close to the enemy post and then launched a solo attack with rifle and bayonet. After this, the company was able to take the objective. Gordon later served in Papua and New Guinea. Gordon’s medals are on loan from his family. A portrait of James Gordon painted by William Dargie, won the Archibald Prize in 1942.It is presently hung in the Hall of Valour.

GORMAN , James 1854; Inkermann, Crimea

NO. NO Not publicly held (5)

NO 1.Naval Brigade(2) 2.Born UK .Arrived Australia 1863.Died Spectacle Island 1882.(2) 3. Plaque Pioneer Memorial Park Liechhardt Sydney. 4. Sold $A 41,000 Spinks (Aust) 16.7.1993 (5)

GRADY Thomas 1854 Crimea

NO NO AWM NK AWM(5) NO 1.British Award 2.Born Ireland .Arrived Australia 1865.Died Melbourne.(2)

GRATWICK, Percival Eric 1942; Miteiriya Ridge, Egypt (POST)

YES YES Army Museum of WA Artillery Barracks Fremantle (4) (5)

YES



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


10 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

GRIEVE, Robert Cuthbert 1917; Messines, Belgium

YES YES The Shrine St Kilda Rd Melbourne .Victoria

YES On permanent loan from Wesley College

GRIEVE John 1854, Balaclava,Crimea

NO NO

Art Gallery of South Australia.Adelaide

NO 1.Great Uncle of R.C. Grieve VC 2. 2ndDragoon Guards( Royal Scots Greys){4}

GURNEY, Arthur Stanley 1942; Tel-el-Eisa, Egypt (POST)


HALL, Arthur Charles 1918; Peronne, France

YES YES AWM

1979 AWM (5) YES

HAMILTON, John Patrick 1915; Gallipoli, Turkey

YES YES AWM

1985 AWM (5) YES Lone Pine

HEAPHY Charles 1864 ; NZ

NO NO Auckland Museum New Zealand.

NO Born London .Died Toowong Qld 1881.(2)

HEATHCOTE Alfred S 1857 ;Indian Mutiny

NO NO Victoria Barracks NSW Australia (5)

NO Born London . Died Bowral NSW (2)



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


11 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

HOLLAND ,John Vincent 1916 France

NO NO Not publicly held. NO Born Ireland. Died Hobart 1975

HOLBROOK Norman Douglas Gallipoli 1915

NO NO AWM October /November 2009

Holbrook Shire Council NSW (4) (5)

NO UK award. See BACKGROUNDER material Annex D.

HOLMES, Frederick William 1914 ;France

NO NO Not publicly held. NO Born UK. Died Port Augusta SA 1969(2)

HOWELL, GeorgeJulian 1917; Bullecourt, France

YES YES AWM 2011 - YES Iain Stewart website 08.04.2011:The Victoria Cross and campaign medals awarded to Staff Sergeant George Howell, 1st Bn, ( New South Wales ), Australian Imperial Force, have been sold at auction by Noble Numismatics of Sydney on the 8th April 2011. The Victoria Cross group realised a sale hammer price of AUS $600,000 ( £385,000 ). The purchaser of the VC group was Kerry Stokes, the Australian media magnet, who has announced he will donate the VC group to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The handover took place on Friday, 15th April 2011.

HOWSE, Neville Reginald 1900; Vredefort, South Africa

YES YES AWM 1964 AWM (5) YES 1.1st AUST VC Awarded Boer War. 2. Born Somerset UK.(1)



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


12 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

INGRAM, George Morby 1918; Montbrehain, France

YES YES AWM 2008 AWM YES 2/06/08 3:22 PM Victoria Cross goes to war memorial | NEWS.com.au THE last Victoria Cross awarded to an Australian in World War I, sold for $468,000 at an auction tonight, will be given to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Lieutenant George Ingram's Victoria Cross went under the hammer at auction house Sotheby's in Melbourne tonight. Sotheby's head of decorative arts Jennifer Gibson could not confirm the identity of the winning bidder but said the medal would be passed to the war memorial. http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/bbingram.htm 02.06.08:The Victoria Cross, Military Medal, and campaign medals awarded to Captain George Ingram, 24th ( Victoria ) Bn, Australian Imperial Force, have been sold at auction by Sotheby's of Melbourne for an approximate hammer price of AUS$383,760 ( £187,200 ). The purchaser of the group remains unknown but has indicated that the George Ingram Victoria Cross will be given to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

INWOOD, Reginald Roy 1917; Polygon Wood, Belgium

YES YES AWM (on loan)

2016 As from March 2016 on loan from the City of Adelaide .Adelaide Town Hall William St.Adelaide South Australia (5)

YES 1.10 th Bn(SA) AIF(4) 2.Australian 24.09.07 reported that some 10 Bn members wanted the VC displayed at the AWM.

JACKA, Albert 1915; Gallipoli, Turkey

YES YES AWM 1988 AWM (5) YES 1.1st Australian VC Awarded in WW1 2.Mayor of St. Kilda



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


13 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

JACKSON, John Willian Alexander 1916; Armentieres, France

YES YES AWM AWM on loan from the Hibbard family as at July 2016,

YES 1.Note by Ian Stagoll 21.05.05: The youngest Australian to receive the VC was (John) William Alex Jackson during WW1 at the age of 18 years 9 months and 12 days. 2.Medal withdrawn from auction Nov 07 but understood it will be offered by Nobles in Sydney April 2008. 3. http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/bbjacksw.htm 29.05.08:The Victoria Cross and campaign medals awarded to Private William Jackson, 17th Bn, AIF, have been sold privately to an Australian collector, whose identity has not been revealed. The price paid for the VC group is thought to be around AUS$650,000 ( £317,000 ). 4. BY PJH 15.01.09: It is understood that the foregoing Australian collector was Barry Hibbard. He lives close to Newcastle.He is generally a coin collector with a few medals. He is retired and about 80. Supposed to be known as the "Birdman" due to his breeding birds and he is ex Army.

5.AWM Media release 24.06.2016: In a private ceremony held today at the Australian War Memorial the medal group of Australia’s youngest Victoria Cross (VC) recipient was put on display for the first time. The loan of Private William Jackson’s VC is part of the Memorial’s commemoration of Australia’s involvement in the fighting on the Western Front in 1916. Having lied about his age, William “Bill” Jackson from Gunbar, New South Wales, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in early 1915, aged just 17. He joined the 17th Battalion and served on Gallipoli before being evacuated with enteric fever in October. He was able to re-join his unit in Egypt just before it sailed for the Western Front in 1916. There on the bloody battlefields of France



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


14 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

and Belgium, more Australian soldiers would die than in any other theatre of war. On the night of June 25/26 1916 Jackson was part of an Australian trench-raiding party that broke into the German trenches outside the town of Armentières on the Franco–Belgian border. As it withdrew, the raiding party came under intense artillery and machine-gun fire and suffered many casualties. Although he reached the Australian lines safely and with a prisoner in tow, Jackson insisted on returning to no man’s land to recover wounded men until he too was badly hit by a German shell blast that resulted in him losing his right arm. Despite this, and after receiving assistance, Jackson returned once more to no man’s land to help recover his comrades. Director of the Australian War Memorial Dr Brendan Nelson said that Jackson’s Victoria Cross was the first awarded to an Australian on the Western Front. Aged just 18 at the time, he remains the youngest Australian VC recipient.

JEFFRIES, Clarence Smith 1917; Passchendaele, Belgium(POST)

YES YES Warriors’ Chapel Christchurch Cathedral.Newcastle. Australia (4) (5)

YES

JENSEN, Jorgan Christian 1917; Noreuil, France

YES NO AWM 1987 YES

JONES Henry Mitchell

NO NO Victoria Barracks Sydney NSW (4)

NO 7th Reg ( Royal Fusiliers( 4)



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


15 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

JOYNT, William Donovan 1918; Herleville Wood, France


YES

KEIGHRAN Daniel Alan UruzganProvince, Afghanistan, 24 August 2010,

NO YES AWM 2012 YES IDC 1.CoA Gazette 31 October 2012 2.On loan to AWM as at 01.12.2012.

KELLIHER, Richard 1943; New Guinea


KENNA, Edward 1945: Wewak, New Guinea

YES YES AWM 2014 YES 1.Edward Kenna died on 08 July 2009 aged 90 in Geelong ,Victoria. 2. Medal loaned to AWM April 2010 by his siblings Marlene Day & Rob Kenna.Canberra Times 10.04.10. 3.Iain Stewart website 28.07.2011: The Victoria Cross and campaign medals awarded to Private Edward Kenna, 2 / 4th ( New South Wales ) Infantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, have been sold at auction by Noble Numismatics of Melbourne on the 28 July 2011. The Victoria Cross had previously been on loan to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The Edward Kenna Victoria Cross group realised a sale hammer price of AUS $1,002,000 ( £678,000 ). The identity of the purchaser has not been revealed. 4. Medal returned animously to AWM on loan about May 2014.



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


16 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

KENNY, Thomas James Bede 1917; Hermies, France

YES YES AWM 1986 AWM (5) YES VC Medals sold by Spinks Australia $A 46000 24 Nov 1985

KEYSOR, Leonard 1915; Gallipoli, Turkey


1.Lone Pine 2. VC Medals sold by Sotheby’s STG 7500 22 June 1977 3. Watchmaker by trade.

KIBBY, William Henry 1942; Miteiriya Ridge, Egypt (POST)


KINGSBURY, Bruce Steel 1942; Isurava, New Guinea (POST)

YES

YES AWM 1998 AWM (5) YES 1.Purchased by $158,000 by RSL with support of Tattersalls.(1) 2.Only VC awarded on Kokoda Trail. First to be awarded on Australian Administrated Territory. First VC to be awarded in South West Pacific Theatre in WW2.(1)

LEAK,John 1916; Pozieres, France


YES

LOWERSON, Albert David 1918; Mont St. Quentin, France


MACKEY, John Bernard 1945; Tarakan Island, Borneo (POST)

YES YES AWM 1981 AWM (5) YES Plaque Liechhardt Pioneer Memorial Park.



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


17 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

MACTIER, Robert 1918; Mont St. Quentin, France (POST)

YES YES

AWM 1983 AWM (5) YES

MAGNER Michael 1868 ; Abysinia

NO NO Museum of Victoria Tetrie Terrace Melbourne.Australia (5)

NO 1.Born Irelamd . Died Fitzroy Victoria. 2.33Rd Reg ( Duke of Wellington Reg) (4)

MAXWELL, Joseph 1918; Estrees, France

YES

YES AWM Victoria Barracks NSW Australia (5)

YES 1.On long term loan from Army Museum Victoria Barracks Sydney as at 02 .04.2003.

MAYGAR, Leslie Cecil 1901; Geelhoutboom, South Africa

YES

YES AWM 1977 AWM (5) YES

McCARTHY, Lawrence Dominic 1918; Madam Wood, France


McDOUGALL, Stanley Robert 1918; Dernancourt,Fr.


McGEE, Lewis 1917;

YES YES Queen Victoria Museum & Art

YES 1. Tasmanian 2.VC Medals sold by Spink’s Aust $A36000 May 1984



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


18 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

Ypres, Belgium (POST)

Gallery at Royal Park Launceston Tasmania (5)

McNAMARA, Frank Hubert 1917; Egypt

YES YES Royal Air Force Museum Hendon London UK ( 4) (5)

YES Only VC awarded to AFC in WW1

MIDDLETON, Rawdon Hume 1942; Turin, Italy (POST)


MOON, Rupert Vance 1917; Bullecourt,France


MOOR George Raymond 1915 ; Gallipoli

NO NO Royal Hampshire Regiment (5)

NO Born Australia 1896 but left as an infant.(2)

MURRAY, Henry William 1917; Gueudecourt, France

YES YES AWM 2015 Not publicly held (5)

YES 1.Tasmanian 2.The most decorated infantry soldier in the Briish Empire. 3.10 September 2015: The daughter of Lieutenant Colonel Henry Murray, 81 year old Clem Sutherland, has decided to hand her father's Victoria Cross medal group into the care of the Australian War Memorial for permanent display. The decision came after nearly a Century of the VC group being passed around the Murray family and friends.



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


19 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

NAPIER , William 1858; Indian Mutiny

NO NO Somerset light Infantry Museum UK (4)

NO

NEWLAND, John Ernest 1917; Bapaume, France


NEWTON, William Ellis 1943; New Guinea (POST)

YES YES AWM 1966 AWM (5) YES Only member of RAAF awarded VC in Pacific war.(2)

O’HEA, Timothy 1866 Danville Railwat Station Quebec Canada.

NO NO Royal Green Jackets Museum Hampshire UK(4)

NO 1.Born Ireland.Died Sturt’s Desert Qld. 2. Peacetime award .Canada.(2) 3. Sold STG 57 Debenham 29.06.1900

O'MEARA, Martin 1916; Pozieres, France

YES YES Army Museum of Western Australia.Fremantle (5)

YES

PARTRIDGE, Frank John 1945; Bougainville, Solomon Islands

YES YES

Not publicly held (5)

YES 1.Last VC awarded by GG for WW2 in 1946 (2) 2.Youngest Australian to receive VC ( 20 yrs){1} 3. Held by Son Lachlan Partridge as at 31.08.02 Note by Ian Stagoll 21.05.05:Partridge was not the “youngest Australian to receive VC”, although he was “ the youngest Australian to receive the VC for World War 2 service. He was 20 yrs 7 months and 25 days old at the time. The youngest



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


20 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

Australian to receive the VC was (John) William Alex Jackson during WW1 at the age of 18 years 9 months and 12 days.

PATON ,John 1857; Indian Mutiny

NO NO Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Museum. Stirling Scotland UK (5)

NO Born Scotland. Died Sydney 1914.(2)

PAYNE, Keith 1969; Ben Het, Vietnam

YES YES AWM 2014 YES 1.Living VC Recipient as at March 2016.2. Last Australian VC to be awarded. 2.Sold to Maryborough Museum June 07 for an amount in excess on $M1.0 M 3.Medal donated to AWM by Keith Payne 18.06.2014.

PEARSE, Samuel George 1919; Emtsa, Russia (POST)

YES YES AWM NO 1.UK Award. Served Royal Fusiliers.(2) 2.Born Wales UK.(2)

PEELER, Walter 1917; Ypres, Belgium


POPE, Charles 1917; Louveral, France


RATTEY, Reginald Roy 1945; Bougainville, Solomon Islands


YES



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


21 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

ROBERTS-SMITH Benjamin 2010 Afghanistan

NO NO AWM 2011 NO YES IDC VC is on loan.

ROGERS, James 1901; Thaba 'Nchu, South Africa

YES YES AWM 1987 AWM (5) NO 1. Served South African Constabulary. Born NSW (2)

RUTHVEN, William 1918; Ville-sur-Ancre, France

YES

YES AWM 1973 AWM (5) YES

RYAN, John 1918; Hindenberg Defences, France


SADLIER, Clifford William King 1918; Villers-Bretonneux, France

YES YES St George’s Cathedral Perth Australia (5)

YES



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


22 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

SHOUT, Alfred John 1915; Gallipoli, Turkey (POST)

YES YES AWM 2006 AWM

YES 1.Bought by Kerry Stokes in collaboration with RSL 24.07.06 for $A1,214,500. Purchase included Buyers Premium of 19.5 % and included Military Cross and other service medals. The Boer War medal is a “re-named “ medal. 2.Lone Pine 3.MID gazetted on 28 .10.1915 was not originally on display at the AWM but this omission has now been corrected.

SIMPSON, Rayene Stewart 1969; Kontum Provence, Vietnam


SMITH Issy 1915; St Julien, Belgium

NO NO Not publicly held (5)

NO 1.Born London .Died Melbourne.(2) 2. Sold STG 30,000 Southebys 15.10.1995

SMYTH Maskylyne (LATER SirNevill) 1898:Khartoum, Sudan

NO NO Not publicly held (5 NO Born London .Died Balmoral Victoria.(2)

STANNARD ,Richard Been 1940 HMS ARAB Norway

NO NO

Not publicly held. NO Born UK .Died Sydney 1977.(2)

STARCEVICH, Leslie Thomas 1945; Beaufort, Borneo

YES YES Army Museum of Western Australia Fremantle (5)

YES



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


23 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

STATTON, PercyClyde 1918 Proyart, France


STORKEY, Percy Valentine 1918; Hangard Wood, France

YES YES QE 2 Army Museum Waiouru (4) (5)

YES

SULLIVAN, Arthur Percy 1919; Sheika River, Russia

YES YES AWM 1981 AWM(5) YES 1.UK Award. Served Royal Fusiliers(2) 2.Born South Australia (2) 3.Took ashes of Evans VC back to UK in 1937. 4.Class A Listing will be removed at next amendment to the Heritage Act. 5. Slipped and died in London during the Coronation activities.

SYMONS, William John 1915; Gallipoli, Turkey

YES YES AWM 1967

AWM (5) YES 1.Lone Pine

THROSSELL, Hugo Vivian Hope 1915; Gallipoli, Turkey

YES YES AWM 1984 AWM (5) YES Committed Suicide 1933



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


24 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

TOMBS, Joseph Harcourt 1915; Rue du Bois, France

NO

YES RRC & 1St Bn,Kings (Liverpool) Regiment

NO 1.Described as Australian (3)

TOWNER, Edgar Thomas 1918;Mont St. Quentin, France

YES YES Not publically held (5)

YES 1. VC Medals sold Spinks Australia $A 64000 16 Nov 83(1) 2. Export refused 5.2.1998 3.Withdrawn from sale by Noble Numismatics 13.07.1994 (5) 4.Unsold Noble Numismatics 11.07.1995(5) 5.See BACKGROUNDER text on Export Refusal.

TUBB, Frederick Harold 1915; Gallipoli, Turkey

YES YES AWM 1953 AWM (5) YES 1.First VC donated to AWM.(2) 2.Lone Pine.

WARK, Blair Anderson 1918; Bellicourt, France

YES YES 1989 QUEENSLAND MUSEUM

YES 1.Purchased by Neil Jenman in collaboration with the RSL for $A 105,000 Canberra Times 07.08.06 {other sale price quoted $134,500 ( 1) } 2. Medals lent to Queensland Museum for 5years from 24.04.07

WEATHERS, Lawrence Carthage 1918; Peronne, France


YES IAIN STEWART WEBSITE 16.07.16:The Victoria Cross, on its own without the two campaign medals, awarded to T / Corporal Lawrence Weathers, 43rd Bn, Australian Imperial Force, has been sold at auction by Noble Numismatics of Sydney. The sale took place at the Dixson Room in the State Library of New South Wales on Friday, 8th April 2016. The estimated sale price was AUS$500,000 ( £263,000 ). The Lawrence Weathers' Victoria Cross realised a sale hammer price of AUS$500,000 ( £268,000 ). The identity of the purchaser has not been revealed.



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


25 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

WHEATLEY, KevinArthur 1965; Tra Bong, Vietnam (POST)

YES YES AWM 1993 AWM (5) YES 1.1st Australian VC awarded in Vietnam 2. Sold $A Southebys Aust 09.08.1993 (5) 3. Kerry Stokes provided “significant support to the RSL to buy this VC…at an estimated cost of $A160,000.”in 1993. The Australian 25.07.06

WHIRPOOL Frederick 1858 Indian Mutiny

NO

NO AWM 1983 AWM (5) NO 1.Born Liverpool UK .Died Windsor NSW. 2. IS Wright :Mutiny only listed $A 4500 May 1989 3.First VC presented in Australia 1861.(2) 4. Sold STG 46 Glendennings 01.06.1927 (5) 5.On loan.

WHITTLE, John Woods 1917; Boursies, France

YES YES AWM 2009/2014 _ YES 1.Tasmanian 2. Canberra Times 29.10.2009 reported that the VC “has been lent anonymously to the AWM bring the national collection to 60…..”( 60 or 62 1/2)??) 3. VC will not go on display until 2010 after it has been through the conservation process. 4. Whittle served in the Boer War and was awarded the DCM in the same year as his VC. 5.20.11.2014:The Victoria Cross and campaign medals awarded to Sergeant John Whittle, 12th Bn, Australian Imperial Force, have been sold at auction on Thursday, 20th November 2014, by Noble Numismatics of Sydney. The estimated sale price was AUS$550,000 ( £302,000 ). The John Whittle VC group realised a sale hammer price of AUS$500,000 ( £274,241 ). The identity of the purchaser has not been revealed. 6. 22.01.2015:The purchaser of the Victoria Cross and campaign medals awarded to Sergeant John Whittle, 12th Bn, Australian Imperial Force, has donated the VC group to the Australian War Memorial .



Victoria Cross

Reference (3)

( 11.09.02)

LOCATION

AWM

WEBSITE JULY 2016

DATE ACQUIRED

BY AWM


Notes 1.2.1996


& Victoria Cross

Locator(5)


Section 7.3 Listing


26 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

WOODS, James Park 1918; Le Verguier, FR..


WYLLY, Guy GeorgeEgerton 1900; Warm Baths, SA

YES YES Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery Hobart (4) (5)

YES 1.Tasmanian 2.Together with Bisdee was the first Australian- born soldier to win the VC on 01.09.1900

SUMMARY 97(YES) 97(YES) 78

AN

NEX

C TO

B

AC

KG

RO

UN

DER

#30 T

HE

“TA

SMA

NIA

N” V

ICT

OR

IA C

RO

SS RE

CIPIE

NT

S

ISSUE #7 ( D

ecember 2009)

Victoria C

ross Recipient

Birth place

(They Dared M

ightly. L. W

igmore)

Birth place

(For V

alour. Richard

Reid)

Place of Burial or Com

mem

oration

(For V

alour. Richard R

eid)

Place of Enlistment

(They D

ared Mightly.

L. Wigm

ore)

John Hutton Bisdee

Hutton Park,Tasm

ania M

elton M

owbray,Tasm

ania St jam

es Churchyard

,Jericho,Tasmania

Tasmania

Guy G

eorge EgertonWylly

Hobart,Tasm

ania H

obart,Tasmania

Medals on display Tasm

anian M

useum &

Art G

allery Tasm

ania

Henry W

illiam M

urray N

ear Launceston,Tasm

ania Evandale Tasm

ania M

emorial stone at M

ount Thom

pson,Crem

atorium,B

risbane W

estern Australia

Percy Herbert C

herry D

rysdale,Victoria

(Family m

oved to Cradoc

,Tasmania w

hen he was seven.

Drysdale, V

ictoria Q

ueant Road C

emetery, B

uissy, France

Tasmania

John James D

wyer

Lovett ,Tasmania

Lovett ,Tasmania

Allonah C

emetery ,H

obart Tasm

ania Jam

es Ernest New

land H

ighton,Geelong,

Victoria

Geelong ,V

ictoria East B

righton General

Cem

etery,Melbourne

Tasmania

John Woods W

hittle H

uon Island,Tasmania

Huon Island,Tasm

ania R

ookwood C

emetery,Sydney

Tasmania

Lewis M

cGee

Ross,Tasm

ania C

ampbell

Town,Tasm

ania Tyne C

ot Cem

etery,Iper ,Belgium

Tasm

ania

Stanley Robert M

cDougall

Recherche,Tasm

ania R

echerche ,Tasmania

Plaque at Norw

ood Crem

atorium A

CT

Tasmania

Walter Ernest Brow

n N

ew N

orfolk,Tasmania

New

Norfolk ,Tasm

ania The Singapore M

emorial,K

ranji War

Cem

etery,Singapore N

ew South W

ales

Alfred Edw

ard Gaby

Springfield,Tasmania

Ringaroom

a,Tasmania

Heath C

emetery,H

arbonnieres,France. W

estern Australia

Percy Clyde Statton

Beaconsfield,Tasm

ania B

eaconsfield,Tasmania

Plaque at Garden of

Rem

embrance,C

ornelian Bay

Crem

atorium,H

obart

Tasmania

Bernard Sidney G

ordon Launceston,Tasm

ania Launceston,Tasm

ania H

eadstone and Plaque at Pinaroo Law

n Cem

etery,Albany ,Q

ueensland Tasm

ania

1 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

ANNEX D TO

BACKGROUNDER #30

Background Material on Australian VC Receipients

Contents

Annex D - Background Material on Australian VC Recipients, has been rescoped and now provides a hyperlink to the AWM website :Profiles of the Australian recipients of the Victoria Cross: that provides most of what the Guides might require. The hard copies of the Background Material are no longer being maintained in the Guides Library.

Article Title Description WARTIME

Issue/Other Reference

VC held by AWM

How Grady cleared the gun. David Pearson

One man’s bravery during the Crimean War

#20(2002) YES

Captain Albert Jacka VC, MC & Bar First Australian VC awarded in WW1 AWM Website YES Beyond the bravest of the brave Michael McKernan

Book review of JACKA VC: Australian Hero by Robert Macklin

Canberra Times 23.09.06

YES

“Such is glory ...”: the 7th Battalion at Lone Pine Ross McMullin

Four VCs in one battle – but at what cost?

#11(2000) YES

The missing Lone Pine VC R.C.H Courtney

The seventh Australian Victoria Cross won at Lone Pine - where is it? (See also later entries on the Alfred Shout VC below)

#3 (1998) YES

One of a kind. Ross Mc Mullin

An Australian private belatedly turned up at Buckingham Palace to be presented with his VC by the King {J.Carroll}

#29 (2005) YES

The ‘other man’. Anthony Staunton

Mystery surrounds the award of two Victoria Crosses during the First World War {A.H.Buckley & A.C.Hall}

#21(2003) YES

New items in the collection Jane Peek

The Blackburn VC #5(1999) YES

The great Harry Murray David Chalk

Harry Murray enlisted as a private in 1914 and ended the First World War as the most decorated infantry soldier in the British Empire

YES YES

Lieutenant Colonel Henry William (Harry) Murray,VC,CMG , DSO & Bar,DCM

Resume AWM Website YES

Lieutenant Joseph Maxwell VC MC DCM (1896-1967)

Resume of the second highest decorated Australian soldier of WW1

YES

ANZAC Day VC at Villers-Bretonneux. Brad Manera

Two awards for bravery in a courageous counter-attack on 25 April 1918 { C.W.K.Sadlier}

#22( 2003)

NO

Samuel George Pearce VC Deborah Burridge

Prepared by Public Events 2002 YES

The shy VC. Les Hetherington

An Australian is commemorated by a memorial at Wellington Barracks in London {A.P.Sullivan}

#18(2002) YES

2 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

Valour in the Markham Valley. Brad Manera

Private Richard Kelliher, court-martialled for cowardice, went on to win a VC

#25(2004) YES

VC winner-Flight Sergeant Rawdon Hume Middleton Murray McLeod

#14(2001) YES

Lieutenant Arthur Roden Cutler VC Resume AWM Website YES Without question, a hero. Ashley Ekins

The recent “controversy” around the first Australian Victoria Cross of the Vietnam War {K.A.Wheatley}

#18(2002) YES

Warrant Officer Class 2 Keith Payne VC 1.Resume 2. One of the two surviving Australian VC recipients as at April 2005

AWM Website YES

Inspirational Bravery Peter Burness

Article addresses VC and other Bravery Awards to Australians

#32 (2005) SOME

Soldier of ‘Utmost Courage’: ‘Diver’ Derrick Peter Stanley/Peter Burness

Extract from peter Stanley’s Tarakan: an Australian tragedy. Offers an insight into one of Australia’s most celebrated VC’s

#31(2005) YES

Recent acquisitions Frederick Whirlpool Peter Stanley

Background on Whirlpool whose real name is unknown

AWM Journal #4 April 1984

YES

Edwards VC,over Bremen Harbour,4 July 1941. Ray Honisett Gavin Fry

Background to the painting AWM Journal #4 April 1984

YES

Alfred John Shout (1881-1915)

Biography VISIT GALLIPOLI website

YES

The Sale of the Gallipoli War Hero’s Victoria Cross Medal

Report on the sale of the Alfred Shout VC

Bonhams & Goodman website September 2006

YES

The World War One medals of Capt. A. J. Shout: An exceptional Gallipoli World War 1 Victoria Cross. Lot 1078

Description of the Shout Collection auctioned as Lot 1078

Bonhams & Goodman website September 2006

YES

50 AUSTRALIANS Victoria Cross receipents

• Charles Anderson • Diver Derrick • Frank Partridge • Sexton VC (BUCKLEY)

50 AUSTRALIANS Exhibition 2005

YES YES NO YES

Recock and Refigure-Trooper Mark Donaldson VC speaks

Australia’s latest VC winner recently spoke to Memorial historians about his exploits in Afghanistan

#46(2009) YES

The Victoria Cross in Australia. Peter Burness

The award for valour has a distinguished history

#46 (2009) NA

From Howse to Donaldson: winning the Victoria Cross. Peter Pedersen

For many years some acts of great bravery under fire did not count when it came to awarding Victoria Crosses

#46 (2009) NA

British submarines in the Dardanelles ,1924: Leut Norman Holbrook VC and the Messudiye

Germantown in NSW renamed Holbrook after the Commander of submarine B11

www.anzacsite.gov.au YES

Driveway Map About History VC Citations Photo Gallery Home

In this paper the description of the Remembrance

Driveway Committee's activities during the period 1952

to 1988 and the background history and antecedents to

the Remembrance Driveway are extracted from a 1994

paper by Dr Allan Correy from the Department of

Architecture, University of Sydney.

History of the Remembrance Driveway

Detailed History

Background History and Antecedents

Nearly all cultures have found ways of remembering wars and honouring war heroes. Some preserved the memory

through myths and legends and others built monuments in some form. Early monuments, carved in wood or stone, were

usually erected as memorial panels in cathedrals and churches and it was not until after the Napoleonic Wars that

freestanding monuments appeared in public places. These memorials were not to common soldiers and sailors but were

heroic tributes to victorious individuals, usually conquering generals or admirals. One of the most notable is Nelson's

Column in Trafalgar Square in London. The first memorials to ordinary servicemen came after the Crimean War of 1854-56

when the suffering and courage of British soldiers was recognised for the first time.

The first conflict in which Australia and New Zealand were involved was the South African War of 1899-1902 and memorials to those who served were erected in both countries.

However it was the Great War of 1914-1918, which affected the lives of so many people, that fostered an enormous community need to establish lasting memorials to all those who

served their countries. This was most apparent in the young Commonwealth countries of Canada, Australia and New Zealand, where both monuments of stone and living memorials

were patriotically supported by most citizens. Australia in fact has more war memorials than any other country. Architectural or sculptural memorials such as monumental buildings and

arches were favoured at first. Some felt that utilitarian memorials, such as war veteran's homes or hospitals were more appropriate. Many believed that the utilitarian memorial was

sacrilegious to the dead and so the idea of a living memorial gained favour. Planting trees was seen as a symbol of hope for the future but above all it was seen as something tangible,

which ordinary people could become personally involved with.

The idea of planting trees as war memorials appears to have originated in Great Britain in 1918 when the office of the King's Highway issued a pamphlet titled "Roads of Remembrance

as War memorials". The two objectives of this program were to transform suitable existing highways "to the dignity of Roads of Remembrance adorned with trees" and to organise the

building of highways "of exceptional dignity and beauty with open spaces at intervals as special memorials to the Great War". Interestingly the idea was taken up by Britain's former

colonies but not by Britain itself.

In Canada, memorial avenues were planted in both cities and rural towns but, today, only one at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, planted in 1922, survives intact and continues to be added

to. In Australia, from 1917 to 1921, hundreds of avenues of honour were planted to commemorate those who served in the Great War. The first and most famous avenue of honour was

the one planted between 1917 and 1919, at Ballarat in Victoria.

The Beginning

After World War II, monuments in stone were not in favour although often rolls of honour, with the names of those who served in the 1939-1945 war, were added to existing 1914-1918

memorials. While many were opposed to monuments, most still supported the idea of some sort of memorial and once again, a living memorial found widespread community support. It

is not surprising therefore that the suggestion that the establishment of a Remembrance Driveway linking Sydney and Canberra appealed to politicians and the public alike.

It was Mrs. Margaret Davis who first contemplated planting a living memorial to those Australians who had served in World War II. Mrs Davis was the Founding President of the Garden

Clubs of Australia and she suggested it as the Clubs' first project. Recognising the Garden Clubs' limitations, Margaret Davis enlisted the help of other members who had influence in the

right places. Those she turned to were Lieutenant General Frank Berryman, Commanding Officer at Victoria Barracks in Sydney, Mr Robert Anderson, Curator and Chief Botanist at the

Sydney Botanic Gardens and Charles Moses, General Manager of the ABC.

A preliminary committee, chaired by Charles Moses, was formed in April 1952. He invited a number of interested people to attend the inaugural meeting of the National Memorial

Highway Committee held on 21 May 1952 at Broadcast House. An Executive Committee was elected with Frank Berryman as President and this committee was requested to investigate

the practicability of establishing a Memorial Highway between Sydney and Canberra to commemorate those who served in the Australian Armed Forces in the Second World War. The

objective was to be achieved by planting avenues of trees and establishing groves, memorial parks and other appropriate memorials. The Government provided part time secretarial

services and a room to hold meetings at the Department of Local Government was made available. Senior Town planner, Mr Nigel Ashton who with Mr Anderson and Mr Cecil Hawkins,

Chief Engineer, Department of Main Roads, surveyed the route of the Driveway served on this committee and he continued to serve until his death in 2008. Past Presidents of the

Remembrance Driveway Committee and details of the current Committee membership are at Annex A.

At its meeting on 24 June 1953, the Committee agreed that the name of the project be the Remembrance Driveway. In October 1953 the Remembrance Driveway logo of a laurel

wreath and green tree on a yellow background with dark red lettering was approved by the Committee.

The Premier of NSW, the Hon. J.J. Cahill agreed to launch the project by making a statement on the ABC on 9 December 1953 and the Federal Minister for the Interior, Mr Kent-Hughs

followed with a statement on behalf of the Commonwealth. A brochure was launched which concluded with a special appeal for donations from all members of society, from large

corporations who were invited to sponsor a whole plantation to individual citizens who could donate a single tree for $20.

On 5 February 1954 the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh planted two London Plane trees on the Bridge and Loftus Street corner of Macquarie Place in Sydney and later on 16

February the Queen planted a Snow Gum at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. Unfortunately this tree was ringbarked by vandals in 1965 and despite the attempts of a tree

surgeon it did not recover. In 1975 the original plaque was placed inside the War memorial for safekeeping and a new plaque with a replacement tree [a Narrow-leaved Peppermint]

http://www.remembrancedriveway.org.au/driveway-map/default.asp

ANNEX E TO BACKGROUNDER # 30

http://www.remembrancedriveway.org.au/about/default.asp

http://www.remembrancedriveway.org.au/history/default.asp

http://www.remembrancedriveway.org.au/vc-citations/default.asp

http://www.remembrancedriveway.org.au/photo-gallery/default.asp

http://www.remembrancedriveway.org.au/default.asp


1 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

Annex H to BACKGROUNDER # 30

HALL OF VALOUR - LAYOUT & CAPTIONS

2 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

3 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

G-01 INTRODUCTION Thomas Grady’s Victoria Cross Private Thomas Grady (1835–1891) received his Victoria Cross before a crowd of 10,000 from Queen Victoria at the first presentation of the medal at Hyde Park, London, in June 1857. One of 62 original Crimean War recipients, he had served in the 4th (The King’s Own) regiment. He migrated to Australia in 1865.REL/11986.001 Frederick Whirlpool’s Victoria Cross Private Frederick Whirlpool (1829-1899) came to Australia from England in 1859 and was a member of the local forces in Victoria when he was presented with the Victoria Cross in Melbourne in June 1861. He had won the decoration in 1858 while serving with the 3rd Bombay European Regiment during the Indian Mutiny. REL/09471 G-02 BOER WAR 1892-1902

VC’S AWARDED {Names in bold are those VCs held by the AWM}

Neville HOWSE James ROGERS Cecil MAYGAR

John Bisdee (Tasmanian Museum and Art Galley) Guy Wylly (Tasmanian Museum and Art Galley)

Frederick BELL (On loan from the W.A. Museum, Perth)

The Boer War was the first occasion on which Australians received the Victoria Cross: there were six recipients. The early troops served in units drawn from the states, each of which was then a separate colony. These units had titles like the Victorian Mounted Rifles and the West Australian Mounted Infantry. After federation in 1901, Australia provided national contingents. The Australians were mounted troops, who fought over vast and remote distances against an elusive enemy. There were several major battles in the beginning, but in its later stages it was mostly a guerrilla war. In 1900 Captain Neville Howse of the New South Wales Army Medical Corps gained the first Australian VC. All six Australian recipients got their awards for rescuing men while under fire, and all later served in the First World War. One of these men, Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Maygar, was killed in action in 1917.

RELICS

James Peter Quinn (1869 – 1951) First World War official war artist Major General Sir Neville Howse, VC Howse received his VC during the Boer War. This large stately portrait was painted during the First World War where he further distinguished himself as the Director of Medical Services, AIF. painted in France and London, 1918.oil on canvas.acquired under commission 1920.ART03351

4 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

G-03 GALLIPOLI 1915 VC’S AWARDED

{Names in bold are those VCs held by the AWM} Albert JACKA

Leonard KEYSOR William SYMONS

Alexander BURTON William DUNSTAN John HAMILTON Frederick TUBB Alfred SHOUT

Hugo THROSSELL Troops of the AIF went into action for the first time as part of an amphibious landing on the Turkish Gallipoli peninsula on 25 April 1915. Almost a month later, Lance Corporal Albert Jacka won Australia’s first Victoria Cross of the First World War. In the months following the landing, the Australians were unable to make any progress against a resolute enemy. On 6 August an attack was made at Lone Pine as part of a new offensive that sought to regain the initiative. The battle is remarkable in that over the next few days seven Australians received the VC, with four going to the 7th Battalion from Victoria in just 24 hours. Among the seven, Captain Alfred Shout had been one of the heroes of the original landing in April. At Lone Pine he fought with great valour until mortally wounded. Later that month, in a separate action at Hill 60, Second Lieutenant Hugo Throssell won the only VC awarded to a member of the Australian Light Horse. The Gallipoli campaign ended in military defeat in December 1915, but a legend had been created.

RELICS Luger captured by Jacka Pistol taken from a German officer captured at Bullecourt, France, in April 1917 when Jacka gained the bar to his Military Cross. Complaining to Jacka’s commanding officer of rough handling, the German was told: “You may not know the identity of your captor, but can count yourself bloody lucky to be alive”. RELAWM01097 Tribute to Jacka A poem, written and illustrated as a tribute to Albert Jacka following the news of him getting the Victoria Cross. It was included in a book compiled by the ANZAC Club in Williamstown, Victoria. RC09671 (facsimile) Tubb’s description of action Handwritten report by Tubb to his commanding officer describing the action at Lone Pine for which he and Corporals Burton and Dunstan were awarded the VC. Tubb described the intensity of the action: “Four of the men remaining including Burton and Dunstan rebuilt the barricade...just as it was being completed it was again blown in, Burton and Dunstan the only two men left...It was blown in a third time, killing Burton...”EXDOC186.016 (facsimile) Tubb’s rank badges Worn on the shoulder to denote officer’s rank, the star is likely to have been used on Gallipoli when Tubb was a lieutenant. He would have worn the crown after his promotion to major in early 1917. RELAWM15375

5 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

Shout’s pendants and brooch The pendant and gold Tivoli theatre life pass were presented to Alfred Shout’s widow. The rank star has been made into a brooch. In a patriotic gesture, VC winners or family were given Tivoli passes, shaped as a cross, by the colourful Sydney entrepreneur Hugh “Huge deal” McIntosh. REL35086; REL35085; REL35088 Throssell’s revolver Webley Mark IV service revolver belonging to Captain Hugo Throssell. It was issued in Perth. Tragically, after the war and haunted by his experiences, the Gallipoli hero took his own life. He was found shot, still holding a revolver in his right hand.REL/11836 G-04 FRANCE 1916


Arthur BLACKBURN Claud CASTLETON

John William Alexander JACKSON (On loan from the Hibbard family) John Leak (Privately held)

Thomas Cooke (Army Museum, Waioura, NZ) Martin O’Meara ( Army Museum W.A.)

After the Gallipoli campaign, the Australians moved to the Western Front. Four divisions arrived in France in early 1916, just as the British army was preparing to mount a huge offensive commencing on 1 July: this would come to be known as the first Battle of the Somme. Initially, the Australians were in a sector close to the Belgian border. It was there, on 26 June, that 18-year-old Private William Jackson won the Victoria Cross for rescuing wounded men from no man’s land. Eventually, he too was badly wounded. A further five awards followed once the divisions shifted to the Somme. These were gained in heavy fighting under murderous shellfire around Pozières. The awards to Private Thomas Cooke and Sergeant Claud Castleton were posthumous ones. Castleton is buried in the Pozières British Cemetery, not far from where he was killed, but Cooke’s body was never recovered. In seven weeks the three Australian divisions taking part at Pozières, as well as one in an earlier diversionary attack at Fromelles, suffered 28,000 casualties. These were unsustainable losses for a volunteer army. Jackson’s Victoria Cross was the first awarded to an Australian on the Western Front. Aged just 18 at the time,

he remains the youngest Australian VC recipient.

RELICS

Patch from Pozieres During the 1st Australian Division’s attack at Pozieres in July 1916, pink cotton patches were sown on the back of soldiers’ tunics as an identifying mark. At other times there thin metal plates were stitched on. RELAWM07976 Metal signboard The sign is from one of the tracks leading to Flers. Like the nearby village of Pozieres, Flers was totally destroyed during the 1916 battle of the Somme. The constant fighting and shelling left only rubble. RELAWM00545

6 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

G-05 SOMME TO HINDENBURG LINE 1917


Percy CHERRY Jorgan JENSEN

James NEWLAND Thomas KENNY John WHITTLE Rupert MOON Charles POPE Henry Murray

George HOWELL The cruel winter months of early 1917 followed the Somme battles. Local fighting continued and Captain Harry Murray, already renowned for his bravery, won the Victoria Cross near Gueudecourt in February 1917. In spring the Germans fell back to newly prepared defences that the allies dubbed the Hindenburg Line. Along the way the Germans had turned abandoned villages into defensive outposts. There was heavy fighting around these places and six VCs were gained by Australians within three weeks. Continuing to advance, the Australians finally faced the Germans at Bullecourt, which stood astride the Hindenburg Line. In front of them were extensive trenches, deep dugouts, machine-gun posts and fields of barbed-wire. In two attacks during April and May in support of a fresh joint British–French offensive, Australian divisions suffered 10,000 casualties. Finally, after long and costly fighting, they broke into the German line. It was here that Corporal George Howell and Lieutenant Rupert Moon each won the VC.

RELICS

Cherry’s periscope, and captured bayonet and pistol Before his death in March 1917, Cherry saw heavy fighting on the Somme where he evidently collected the enemy signal pistol and bayonet as souvenirs. His collapsible periscope was useful in static trench lines: He would have had less use for it during the operations leading up to him gaining the VC.REL42343; REL42342; RELAWM16244 Howell’s fob watch Steel-cased watch carried by George Howell during the action at Bullecourt for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. During the battle Howell received severe wounds. His watch was also struck by shrapnel, stopping it at the fateful moment. RELAWM07900 Letter to widow Condolence letter from the general officer commanding I ANZAC Corps, Sir William Birdwood, to Lieutenant Charles Pope’s widow, advising that a recommendation for the VC had been accepted, and providing her with “... some consolation from the knowledge that your husband proved himself such a fine soldier as to merit this high and most coved distinction ...”.PR88/208 (facsimile)

7 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

G-06 BELGIUM 1917

VC’S AWARDED

{Names in bold are those VCs held by the AWM} John CARROLL Frederick BIRKS

John DWYER Walter PEELER

Lewis McGee (Queen Victoria Museum & Art Gallery,Launceston,Tasmania) Clarence Jeffries (Adelaide City Council )

Robert Grieve (Shrine of Remembrance, Melbourne) Reginald INWOOD

(On loan from Adelaide City Council and 10Bn Assoc) Patrick Bugden (Queensland Museum, Brisbane)

More Australians died in battle during 1917 than in any other year of war. The last quarter, when the action was concentrated to the east of Ypres in Belgium, was the worst period. Here the five Australian divisions served together for the first time, with some attacking side by side, as they fought in a series of battles towards the ridge topped by the ruined village of Passchendaele. But the year ended much as it had begun, with the main armies bogged in the winter mud. This fighting had been preceded by success in the battle of Messines in June, where Private John Carroll and Captain Robert Grieve each won the Victoria Cross. In the following step-by-step battles, there were seven more awards. Fighting often took place around concrete blockhouses. Sergeant Lewis McGee received a posthumous VC for attacking one of them. He is buried in Tyne Cot Military Cemetery near Zonnebeke, close to the ground on which he fought his action. Tyne Cot is the largest British war cemetery on the Western Front and its size is testimony to the heavy fighting that took place in this region. Another Australian, Captain Clarence Jeffries VC, is also buried there.

RELICS

Jeffries’s binoculars Binoculars belonging to Captain Clarence Jeffries who was killed in action at Passchendaele in October 1917. He was posthumously awarded the VC. They are evidently the pair listed among the personal effects left in his kit that were sent to his family afterwards. REL/06350 Steel helmet Badly damaged British steel helmet from the site of the decisive battle of Messines in June 1917. It was picked up years later by an Australian who visited there to honour a friend who died in the battle. REL29549 Piece of bell from Cloth Hall, Ypres Fragment of one of the bells which hung in the Cloth Hall in Ypres. The medieval hall was almost completely destroyed by German artillery during the war. The fragment was souvenired from the ruins by an Australian soldier. RELAWM17428

8 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

G-07 DEFENCE TO OFFENSIVE 1918

VC’S AWARDED

{Names in bold are those VCs held by the AWM} Thomas AXFORD

Stanley MCDOUGALL William RUTHVEN

Walter BROWN Albert Borella (Privately held)

Percy Storkey (National Army Museum,Waiourou NZ) Henry DALZIEL

Clifford Sadlier (St George’s Cathederal ,Perth) Phillip DAVEY

In March 1918 the Germans broke through the British positions on the Somme, retaking the blood-soaked ground originally captured by the allies at an appalling cost in previous battles. The Australians, 100 kilometres away, were rushed south to meet the threat in front of Amiens. Soon they were protecting a long line from near Albert in the north to Villers-Bretonneux on the southern side of the Somme River. On the 28th, in a superhuman effort, Sergeant Stan McDougall helped repulse a major enemy thrust at Dernancourt. Next month the Germans launched themselves against Villers-Bretonneux. On the anniversary of ANZAC Day, the diggers, charging in the dark, drove off the last enemy attack. In this action Lieutenant Clifford Sadlier repeatedly led assaults against machine-guns. By morning the enemy had been stopped. In the following weeks the Australians consolidated while constantly harassing the Germans by aggressive patrolling. A couple of months later the allies were ready to strike back. In a brilliant attack at Le Hamel on 4 July, the Australians took vital ground, preparing the way for a large British offensive in which they would soon play a major part.

RELICS McDougall’s Lewis gun Sergeant Stan McDougall was a trained Lewis gunner. During his remarkable action at Dernancourt on 28 March 1918, he recovered a British Lewis light machine-gun, displayed here, that had been captured by the Germans. He used it “firing from the hip, causing many casualties” until his ammunition ran out. Then he resumed fighting with a rifle and bayonet until, finally, he could once again get a Lewis gun. During the action he burned his hand badly on one of the guns’ hot casings. His citation for the VC says that vital ground had been lost before “the prompt action of this non-commissioned officer saved the line and enabled the enemy’s advance to be stopped.” RELAWM00752 Helmet and identity discs Sergeant Wally Brown’s helmet was damaged when struck during the battle for Broodseinde Ridge in October 1917. The metal identity disc is an early type; the fibre ones were used once discs were worn in pairs from 1916. REL/00985.001; REL/00792 Flower presented to Brown Sergeant Wally Brown was presented with the VC by King George V at the royal residence at Sandringham in late 1918. There, Queen Alexandra, the king’s mother, gave him the white carnation from the garden.RELAWM15392

9 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

Borella’s cap Already in his mid-30s when he won the Victoria Cross in 1918, Albert Borella served in both world wars. He was a captain in prisoner of war and garrison units in Australia during the Second World War.REL/01466 G-08 SOMME ADVANCE 1918

VC’S AWARDED

{Names in bold are those VCs held by the AWM} Percy STATTON

Lawrence MCCARTHY Bernard GORDON

Alfred Gaby (Tasmanian Museum & Art Gallery, Hobart) Robert Beatham (Queensland Museum, Brisbane)

William Joynt (Melbourne Grammar School) Fighting one battle after another along the Somme, the Australians made unprecedented progress in August 1918. They also won six Victoria Crosses. Attacking at 4.20 am on the 8th, the Australian Corps was at the spearhead of a main British offensive so successful that General Eric Ludendorff called it “the black day of the German army”. At one point Lieutenant Alfred Gaby got through the enemy barbed-wire and armed with a revolver, single-handedly drove some enemy crews from their machine-guns. The Australians continued to advance on both sides of the Somme River towards Péronne. On the 23rd Lieutenant Lawrence McCarthy made an audacious lone attack and captured 450 metres of enemy line. The citation for his VC says that he was “mainly, if not entirely, responsible for the final objective being taken”. The depleted and battle-weary Australians were heartened to see the Germans withdrawing before their relentless advance. The allies were clearly gaining the ascendancy.

RELICS Statton’s revolver Webley Mark V revolver used by Sergeant Percy Statton in his Victoria Cross action in August 1918. The citation says that: ‘Armed only with a revolver, in broad daylight, (he) at once rushed four enemy machine-gun posts in succession, disposing of two of them and killing five of the enemy”.RELAWM01107.001 - 002

10 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

G-09 MONT ST QUENTIN AND PERONNE 1918

VC’S AWARDED

{Names in bold are those VCs held by the AWM} William CURREY

Albert LOWERSON Robert MACTIER

Alexander BUCKLEY Arthur HALL

Lawrence Weathers (Privately held) George Cartwright (Imperial War Museum)

Edgar Towner (Privately held)

After their breakthrough on the Somme in August, it was vital that the Australians capture the large town of Péronne and the nearby fortified hill called Mont St Quentin before the deteriorating weather brought any further operations to a standstill. Standing behind the Somme River, with its wide lakes and marshes, Péronne and Mont St Quentin were hard places to reach, and the enemy there had prepared for a tough fight. Monash, the Australian Corps commander, did not wait. With limited artillery support and no tanks, he called on classic infantry tactics and bold action. As a result of the successful fighting, between 31 August and 2 September, eight Victoria Crosses were awarded. It was the greatest number for any single Australian operation. Charles Bean, the Australian war historian, wrote that “the capture of Mont St Quentin and Péronne is held by many Australians soldiers to be the most brilliant achievement of the AIF”.

RELICS Condolences from the King Letter of condolence from King George V to the father of Alexander Buckley after he was killed in action on 2 September 1918. Buckley was posthumously awarded the VC.PR91/082.001 (facsimile) Letter to Mactier’s parents Letter from the men of B Coy, 23rd Battalion, to the parents of Private Robert Mactier, offering their condolences following his death during his VC action in September 1918. PR83/210.001 (facsimile) German officer’s cap Cap taken from a German officer by Corporal Lawrence Weathers during his VC action at Peronne in September 1918.RELAWM01095 Hall’s pistol Semi automatic 7.65mm Beholla pistol and holster used by Corporal Arthur Hall. A German handgun, it was evidently captured by Hall and subsequently used by him.REL/15447.001; REL/15447.002 Corporal Hall’s identity disc A typical identity disc, it shows Arthur Hall’s number, name, unit and religion. Identity discs were normally worn in pairs hanging on a cord around a soldier’s neck.REL/15449

11 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

Towner’s uniform Medal ribbons, including the VC, and colour patches, denote service in two wars. Early in the Second World War the 26th Battalion (the Logan and Albert Regiment), AMF, in north Queensland was notable in having two heroes of the First World War, both holding the VC among their decorations, as senior officers. Lieutenant Colonel Harry Murray was in command, and Major Edgar Towner, whose uniform is seen here, was second-in-command; both retired in 1942. REL/10963.001; REL/10964 G-10 HINDENBURG LINE 1918


Maurice BUCKLEY (alias Gerald Sexton) James WOODS Edward RYAN

Joseph MAXWELL George INGRAM

Blair Wark (Queensland Museum, Brisbane) Once Mont St Quentin had fallen, the Australians resumed their advance throughout September. The Germans fell back to their main Hindenburg Line once again. This was a zone, several kilometres deep, made up of seemingly impregnable trenches, concrete pill-boxes, tunnels, and fields of barbed-wire. The Australians, now low in numbers, fought their way right up to the line. By this time the 4th Division was desperate for a rest. But before it was withdrawn, Private Jim Woods and Sergeant Maurice Buckley each won the Victoria Cross near Le Verguier on 18 September 1918. Next the 3rd and 5th Australian Divisions, supporting two American divisions, attacked the Hindenburg Line on 29 September and the costly fighting, which was ultimately successful, went on for days. Three more VCs were gained there. The Australian 2nd Division then took over and attacked Montbrehain, where Lieutenant George Ingram distinguished himself on 5 October in the last action fought by the Australian infantry in the war.

RELICS

Buckley’s revolver Webley Mark VI revolver and holster used by Sergeant Maurice Buckley, who served and gained the Victoria Cross under the name of Gerald Sexton. Revolvers were commonly issued to men in Lewis gun crews.REL/05832.001 Sexton’s award announcement In 1918, General Officer Commanding the Fourth Army, General Sir Henry Rawlinson, under whom Australians were serving, had orders announcing awards printed in an attractive form. Here Sergeant Gerald Sexton (real name Maurice Buckley) is acknowledged as having received the VC. PR87/178.001 (facsimile) G-11 EAST AFRICA 1915, PALESTINE 1917, NORTH RUSSIA 1919


William DARTNELL Arthur SULLIVAN

Samuel PEARSE Frank McNamara ( RAF Museum, Hendon, London)

Despite the courage and skill of the Australian light horsemen in Egypt, Palestine, and Syria, the only Victoria Cross awarded to an Australian in that theatre of war went to a member of the

12 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

Australian Flying Corps (AFC). On 20 March 1917 Lieutenant Frank McNamara, despite having been wounded, landed his plane under enemy fire to rescue a downed comrade. Three other Australians won the VC in places well removed from the main areas of operations; all were serving with the British army’s Royal Fusiliers regiment. Boer War veteran Lieutenant Wilbur Dartnell received a posthumous award for his bravery in East Africa. Corporal Arthur Sullivan and Sergeant Sam Pearse were among dozens of Australians making up part of the British North Russia Relief Force. In 1919 their unit was helping with the withdrawal of troops trapped around Archangel by the fighting in the Russian civil war. Pearse’s award was made posthumously.

RELICS

Pearse’s fur slippers Slippers worn by Sergeant Samuel Pearse in North Russia. They were probably acquired locally and would have been handy in the extremely cold conditions under which the troops were serving. RELAWM01088 G-11 – SHELLAL MOSAIC WALL – PHOTOGRAPHS Lieutenant John Bisdee, recently returned from the war in South Africa, receives the VC from the Governor of Tasmania. P02939.052. Sergeant John Whittle being presented with the VC by King George V at Buckingham Palace, London. P09386.003 Second Lieutenant William Ruthven receives the ribbon for the VC from Lieutenant General Sir John Monash in the field. E02730 Major Frederick Tubb’s grave in Belgium: He was killed two year after gaining the VC on Gallipoli. P00735.014 Corporal Jack Edmondson’s parents accepted his posthumously awarded VC at a ceremony at Admiralty House, Sydney. P01170.001 ANZAC VC holders (Private Partridge; Private Kenna; Sergeant Hinton of New Zealand; Private Kelliher; and Sergeant Rattey) visit Corporal Edmondson’s grave at Tobruk en route to the 1953 coronation. P01895.001 Warrant Officer II Keith Payne being presented with the VC by Queen Elizabeth II on the royal yacht Britannia at Brisbane. P01002.085 G-11 – SHELLAL MOSAIC WALL – ART CAPTION FOR MOSAIC Shellal Mosaic (561 – 562 CE) Shellal (ein esh shellale - original Arabic) near Gaza, Palestine/Israel.coloured marble, malachite tesserae.Presented by War Office Trophies Committee 1918.ART40979 During the second battle of Gaza, on the 17 April 1917, a group of Australian signallers discovered the mosaic on a hill in the Wadi Ghuzze near the town of Shellal. This extraordinary example of Byzantine art had been partially revealed when Turkish soldiers used the site to establish a machine gun position. Two parallel gaps are visible on the mosaic where trenches had been dug. After the discovery, Australian and New Zealand volunteers from the ANZAC Field Squadron excavated the mosaic under the supervision of amateur archaeologist Reverend Maitland Woods,

13 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

who was Chaplain to the Australian Forces in Egypt. The 14 day excavation took place under difficult hot conditions, during which time the hostilities continued. The carefully documented removal culminated in the mosaic being shipped to Australia in 1918, where it became one of the foundation pieces of the Memorial collection. The mosaic was installed vertically into the foundation of the Memorial. However, it originally formed the floor of the nave of a Christian church, and the decorations are placed so the worshipper would view them as they walked from the door to the altar. The rich varieties of symbols in the mosaic were appropriated from a wide range of pagan cultures. Ancient Hellenistic symbols are combined with motifs found in Egyptian tombs to create a new Christian symbolism. The amphora at the bottom centre of the mosaic, flanked by two peacocks, represents the baptismal water which is central to Christianity. G-12 MIDDLE EAST 1941

VC’S AWARDED

{Names in bold are those VCs held by the AWM} John EDMONDSON

Arthur Roden CUTLER James GORDON

In the Second World War it was somewhat remarkable that, in ways similar to those at the beginning of the First World War, Australians were once again engaged in the Middle East. In 1941 they fought in North Africa and Syria, and in the ill-fated Greek campaign. Early in the year, German forces came to the assistance of the Italians in Libya, and the port town of Tobruk, where Australians formed a large part of the garrison, came under siege. The gallant eight-month-long defence of the town became one of the war’s epic stories. The first Australian Victoria Cross of the war was won there. It went posthumously to Corporal Jack Edmondson for his part in repulsing an enemy attack. In Syria the Australians were opposed by Vichy French forces. It was there that Lieutenant Roden Cutler became the only Australian artilleryman to win the VC. Shortly afterwards, another award was given, this time to Private Jim Gordon. Cutler’s wounds ended his active service, while Gordon went on to become a long-serving career soldier.

RELICS Edmondson’s personal items Watch, whistle, rising sun badges and “Australia” shoulder titles used by Corporal John Edmonson. The shoulder titles had been worn by his uncle during the First World War. RELAWM31950.001 - .003, .006 Edmondson telegram Telegram, dated ANZAC Day 1941, from the Minister for the Army to Joseph Edmondson, advising him of the death of his son, Corporal John Edmondson, during the action at Tobruk for which he was posthumously awarded the VC.PR89/056.002 (facsimile) Cutler’s governor’s hat Vice Regal black beaver plumed cocked hat worn by Sir Roden Cutler when Governor of New South Wales. He held the post with respect and an ‘old-style’ dignity.REL/18662.006

14 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

Red Cross letter Letter to Roden Cutler’s brother from the Red Cross advising of the amputation of the young officer’s leg, and his general medical condition, following the action for which he was awarded the VC. PR04032.001 (facsimile) G-13 AIR WAR: EUROPE & THE PACIFIC

VC’S AWARDED

{Names in bold are those VCs held by the AWM} Hughie EDWARDS

Rawdon MIDDLETON William NEWTON

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) was created in 1921. During a period of pre-war austerity, some pilots were transferred to the Royal Air Force (RAF). One was Group Captain Hughie Edwards, who, when the war came, was an outstanding combat leader; he received the Victoria Cross and was later associated with some of the RAAF aircrew in Britain. Many of these Australians had gone to Bomber Command to operate over Germany, Italy, and occupied Europe. Among them was Pilot Officer Rawdon Middleton, who was posthumously awarded the VC for sacrificing his life to allow his crew to escape from their crippled bomber. With the outbreak of the war in the Pacific, the RAAF quickly grew to eventually contain about 180,000 men and women. A variety of operations were undertaken ranging from Australia to the Philippines, and New Guinea to Malaya, often in cooperation with allied forces. Flights often involved direct attacks on Japanese positions. On one such an occasion Flight Lieutenant Bill Newton won the VC. In this incident he was shot John Dowie (1915 – 2008)

RELICS Hughie Edwards, VC cast in Adelaide, 1986 bronze, green patina presented by 460 Squadron Association 1986.ART40985 G-14 MALAYA 1942


Charles ANDERSON

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941, they also launched an invasion of Malaya, where Australians were among the British defenders. Landing on the coasts of Thailand and Malaya, the enemy advanced southwards. Most of the peninsula had fallen before Australian battalions came into action in Johore, with Singapore Island behind them. Although they executed some clever ambushes, they too were soon forced into desperate fighting withdrawals. On the west coast’s Muar front, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Anderson personally led bold assaults on the enemy although his force was surrounded. There was heavy action around Parit Sulong. Driven onto Singapore Island, the Australians fought more bitter actions before a surrender was announced on 15 February 1942. After that the British and Commonwealth troops went into captivity to face a long period of maltreatment and neglect as prisoners of war.

15 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

RELICS Hat from Anderson’s funeral Army slouch hat used at the funeral of Lieutenant Colonel Charles Anderson VC. It bears the colour patch of the 2/19th Battalion which he had commanded in Malaya. REL/18492 G-15 EL ALAMEIN 1942


Arthur GURNEY William KIBBY

Percival Gratwick {Army Museum of WA, Perth}

In 1942 the Germans under Field Marshal Erwin Rommel were pressing into Egypt from the west. A series of battles, into which the 9th Australian Division was drawn, swayed back and forth. On 22 July the 2/48th Battalion attacked at Tel el Eisa, where Private Stan Gurney won the Victoria Cross. For the British, there was then a period of build-up and an important change of command, with Lieutenant General Bernard Montgomery taking over. The battle of El Alamein was fought in October and November, and once again the 2/48th Battalion featured, with Sergeant Bill Kibby and Private Percy Gratwick being awarded the VC: The battalion became the most highly decorated in the Second AIF. El Alamein was a vital victory. Under continuing pressure, Rommel was forced to retreat. The hard-fighting Australians, who had suffered almost 5,000 casualties since July, were relieved and did not take part in the enemy’s final defeat the following year. The VC awards to the three Australians were all posthumous. They are buried in the El Alamein War Cemetery.

RELICS Gurney’s personal articles Practical items of a pipe and pocket knife together with a souvenir gift powder compact found among the possessions of Private Arthur Gurney after his death in action. The soldier was posthumously awarded the VC. REL/13480; REL/13479; REL/13481 G-16 KOKODA & MILNE BAY 1942


Bruce KINGSBURY John French {Privately held}

The speedy advance of Japanese forces through the Pacific area, and their landings in New Guinea and Papua in early 1942, seemed to place Australia at risk of invasion. From July, the enemy, having advanced from northern coastal beachheads, was trying to reach Port Moresby overland across the Owen Stanley Range. Australian militia troops who tried to hold them along the Kokoda Trail were reinforced by AIF units. Meanwhile, in August, the enemy also landed at Milne Bay on the eastern tip of Papua, where they were soon defeated. Private Bruce Kingsbury won the Victoria Cross on the Kokoda Trail, and a week later Corporal John French did the same during the Milne Bay fighting. Both were posthumous awards. By September the Japanese were almost in sight of Port Moresby, but Allied resistance, here and elsewhere, had strengthened. Fighting in the worst possible conditions, the Australians pursued the enemy withdrawal. By the end of the year the Japanese were held in their coastal bases and increasingly under attack from Australian and American forces.

16 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

G-17 NEW GUINEA 1943


Richard KELLIHER Thomas DERRICK

Following a year of gruelling fighting in the jungles of Papua and New Guinea, in 1943 the Australians were finally able to turn to the offensive. Yet despite the Allies’ expanding control of the air and sea, the Japanese still had strong forces at Rabaul in New Britain and sought to reinforce Lae in New Guinea. Japanese attempts to take Wau were defeated in January. In the following months the Australians carried the brunt of the land fighting in New Guinea, while elsewhere American operations left the Japanese troops increasingly isolated and cut off. The Australians pressed on, taking Salamaua but with Lae as their prime objective. There was heavy fighting along the Markham Valley and Nadzab was taken on 5 September. Lae finally fell 11 days later. Operations to clear the Huon Peninsula facing New Britain, where Sattelberg was an important strategic feature, followed. The main Japanese forces were forced to retreat westward.

RELICS Derrick recommendation Letter from Prime Minister John Curtin, dated 9 February 1944, supporting the award of the VC to Sergeant Tom “Diver” Derrick for his actions in New Guinea.RC09669 (Facsimile) Map of VC exploit Colour trace map of the action for which Sergeant “Diver” Derrick was awarded the VC. The map is marked with the positions where he threw hand grenades when attacking the Japanese positions. RC09670 (Facsimile) G-18 FINAL CAMPAIGNS 1945


Albert CHOWNE John MACKEY Edward KENNA

Thomas Starcevich (Army Museum WA,Perth) Frank Partridge (Privately held} Reginald Rattey (Privately held)

The relentless Allied advances in the Pacific left pockets of Japanese troops isolated in northern New Guinea and the islands. Australian forces conducted operations on Bougainville and Borneo, against enemy concentrations around Rabaul in New Britain, and in the Aitape–Wewak area of New Guinea. Conditions were arduous and there was often heavy fighting. Lieutenant Albert Chowne won the Victoria Cross in New Guinea in March 1945. Private Ted Kenna got the VC in May. He would go on to be the last living Australian holder of the award from the Second World War. Corporal John Mackey’s VC was awarded for actions on Tarakan Island. The last Australian VC awarded in the war went to a militiaman, Private Frank Partridge, on Bougainville on 24 July 1945.

RELICS Chowne’s wrist watch Watch worn by Lieutenant Albert Chowne during the action at Dagua, New Guinea for which he was posthumously awarded the VC. The watch was damaged and stopped at the approximate time that the officer was killed.RELAWM32981 Report from unit war diary

17 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

Part of a report referring to the actions of No. 8 Platoon, ‘A’ Company, 2/2nd Battalion, during which Lieutenant Albert Chowne, the platoon commander, was killed; he was subsequently posthumously awarded the VC. RC09699 (facsimile) G-19 VIETNAM 1962-75


Kevin WHEATLEY Peter BADCOE {In Partenership with History SA}

Rayene SIMPSON Keith PAYNE

The Australian contribution to the Vietnam War commenced in 1962 and lasted for ten years. During this time the Australian forces were expanded and conscription was introduced. The Royal Australian Regiment grew to nine battalions and each one saw active service. The RAAF and RAN also made important contributions. In 1965 Warrant Officer Class II Kevin Wheatley got the first Victoria Cross awarded to an Australian since the end of the Second World War; there had been no award of the VC to an Australian in the Korean War. Wheatley and three others, who also received the award over the following four years, were all members of the Australian Army Training Team Vietnam (AATTV). Its title may suggest that this was a non-combat unit, but this was far from the fact. Scattered in small groups, working with local South Vietnamese and US troops and usually remote from other Australians, the members of the unit saw considerable fighting throughout the war. One of them, Warrant Officer Ray Simpson, had already gained the Distinguished Conduct Medal before receiving the VC.

RELICS

Badcoe’s survival knife The American knife and scabbard, with a field dressing attached, was worn by Major Peter Badcoe in Vietnam during the action for which he was posthumously awarded the VC. RELAWM40155.001-002 Telegram concerning Simpson After Warrant Officer Ray Simpson was awarded the VC, army office in Canberra suggested to the Australian headquarters in South Vietnam that he be placed in a ‘safe’ position in future. Simpson never sought such a position. RCO9698 (facsimile) Keith Payne, who earned his Victoria Cross during heroic action in Vietnam in 1969, on 18 June 2014 donated for posterity his complete VC group, comprising 23 differing medals, to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. The medal entitlement of Warrant Officer II Keith Payne - Australian Army Training Team, Vietnam

• Victoria Cross • Medal of the Order of Australia ( OAM ) • Australian Active Service Medal ( 1945-75 )

o 4 clasps: o "Korea" - Malaysia" - "Vietnam" - "Thai-Malay"

• Korea Medal ( 1950-53 )

18 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

• United Nations Korea Medal ( 1950-53 ) • General Service Medal ( 1962- )

o 1 clasp: o "Malay Peninsula"

• Vietnam Medal ( 1965-68 ) • Australian Service Medal ( 1945-75 )

o 3 clasps: o "Korea" - "SE Asia" - "PNG"

• Queen Elizabeth Silver Jubilee Medal ( 1977 ) • Queen Elizabeth Golden Jubilee Medal ( 2002 ) • Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal ( 2012 ) • Centenary Medal ( 2001 ) ( Australia ) • Defence Force Service Medal ( Australia ) • National Medal ( 1975 ) ( Australia ) • Australia Defence Medal ( Australia ) • Meritorious Service Medal ( MSM )

o 'Commonwealth of Australia' Issue • Army Long Service & Good Conduct Medal ( LSGC )

o 'Australia' suspension: • Distinguished Service Cross ( DSC ) ( US issue ) • Silver Star ( USA ) • Cross of Gallantry with Bronze Star ( Rep of Vietnam ) • South Vietnam Campaign Medal ( Rep of Vietnam )

o 1 clasp: o '1960'

• General Service Medal ( Oman ) • As Sumood Medal ( Oman ) • Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal ( Malaysia )

THE PAYNE MEDAL GROUP, IS THE LARGEST AWARDED TO AN AUSTRALIAN

AND IS THIRD LARGEST IN THE COMMONWEALTH G-20 AFGHANISTAN 2001-

VC’S AWARDED

{Names in bold are those VCs held by the AWM}

Mark DONALDSON (Gifted) Benjamin ROBERTS-SMITH (Donated)

Daniel KEIGHRAN (On Loan) Cameron Stewart BAIRD (On Loan)

Mark DONALDSON VC

Mark Donaldson was born in Newcastle, New South Wales, and later accompanied his family to Dorrigo. After a number of jobs in Australia and overseas, he joined the Australian Regular Army in 2002. In 2004 he was posted to the Special Air Service (SAS). At the time of his Victoria Cross action, 2 September 2008, he was on his second operational tour in Afghanistan. Donaldson was returning to base in the Oruzgan province, in a joint US, Australian, and Afghan convoy when the group was ambushed. In heavy fighting, he moved from cover to cover to engage the enemy with anti-armour weapons as well as his own rifle, several times drawing the enemy's

19 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

fire away from the wounded. He also rescued a wounded interpreter. His actions were described as being of the "highest accord and in keeping with the finest traditions of the Australian Defence Force". In 2010 he was appointed the National Australia Day Council's Young Australian of the Year.

Benjamin ROBERTS-SMITH VC MG

Benjamin Roberts-Smith was born in Perth, Western Australia, in 1978. He joined the Australian Regular Army in 1996 and was posted to the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, with whom he conducted two operational tours of East Timor. In 2003 he was posted to the Special Air Service, and he was on his second operational tour of Afghanistan in 2006 when he was awarded the Medal for Gallantry for his actions as a patrol scout and sniper during Operation Slipper.

Roberts-Smith was on his fifth tour of Afghanistan, when on 11 June 2010 he was involved in his Victoria Cross action. During an operation to hunt for a senior Taliban commander, in the Kandahar province, Roberts-Smith took part in an assault against an enemy fortification, exposing his own position in order to draw fire away from members of his patrol who were pinned down. Fighting at close range, he stormed two enemy machine-gun posts and silenced them. His citation in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette notes that "his selfless actions in circumstances of great peril served to enable his patrol to break into the enemy's defences and to regain the initiative ... resulting in a tactical victory."

Daniel Alan KEIGHRAN, VC

Daniel Alan Keighran was born in Nambour, Queensland on 18 June 1983 and spent his formative years in regional Queensland.He enlisted in the Australian Army on 5 December 2000 and completed his Initial Employment Training at the School of Infantry in Singleton, New South Wales.

In 2001, Corporal Keighran was posted to the 6th Battalion, the Royal Australian Regiment (6 RAR), where he served as a Rifleman in Delta Company. He deployed to Rifle Company Butterworth Malaysia in 2001, on Operation CITADEL - East Timor in 2003/2004 and again to Rifle Company Butterworth Malaysia in 2004.Keighran was promoted to Lance Corporal in 2005 and then served within Mortar Platoon, Support Company, 6 RAR.

In 2006, he deployed on Operation CATALYST Iraq where he served as a Bushmaster driver, a role he also filled on deployment to Afghanistan with Operation SLIPPER in 2007, where he served in support of the Special Operations Task Group Rotation 4/5.In 2009, he was promoted to Corporal and posted back to Delta Company, 6 RAR.In 2010, Corporal Keighran deployed to Afghanistan on Operation SLIPPER with Mentoring Task Force 1 (MTF-1), becoming a mentor midway through his tour.For his actions carried at Derapet, Uruzgan Province, Afghanistan, he was invested with the Victoria Cross for Australia by Her Excellency the Governor-General of Australia at Government House, Canberra on 1 November 2012.Corporal Keighran transferred to the Active Reserve in 2011, at the same time commencing a civilian career in the mining industry. He is currently posted to the 11th/28th Battalion, the Royal Western Australia Regiment (11/28 RWAR), a Reserve infantry battalion of the Australian Army. He is married to Kathryn.

20 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

Cameron Stewart BAIRD VC MG

Cameron Baird was born in Burnie, Tasmania, in 1981. He joined the Australian Regular Army in January 2000 and was posted to 4th Battalion (Commando), Royal Australian Regiment (now 2nd Commando Regiment). Baird served in East Timor and Iraq and was deployed four times to Afghanistan. He was awarded the Medal of Gallantry in 2007 on his second operational tour.

Baird was on his fourth tour of Afghanistan in 2013 when he was involved in the action for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. On 22 June, as team commander, he participated in an assault on the Taliban-held village of Ghawchak in Uruzgan province. Shortly after the helicopter insertion, Baird led his team in silencing a number of enemy positions while under heavy small-arms fire. He then went to the aid of another team whose commander had been seriously wounded. With selfless disregard for his own safety, he drew the fire from an enemy machine-gun position, “the bullets hitting the ground around him”. He managed to suppress the enemy fire, allowing his team to regain the initiative.

Once in the enemy compound, Baird forced his way into hostile buildings amid intense small-arms fire. He charged the enemy’s position three times to draw fire away from his team. On the third occasion, Corporal Baird’s actions “enabled the enemy to be neutralised and kept his team safe, but ultimately cost him his life”.

RELICS

Order of the Day Order by the Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie, describing the action for which Trooper Mark Donaldson won the Victoria Cross for Australia. The Order was part of the award ceremony at Government House, Canberra.RC08110

21 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

G-21 GEORGE CROSS

GC’S AWARDED {Names in bold are those GCs held by the AWM

Chief Petty Officer Jonathan Rogers

Lieutenant George Gosse Lieutenant Hugh Randall Syme

Lieutenant John Stuart Mould Lieutenant Commander Leon Verdi Goldsworthy

Private Benjamin Gower Hardy Private Ralph Jones

Captain Lionel Colin Matthews Private Horace William Madden

SEE ANNEX J GEORGE CROSS LOCATOR FOR BIOGRAPHICAL DETAILS OF THESE

RECIPIENTS OF THE GEORGE CROSS

RELICS

Lionel Matthews’s message and personal items The message, with other news gathered on a secret radio, was probably the last prepared by Matthews. He used the code name “Roslyn” (he had lived near Rosslyn Park, South Australia), while “Geebung” was James Taylor, an Australian doctor in Sandakan who was involved in the local underground and who last saw Matthews led away to his execution “trussed up like an animal”. The Military Cross ribbon was presented to Matthews early in his captivity: it was a spare lent by Captain Stan Woods. Matthews wore the signalman’s badge while in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve before the war; it was there he first became a skilled signaller. He kept the pocket watch, inscribed with his name, while a prisoner of war. REL43145–46; REL43140; RC09764–66 [facsimile] The ‘big tree’ A tall tree, a regular meeting place for prisoners and, at times, somewhere to hide things, dominated the site of the Sandakan prisoner-of-war camp. At the end of the war, it still stood close to the remains of the burnt-out camp. 120461 G-23 - AFGHANISTAN A Unique uniform Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith wore this uniform during his Victoria Cross action in the enemy-held village of Tizak, Afghanistan, in 2010. His body armour is absent. It was left behind after the Black Hawk helicopter inserting his patrol came under intense enemy fire and the men had to be rapidly deployed. This uniform is the only complete example worn during a Victoria Cross or George Cross action to have survived to become part of the National Collection. All the items displayed with the uniform were actually used by Roberts-Smith during the assault, except for one of the radio components and the boots.

22 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

Battle–damaged rifle Corporal Cameron Stewart Baird was killed in the final moments of an operation in the Uruzgan village of Ghawchak, Afghanistan on 22 June 2013.Baird’s M4 carbine was damaged during the fighting and at a critical time it jammed forcing him to withdraw temporarily in order to unlock the stoppage. Returning to the attack, he led further assaults in the enemy compound before being fatally wounded by small-arms fire. For his actions, Baird was awarded the Victoria Cross. This was the first posthumous Victoria Cross for Australia and the first VC awarded to the Australian commando unit. G24A – CENTRAL SPACE - SCULPTURE Web Gilbert First World War Australian War Records Section artist Bomber While this work does not directly represent VC winners, it provides the viewer with a sense of physical action vital to the winning of each VC. bronze cast in Melbourne, 1936; plaster cast in Melbourne, 1921 acquired under commission c. 1922 ART09832 G24B – CENTRAL SPACE - SCULPTURE Web Gilbert First World War Australian War Records Section artist Over the top While this work does not directly represent VC winners, it provides the viewer with a sense of physical action vital to the winning of each VC. Bronze cast in Melbourne, 1921acquired under commission c. 1922 ART09833 G25A – WALL MOUNTED PAINTINGS – ART CAPTIONS Victoria Cross Recipient Portraits The Australian War Memorial has an extensive collection of portraits of Victoria Cross (VC) recipients, developed through donations and an active program of commissions. This collection extends upon a tradition of art that holds distinguished servicemen in high esteem; as positive reflections of the strength and authority of a nation or community. Common to the portraits of VC recipients is an aspiration to commemorate the individual and explore the motivations and skill behind their brave acts. Some artists choose to focus on the everyday aspect of these men - contrasting this ordinary nature with their remarkable achievement - others portray an ideal courageous type. George Coates (1869 - 1930)

23 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

First World War Australian War Records Section artist Captain Albert Jacka, VC Jacka’s image was used in numerous recruiting posters, and his exploits featured regularly in newspapers. His physical prowess and skills as a boxer were central to the legend that surrounded Jacka. This portrait also represents Jacka as physical, assertive and self-assured. painted in Australia, 1921.oil on canvas.acquired under commission 1922.ART00201 Ivor Hele (1912 – 1993) Second World War and Korean War official war artist Sergeant Thomas ('Diver') Derrick, VC Dressed in fatigues with a gun resting across his lap, Derrick is represented taking a break during patrol duties. He appears sturdy, composed and good humoured. This work was created one year before Derrick was killed fighting in Borneo. painted in Melbourne, 1944;oil on canvas.acquired under official war art scheme 1944.ART24071 Shirley Bourne (1924 - 2006) Warrant Officer Class II Keith Payne, VC painted in Australia, 1972 .oil on canvas.acquired under commission 1972.ART27773 G25B – WALL MOUNTED PAINTING – WOP CAPTIONS George Lambert (1873 - 1930) First World War official war artist Captain Hugo Throssell, VC painted in Egypt, 1918.pencil on paper.acquired under official war art scheme 1920.ART02797 G25C – WALL MOUNTED PAINTING – WOP CAPTIONS George Browning (1918 - 2000) Second World War official war artist Richard Kelliher, VC drawn in Papua New Guinea, 1946.pen and brown ink with coloured wash with pencil on paper acquired under official war art scheme 1946.ART26000 G26 – DIGITAL PORTRAIT– ART CAPTION

Portrait of Mark Donaldson VC Shaun Gladwell

24 ISSUE # 15 (1130210716)

G26 – CONTINGENCY– WALL MOUNTED PAINTING – ART CAPTIONS Max Meldrum (1875 - 1955) Captain Percy Storkey, VC painted in Sydney and Melbourne, 1920 - 1921.oil on canvas commissioned by New Zealand Government 1919.OL00275.001.William Dargie (1912 – 2003).Second World War official war artist Corporal Jim Gordon, VC Of his subject, artist William Dargie noted that he was, ‘Not the smiling, happy-go-lucky "Digger" of legend, but the slightly older-than-young man with a very definite sense of responsibility. A farmer from Western Australia, he had all the countryman's modesty and reticence of speech. He rather deprecated heroism as such, and said "No-one likes wars. It's just a matter sticking with your friends”’..painted in Syria, 1941.oil on canvas. acquired under official war art scheme 1956.ART26993

Victoria Cross Rest Areas

1995

John Edmondson VC Rest Area - Roses Lagoon

Arthur Gurney VC Rest Area - Lake George North

Bruce Kingsbury VC Rest Area - Penrose State Forrest

1996

John French VC Rest Area - Yarra Interchange

William Kibby VC Rest Area - Near Yarra Interchange

Percival Gratwick VC Rest Area - Collector

1997

Rawdon Middleton RAAF VC Rest Area - Gundaroo Turnoff

William Newton RAAF VC Rest Area - Gundaroo Turnoff

Albert Chowne VC Rest Area - Marulen

1998

Kevin Wheatley VC Rest Area - Lake George

Peter Badcoe VC Rest Area - Lake George

1999

Charles Anderson VC Rest Area - Geary's Gap

Thomas Derrick VC Rest Area - Towrang Creek

2000

Hughie Edwards VC Memorial Park - Federal Highway ACT

2001

John Mackey VC Rest Area - Illawarra Highway Junction

James Gordon VC Rest Area - Belanglo

2002

Richard Kelliher VC Memorial Park - Campbell ACT

Reginald Rattey VC Memorial Park - Campbell ACT

2004

Frank Partridge VC Rest Area- Menangle

2005

Ray Simpson VC Memorial Park - Campbell ACT

Leslie Starcevich VC Memorial Park - Campbell ACT

2006

Sir Roden Cutler VC Rest Area - Prestons

2012

Edward Kenna VC Rest Area – Pheasants Nest

For the future

Mark Donaldson VC Rest Area

Keith Payne VC Rest Area

Benjamin Roberts-Smith VC Rest Area

Daniel Keighran VC Rest Area

took its place. These were the first official plantings which physically, marked each end of the Remembrance Driveway and which provided the impetus for subsequent plantings to begin

simultaneously from both ends of the Driveway. In 2002 Governor General Peter Hollingworth planted three red spotted gums in Remembrance Park, behind the Australian War

Memorial to re-mark the Canberra end of the Driveway.

Following the official launch and the Royal plantings, general enthusiasm and public support for the project was high and remained so for about 10 years. Publicity, through the media,

continued and was aimed at encouraging individual donors. Progress on the Remembrance Driveway was broadcast over ABC radio and Radio 2CH and later was given good television

coverage. Auxiliaries were formed at Goulburn, Canberra, Camden and Berrima to supervise local plantings, however all have now closed down.

Many individual donations came flooding in and it became impossible to identify individual trees with individual donors as was initially intended. Corporate sponsors however were able

to be acknowledged as for example with the Qantas grove at Bass Hill and the Hoyts Theatres grove at Lake George North, now the Arthur Gurney VC Rest Area.

Beginning with modest planting in 1954 the project accelerated over the next few years with plantings at 10 sites in 1955, 19 sites in 1956 and 7 sites in 1957. Fewer plantings were

undertaken from then on, partly because there was a limited number of new sites available but also because the main effort was concentrated on maintaining the many thousands of

trees already planted.

The Decline

In 1962, six new plantations were established and in 1967, 1973 and 1979 some small plantations were put in at Bass Hill and Cabramatta on the Hume Highway, in Sydney's inner

west, but generally the Committee concentrated its efforts on maintaining existing plantations and investing surplus funds to generate income during the period of high interest rates. A

pause was also called for because it was recognised that the development of the new expressway which was to replace the old Hume Highway would call for a reassessment of the

route the Driveway should take. Public interest was waning. Many believed that the Remembrance Driveway had been completed and the Committee disbanded. No new sponsors were

forthcoming and individual donations ceased. The maintenance of the established plantations became difficult and it was due only to the dedicated work of the Committee that the

plantations survived.

The Revival

The modern revival of the project began in the early 1990’s. In 1991 the Roads and Traffic Authority [RTA]

took up sponsorship of the Driveway Committee. In 1992 over 500 trees were planted within the existing

Villawood plantation to commemorate those who had served in the Vietnam War and in 1993, one of the

original sponsors, Qantas, carried out additional planting in their Bass Hill plantation. In 1993, the Army

planted and dedicated the largest plantation for many years on the F5 and Narellan Road interchange at

Kenny Hill. [This is the turn off to the Mount Annan Botanic Garden and in a co-operative effort by the

Authority and the Garden, further development of this area began in late 1999.] Also in 1993, the

Committee accepted after much discussion, that the Remembrance Driveway should move away from the

old Hume Highway route to the new highway between Liverpool and Goulburn. It reluctantly agreed that

responsibility for the sections of the Driveway which were being bypassed would pass back to local

authorities and/or community groups. These sections of the old Driveway could be referred to as

Remembrance Drives or Remembrance Groves if that was the local wish but no longer would they be a part

of the Remembrance Driveway.

In April 1997, in a joint statement, the Federal Minister for Transport, Mr John Sharp MP and the Minister for

Veteran's Affairs, Mr Bruce Scott MP committed $4 million of Federal funding which was passed to the RTA,

to accelerate a programme of naming rest area sites after the then 21 deceased Australian Victoria Cross

recipients from World War II and Vietnam and to enable the refurbishment of rest areas and tree plantations

and to better provide for public information signage along the Remembrance Driveway.

The Committee, in conjunction with RTA staff, had initiated phase one of the Victoria Cross Rest Area Project

in 1995 with the aim of dedicating Rest Areas to the memory of the 12 posthumously awarded World War II

and Vietnam War winners. Phase one began with the dedication of three Rest Areas at Roses Lagoon, Lake

George North and Penrose State Forrest. This was widened following the dedication of the Federal

Government funds, to encompass all the deceased Victoria Cross recipients from these conflicts. Rest Areas

in their honour have been/are to be established (listed at the right).

In the ACT, because NSW RTA responsibility for development of the Driveway stops at the border,

Government authorities are ensuring that the Driveway with all its features continues on to the Australian

War Memorial. In September 2000, the ACT Government and it's Department of Territory and Municipal

Services sponsored the development of the Hughie Edwards VC Memorial Park in the northern approaches

to Canberra and in the Remembrance Park, behind the Australian War Memorial, Campbell, the Department

prepared a specially landscaped site for three landmark trees to mark the Canberra end of the Driveway.

These were planted by the Governor- General, His Excellency the Right Reverend Peter Hollingworth AC,

OBE, in November 2002 to replace the tree planted by Her Majesty in 1954, which had died. The

Department also completed the construction of the Kelliher VC and Rattey VC Memorial Parks, in this park.

These were dedicated in October 2002. In 2005 the Committee commissioned the additional construction of

the Ray Simpson VC and Leslie "Tom" Starcevich VC memorials in this Park.

In December 2006, in the presence of Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC, CVO, Governor of New

South Wales, the Committee dedicated the Sir Roden Cutler VC Memorial Interchange and companion VC

Rest Area. This interchange is at the intersection of the M5 and M7 motorways at Prestons.

On 15 November 2010, in the presence of Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC, Governor-General of the

Commonwealth of Australia, the Committee dedicated the Australian Defence Force Memorial Plantation.

This 45,000 tree Plantation extends 15.5 kilometres along the Remembrance Driveway between the Sir

Roden Cutler VC Memorial Interchange at Prestons and the Mount Annan Botanic Garden. The Memorial

recognises all Australian Defence Force personnel who have served and will serve in various theatres of conflict, including peace keeping missions following the Vietnam era. Memorial

walls on both the northbound and southbound roadways identify the plantation to passing motorists.

In August 2012, in the presence of Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC, CVO, Governor of New South Wales (who had recently become Patron of the RDC) the Committee

There has always been a cordial relationship between

the Remembrance Driveway Committee and the

Department of Main Roads and its successors the Roads

and Traffic Authority and then Roads and Maritime

Services. They have been represented on the

Committee from the start. The Authority/Service took up

sponsorship of the Driveway Committee in 1991 and

since then has supported the concept of the

Remembrance Driveway with financial, planning and

material assistance. It is this involvement which has

enabled the Remembrance Driveway Committee to

complete the development phase of the Remembrance

Driveway project. The Committee thanks them.

The Committee has been very well served by the

immediate past two Presidents. Major General Kevin

Latchford began the modern revival of the project when

he assumed the presidency in 1989, and Commodore

Ian Callaway continued with the revival through to

2012. The Remembrance Driveway made great progress

under the leadership of these two Presidents who both

passed away in 2013; Major General Latchford died in

February and Commodore Callaway died in September

of that year.

The Remembrance Driveway is a tribute from those who

remember yesterday and have faith in tomorrow. It

commemorates those who have served in the Australian

Defence Forces in World War II and subsequent wars or

who have served since then in operational theatres

around the world, in defence of the nation's interests.

The Driveway now has achieved the form and status its

founders imagined. It is complete so far as it can be.

But it is a living memorial and under the careful

stewardship of the Remembrance Driveway Committee,

it will continue to grow as new opportunities present

themselves.

Ian Scott AMAir Commodore, RAAFAR

President

Remembrance Driveway Committee

August 2013

dedicated the Edward Kenna VC Rest Area at Pheasant Nest. This site has set a very high standard for VC Rest Areas established in conjunction with Motorway Service Centres.

The Future

The Committee's objectives for 2013/14 are as follows:

With the help of Roads and Maritime Services remain alert for any developments which might enable the dedication of VC Rest Areas for Keith Payne VC, Mark Donaldson VC,

Benjamin Roberts-Smith VC and Daniel Keighran VC.

Maintain the Remembrance Driveway website.

The inventory of Remembrance Driveway assets is nearing completion and the process for Heritage Listing upon the S 170 Register is about to begin. The Committee will ensure

that the heritage listing process proceeds to conclusion.

Attempt to increase interest in the maintenance of Winsor Park, on the corner of Brunker Rd and Hume Highway, Chullora, with a view to bringing it to the standard of other

Remembrance Driveway plantations.

Progress the maintenance of trees in the Chullora and some Bass Hill sections of the Driveway.

Oversee the maintenance of existing VC Memorial Rest Areas to ensure that they are maintained at the required standard.

Encourage the improvement of existing plantations (in particular the Sir Roden Cutler VC Interchange and rest area) and the development of new ones.

Conclusion

REMEMBRANCE DRIVEWAY COMMITTEE

PAST PRESIDENTS

Lieutenant General Sir Frank Berryman KCVO CB CBE DSO - 1952-1981

Sir Charles Moses KB CBE - 1981-1988

Mr Robin Wood - 1988

Mr Nigel Ashton AM - 1989

Major General Kevin Latchford AO 1989 - 1999

Commodore Ian Callaway OAM 2000 - 2012

REMEMBRANCE DRIVEWAY COMMITTEE

President

Air Commodore Ian Scott AM, RAAFAR

Vice President

Air Commodore Frank Burtt OBE (Retd)

Honorary Secretary

Mr Ken Bradley

Honorary Treasurer

Mr David Farquhar

Public Officer

Mr Ken Bradley

Members

Mr. Steve Amos

Ms Anne Bonner

Mr Ken Bradley

Mr Bill Harrigan

Mr Ian Henderson

Mr Greg Jackson

Mr Peter Kalina

Mrs Sally Kalina

Ms Judy Keast

Ms Wendy Thompson

Mr Alexander Weilsman

ACT Government Representative

Mr Steve Amos [ACT Department of Territory and Municipal Services]

Returned Services League Representatives

Mr Bill Harrigan

Mr Ian Henderson

Garden Club of Australia Representatives

Mr Ken Bradley

War Widows Guild NSW Representative

Ms Wendy Thompson

RMS Representatives

Mr Greg Jackson

Mr Alexander Weilsmann

sitemap | privacy | home | Remembrance Driveway Committee Inc © Copyright 2016

http://www.remembrancedriveway.org.au/sitemap.asp

http://www.remembrancedriveway.org.au/about/privacy.asp


1 ISSUE # 7 (December 2009)

ANNEX F TO BACKGROUNDER # 30

VICTORIA CROSS – READING LIST

Australian War Memorial Website: Encyclopedia:Victoria Cross. Bravest of the Brave: The Story of the Victoria Cross. John Glandfield 20055. ISBN 0750936959.( Book casts new light on the mythical origins of the metal used in the production of the VC) MONUMENTS TO COURAGE Victoria Cross Headstones & Memorials. David Harvey.1999.ISBN 1843423561 (This is a monumental work in every sense. It is the product of some 35 years of research that took the author to more than fifty countries and thousands of cemeteries and churchyards) They Dared Mightily, by Lionel Wigmore in collaboration with Bruce Harding.1963. Revised and condensed by Jeff Williams and Anthony Staunton, published by The Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1986. Victoria Cross: Australia’s finest and the battles they fought. Anthony Staunton. Hardi Books 2005.(An updated and revised version of They Dared Mightly (1963) and Wigmores and Staunton’s later 1986 Edition) Victoria Cross Presentations and Locations.Dennis Pillinger and Anthony Staunton. 2000.ISBN 0 646 39741 9. The Victoria Cross . Iain 'Scoop' Stewart: News,Auctions Medal locations and Burial locations of recipients.{www.victoriacross.org.uk/vcross.htm} Victoria Cross Society.The Society seeks to educate, enlighten, stimulate and further interest and knowledge in the history and personalities associated with the Victoria Cross. It publishes two very professional quality journals each year. {www.victoriacrosssociety.com/} Imperial War Museum London, England. Covers conflicts involving Britain and the Commonwealth since 1914 and includes a permanent exhibition on the Victoria Cross.{www.iwm.org.uk} The Australian & New Zealand Victoria Cross. Impressive and detailed site devoted to the Australian and New Zealand Victoria Cross winners. By John Cantwell. Site appears to be inactive. Victoria Cross Reference. Mike Chapman site is migrating its content to Wikipedia .This site includes biographical information, campaign details, living recipients and a relatives register. {http://www.victoriacross.net/default.asp} Victoria Cross Bibliography. John Mulholland & Alan Jordan.1999 ISBN: 1 902040 21 . Lists 630 key VC titles each with a description and annotation; over 100 non-fiction and fictional books written by VC recipients but unrelated to the VC. Lists, in alphabetical order, every VC recipient and records the date of the London Gazette citation.

1 ISSUE #7 (December 2009)

ANNEX G TO BACKGROUNDER #30

THE METAL OF THE VICTORIA CROSS

By Chris Hunter

( This article appearded in a revised format in the Guide Post March 2006)

Guides may have seen the copy of the newspaper article which Mary James left in the Guides’ Room which questions whether the metal used for VCs is, in fact, taken from Russian cannon captured by the British at Sebastopol. These cannon are now held at Woolwich arsenal. The author of a new book, Bravest of the Brave, historian John Glanfield claims that through studying historical documents and scientific analysis he has proven that the Woolwich cannon were not used until 1914 – some 58 years after the first VCs were produced. This is a very interesting article which I commend to Guides. It inspired me to dig further. The Hancocks Jewellers web site says that the myth (if it is a myth) of the Russian cannon was first published in the London Daily Telegraph on 1st March 1857. The paper reported that the ‘decoration consists of a Maltese cross formed from the cannon captured from the Russians.’ This information was attributed to Lord Panmure, Secretary of State for War, who entrusted manufacture of the medals to Hancocks Jewellers of Bruton Street.

Another web site, www.victoriacross.org.uk, says the following:

Inspired perhaps by the Queen’s remarks (Queen Victoria preferred bronze to copper) someone had the happy thought that it would be fitting to take the bronze for the new medals from Russian guns captured in the Crimea. Accordingly, an engineer went off to Woolwich Barracks, where two 18-pounders were placed at his disposal. Despite the fact that these guns were clearly of antique design and inscribed with very un-Russian characters, nobody pointed out until many years had passed that the ‘VC guns’ were in fact Chinese, not Russian, and may or may not have been anywhere near the Crimea.

Given this, and Mr Glanfield’s claim that many of the VCs were made of metal not used until 1914, one must ask what is the origin of the metal used for VCs.

Peter Stanley’s Response

This seems to relate to some work done years ago by our conservators. While I recall them doing the work, it isn't really for me to comment on. I don't know if 'the Memorial' has or can have a view of the claim. For an informed opinion of the origins of VC metal you'd have to ask the senior curator (Mike Cecil). But I'd caution that new scientific work could affect what we think we know. Frankly I'm not too fussed either way. If it can't have been smelted from Russian cannon captured at Balaclava so be it. My only question would be "what's the evidence for this claim?"

George Bailey’s Response

The AWM did analyse VCs held in Australia and New Zealand during the 1990's by using X-ray diffraction and X-ray fluorescence. The Royal Armouries HM Tower of London conducted similar analysis of many VCs in England around the same period. I can't comment on this, since I haven't seen Mr Glanfield’s article.

2 ISSUE #7 (December 2009)

The analysis carried out by the AWM indicates that 2 distinctly different classes of metal have been used to make VCs. Coincidently, the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, England, have 2 cannon that were captured at Sebastopol from the Russians. Both have had their cascabels removed. The remains of 1 cascabel (which weighed 26 pounds in the 1990's) is held by the Royal Army Ordinance Corps at Donnington, England. The two cannon are different to each other in appearance and were probably made in China. One, at least, has archaic Chinese inscriptions on it. The metal compositions are inconsistent with European cannons of the 18th and 19th centuries. Additionally, the remaining cascabel is/was onion shaped - typical of Asiatic cannons, whereas cascabels of European cannons were typically spherical.

As I mentioned above, VCs analysed to date have been made from 2 distinctive alloys. Both alloys are known in the trade as "mucky metal" because they are rich in impurities and therefore difficult to cast. There was probably a lot of wastage during the casting process, as it would have been difficult to achieve good castings. The VCs were/are produced in batches of 6. Each VC medal has its own distinct "metallurgical fingerprint", but it is possible to identify which batch a medal came from. The change in alloys occurred during WW1; however the date a medal was issued does not necessarily indicate which alloy it will be. Some VCs issued to aircrew during WW2 are in fact the same alloy as that used for pre WW1 VCs.

In summary, I would say that the metal used for the VCs most likely did come from the Sebastopol cannon cascabels. The change in alloy in WW1 was probably because the cascabel of the first cannon had been consumed, so metal was taken from the cascabel of the second cannon. George Bailey Senior Objects Conservator Australian War Memorial

Issue # 7 (December 2009)

Author explodes myth of the gunmetal VC By Catriona Davies Telegraph.co.uk 28 Dec 2005 The belief that every Victoria Cross, Britain's highest military honour, is made from cannon captured during the Crimean War is nothing more than a myth, says a book marking the 150th anniversary of the medal. John Glanfield, a historian and author of Bravest of the Brave, to be

published next month, claims to have exposed the truth about the metal used to make the awards. It has long been believed that all 1,351 Victoria Crosses awarded have been made of bronze taken from two Russian cannon captured at the siege of Sebastopol and kept in the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. The Victoria Cross was instituted on Jan 29, 1856, as the supreme gallantry award and the first to recognise servicemen's brave acts regardless of rank. The priceless lump of metal, of which there remains enough for a further 85 crosses, is kept in a vault at the Royal Logistic Corps in Donnington, Shropshire. It can be removed only under guard. By studying historical documents and scientific analysis, Glanfield claims that the Woolwich cannon were not used until 1914, 58 years after the first Victoria Crosses had been produced. He also says that the precious ingot disappeared during the Second World War, so a different metal was used for five crosses awarded between 1942 and 1945. "I was astonished," he said. "There was an accepted legend and no one had researched whether it was true. When something has been the belief for 150 years it becomes accepted as the truth." In the book, he says: "No aspect of the history of the Victoria Cross has been so hotly debated or disputed as the origin of the metal from which it is made. "The truth has become fogged by time, myth and misinformation. Part of the myth is that every cross has been cast from the two [Woolwich] cannon." The cannon in Woolwich are Chinese-made, although they have often previously been cited as Russian, and Glanfield says that their origin is an "impenetrable mystery". He said there was no evidence that they had been captured at Sebastopol, the last big battle of the Crimean War, as was often stated. "The Chinese pieces were not the only, or even the first, to contribute VC metal," he said. "An earlier gun provided bronze from the start. "When the metal ran out in December 1914, the Chinese cannon took over. The football-size cascabels [knobs] were sawn off at the neck and melted down for VC production, starting not in 1856 but nearly 60 years and some 560 crosses later." Glanfield cites unpublished X-ray analysis of crosses, carried out at the Royal Armouries and the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, showing that those awarded before 1914 were of a different metal from those afterwards. It is only those since 1914 that match the Woolwich cannon. Furthermore, an estimated 224lb of metal has been taken from the Woolwich cannon. Glanfield said that to make 12 crosses with a combined weight of 10oz or 11oz required 47oz of gunmetal because of the wastage in the process. Therefore the 224lb would have been enough to make the 810 crosses issued since 1914, but not those previously.Of the disappearance of the ingot in 1942, he said: "The wartime transfer of the VC block from Woolwich Arsenal with tens of thousands of dispersed depots may have rendered it impossible to trace." He said the War Office covered up the crisis at the time.Glanfield, who began writing after he retired as a director of the Earl's Court and Olympia exhibition centres, almost turned down the opportunity to write the book because he thought there was nothing new to learn about the Victoria Cross. However, he changed his mind because he had been inspired by VC holders he had met in his earlier career. He said: "I found all of them quiet, self-effacing and considered their acts of gallantry to be just a job. These are supermen and I relished the prospect of writing about them. Researching the book was a humbling and awesome experience." Glanfield decided to research the origins of the crosses themselves, a project that took eight months, because previous histories had concentrated on the recipients and their deeds.

1 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

ANNEX J TO VGAWM BACKGROUNDER #30

AUSTRALIAN GEORGE CROSS LOCATOR

AS AT MARCH 2016 { All amendments since Issue #10 are highlighted in Bold type)

They Dared Mightly

Lionel

Wigmore 1986 ISBN 0642 99471 4

LOCATION

REMARKS References: (1) They Dared Mightly. (2) ANZ Victoria Cross Website

BAILEY Eric George (Posthumous Award) Rank/Title:Sergeant,New South Wales Police Force Date12 January 1945

YES NK Citation: At about 8.30 p.m. on 12 January 1945, Sergeant Bailey (then a Constable 1st Class) whilst on duty in Adelaide Street, Blayney, had occasion to speak to a man whose movements where suspicious. During the questioning the man pulled a revolver from his pocket and fired a shot which struck Bailey in the stomach. The Constable immediately closed with his assailant who fired two more shots. Although fast succumbing to his injuries and suffering the effects of shock and haemorrhage, Bailey continued the struggle with the offender and held him on the ground until assistance arrived. Shortly afterwards he died. The fortitude and courage manifested by this Police Officer, in spite of mortal injuries sustained by him at the outset of the encounter, constitute bravery and devotion to duty of the highest order. (London Gazette: 29 October 1946).

DONOGHUE Raymond Tasman (Posthumous Award) Rank/Title:Civilian Date:29 April 1960

YES NK Citation: During a peak traffic period, Mr Donoghue was on duty as a tram conductor. As a result of an accident the tram became out of control and started to run backwards rapidly gaining speed of a steep hill. He could easily have saved his life, either by leaving the tram or by passing into the rear of the compartment to which he had moved the passengers. Realising the danger in the dense traffic, he deliberately scorned the way to safety so that he might, by continuously ringing of the alarm bell, warm other traffic while attempting to use the brake to arrest the vehicle. At the bottom of the hill the runaway tram collided with the stationary tram. Donoghue was still at his post at the moment of impact and was killed. By sacrificing his life Donoghue was responsible for saving the lives of a number of other persons. (London Gazette: 11 October 1960.)

2 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

GOLDSWORTHY Leon Verdi Rank/Title: Lieutenant Commander, Mine Clearance Specialist, R.A.N.V.R. Date:12 June 1943- 10 April 1944

See also BACKGROUNDER # 58

YES Held by Daughter (Portrait in WW2 - Middle Years)

Citation: For skill and courage of a high order during a series of mine recoveries extending from the 12th June 1934, to the 10th April 1944, which led to the recovery of four German ground mines, three magnetic mines and one acoustic mine. (London Gazette: 19 September 1944). Leon Goldsworthy was born at Broken Hill, New South Wales, on 19 January 1909. After graduating from the University of Adelaide he went to Western Australia where he married and went into business. Physically, he was of small and light build, but he had a tough and wiry body which had been strengthened by wrestling and gymnastics. His initial application to enlist in the Royal Australian Navy was rejected due to his small stature, but later he was asked to re-apply and he was appointed into the Royal Australian Navy Volunteer Reserve (R.A.N.V.R.) with the rank of Sub-Lieutenant on 24 March 1941. He arrived in England about two months later where he became the member of the Rendering Mines Safe Section of HMS Vernon. As a mine and booby trap disposal expert, Goldsworthy earned his first decoration, the George Medal, in 1943. During this time he rendered safe several very dangerous mines in waters at Southampton and in London. He was Mentioned in Dispatches in August 1944 for "great courage and undaunted devotion to duty" and in the following month he was awarded the George Cross in recognition of his work in a series of mine disposal operations. The recommendation for this award describes how, on 13 August 1943, he had rendered safe a German mine underwater using special diving equipment. It was only the second occasion on which such a mine had been rendered safe underwater, and the work was regarded as being particularly hazardous, because the diver had no means of escape should the fuse fire. Also, in April 1944 he dealt with an especially dangerous acoustic mine that had lain dormant for two and a half years. Again using a special diving suit, Goldsworthy successfully removed the fuse and primer, and later recovered the mine intact. He carried out similar clearance tasks on several other occasions. Goldsworthy was also awarded a Distinguished Service Cross in January 1945 for "gallantry and distinguished service in mine clearance." In late 1944 Goldsworthy, along with another mine disposals specialist, traveled to the South Pacific for a tour of duty with the United States Navy. His work involved clearing Japanese mines and booby-traps in the Philippines and during amphibious landings in the Borneo area. While he was on his way back to London the war ended, and he was presented with his George Cross and Distinguished Service Cross by King George VI in February 1946. He retired from the RAN with the rank of acting Lieutenant Commander, and was Australia’s most highly decorated naval officer of the Second World War.

3 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

GOSSE George Rank/Title: Lieutenant, Mine Clearance Specialist, R.A.N.V.R. Date: 8-18 May 1945 The Gosse George Cross Medal group was purchased at auction by Mr Kerry Stokes AO in July 2006 for $182,175. The Medals were subsequently presented to the Australian War Memorial on 25 August 2006

YES AWM

Citation: On 8th May 1945 divers searching Undersee Hafen reported the presence of a mine which from their description appeared to be an entirely new type. Lieutenant Gosse immediately dived and verified the fact that it was a G.D. pressure type which was commonly known as ‘Oyster’. As it was necessary that this type of mine should be recovered intact it was decided to attempt to render safe the mine underwater and on the following day, May 9th, Lieutenant Gosse dived on it again. Using improvised tools he eventually succeeded in removing the primer which was followed by a loud metallic crash. The mine was eventually lifted on the quayside when it was found that the detonator had fired immediately the primer had been removed. During the subsequent tens days Lieutenant Gosse rendered safe two similar types of mines which were lying in close proximity to shipping and in each instance the detonator fired before the mine reached the surface. (London Gazette: 30 April 1946). GOSSE, GEORGE (1912-1964), naval officer and designer, was born on 16 February 1912 at Harvey, Western Australia, elder child of native-born parents William Hay Gosse, farmer, and his wife Muriel, née Davidson. W. C. Gosse was George's grandfather and (Sir) James Gosse his uncle. An artillery officer in the British Army during World War I, William was awarded the Military Cross; he was killed in action in 1918. His widow died two years later, leaving George and his sister in the care of their paternal grandmother.

Educated at the Collegiate School of St Peter, Adelaide, in 1926 Gosse entered the Royal Australian Naval College, Jervis Bay, Federal Capital Territory. A member of his family described him as 'so like his father, gay, feckless, fearless and gregarious'. He gained colours for hockey and on graduating was awarded the prize for engineering (theory). From January 1930 he successively served in the cruisers, H.M.A.S. Australia and H.M.A.S. Canberra, and in May was promoted midshipman. In July 1931 he took passage to England for further sea-training and courses with the Royal Navy.

Initially, Gosse was appointed to the battleship, H.M.S. Ramillies, in the Mediterranean Fleet. His training included an air-course in H.M.S. Glorious and destroyer-training in H.M.S. Worcester. In September 1932 he joined the R.N. College, Greenwich. Proximity to the attractions of London, the company of young Adelaidians on 'grand tours', and a passion for sports cars brought about his undoing. Having failed the examination for lieutenant, he was sent home and his appointment terminated on 30 October 1933.

Gosse 'knocked about', resisting the temptation of serious employment. In the chapel of his old school on 1 October 1938 he married Diana Skottowe. On 21 October 1940 he enlisted as an ordinary seaman in the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve. He was commissioned sub lieutenant in April 1941 while posted to H.M.S. King Alfred; in December he joined H.M.I.S. Hooghly at Calcutta, India, as mine disposal officer. Official reports noted his reliability, keenness and ingenuity. Always cheerful under difficulties, he

4 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

got on well with officers and men, and exhibited 'a daring character and a good knowledge of mines in which he is very interested'. He was made provisional lieutenant in February 1942.

From late 1944 Gosse served in H.M.S. Vernon (D) at Brixham, Devon, England, the base for the R.N.'s port-clearance diving operations in Europe. Described at this time as sporting a bold, black beard, he had soft green eyes and a softer voice, and was somewhat of a law unto himself. Yet, he was inventive and had a fascination with things mechanical. Although he had qualified as a shallow-water diver in January 1945, he lacked practice when he went to Germany to begin underwater mine-disposal operations at Bremen, following its capture in April.

In command of Naval Party 1571, Gosse directed a search for mines laid by the retreating Germans in the waters of Bremen's Übersee Hafen. On 8 May his men found 'a D-type mine with additional fittings'. Known as the 'Oyster', it was pressure operated, with acoustic and magnetic units incorporated in its detonation train. At about 6 p.m. next day Gosse dived on the mine. Even with the aid of a waterproof torch, he could not see the device in the mud and proceeded to work by touch. He also had difficulty in stabilizing his buoyancy and had to secure himself to the mine's marker-buoy rope to keep his depth steady.

Gosse used tools which he had improvised, removed the primer release and then extracted the primer 'about eighteen inches [46 cm] down a two-inch tube'. He had interrupted the detonation train and the mine was safe. While he was releasing himself from his makeshift tether, there was a small explosion. Later examination of the landed mine showed that water had entered through the primer tube and operated a mechanism designed to respond to changing water pressure and trigger the detonator if the mine were raised. Gosse rendered safe two more 'Oyster' mines at Bremen. In 1946 he was awarded the George Cross. Having been promoted acting lieutenant commander on 30 September 1945, he was demobilized on 20 March 1946.Back in Adelaide, Gosse invented many practical household gadgets and fittings, but lost interest once he had met the challenge of concept and design: for the most part, his work was unspectacular. He was president (1946-48) of the Sporting Car Club of South Australia. In 1953 he was chosen as a member of the coronation contingent which went to England in H.M.A.S. Sydney. Survived by his wife and two daughters, he died of a coronary occlusion on 31 December 1964 at Maslin Beach and was cremated.Select BibliographyF. B. Eldridge, A History of the Royal Australian Naval College (Melb, 1949); J. Grosvenor and L. M. Bates, Open the Ports (Lond, 1956); F. Gosse, The Gosses (Canb, 1981); V. Smith, A Few Memories of Sir Victor Smith (Canb, 1992). More on the resourcesAuthor: I. McL. CrawfordPrint Publication Details: I. McL. Crawford, 'Gosse, George (1912 - 1964)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 14, Melbourne University Press, 1996, pp 300-301.

5 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

HARDY Benjamin Gower (Posthumous Award) Rank/Title: Private, 22nd Australian Garrison Battalion, A.M.F. Date:4-5 August 1944

YES AWM AWM ROH WW2 PANEL 77

Citation: Private Benjamin Hardy and Private Ralph Jones were on duty at the No. 12 Prisoner of War Camp, as members of a Vickers machine gun crew, guarding the prisoner of war compound, in which were interned over 1,000 Japanese prisoners of war. On the might of 4-5 August 1944 the Japanese prisoners, armed with knives, baseball clubs, and other weapons, staged a mass outbreak, stormed over the perimeter and bore down on the machine gun crew. Privates Jones and Hardy stood their ground and continued to work the gun until bashed to death, displaying outstanding gallantry and devotion to duty in their fight against an overwhelming onslaught of fanatical Japanese. They met their deaths in the true British spirit of sacrifice for their country. (London Gazette: 1 September 1950.) Additional Information: The action described represented the most serious prisoner-of-war outbreak experienced in Australia, which resulted in the deaths of three Australian soldiers and 234 Japanese. Three Australians and more than 100 Japanese were wounded. The camp was one of a group of four situated just north of the town of Cowra, a small country town in rural New South Wales. Each camp had accommodation for a thousand prisoners; each had an Australian commandant and garrison. The general layout formed a circle about 800 yards in diameter. Each occupied about a quarter of the circle, which was bisected by a tarred road known as the Broadway. Barbed wire entanglements, entrance gates and guard facilities completed the installation. In mid-1944 various rumours of unrest in B Compound (one of the camps) had reached Group Headquarters, and recommendations were made to higher authority to limit the intake. But more prisoners continued to arrive until the compound held more than 1,100 Japanese other ranks (officers were accommodated in portion of D Compound.) Then, camp authorities received definite information of a likely mass outbreak. It was therefore decided to separate NCO's and other ranks by moving the latter about 260 miles to the town of Hay, also in New South Wales. In accordance with the Geneva Convention, the Japanese camp leader was given, at noon on 4th August, notice of the move, which was scheduled for 7th August. The Japanese protested, but were told to get ready. Back in their huts, the prisoners held a meeting, and the elaborately planned break was brought forward to the night of the 4th-5th of August. It occurred about 2 a.m. Yelling "Banzai! Banzai!" the main body of Japanese stormed out of their huts, armed with a variety of home-made weapons. They left a rear party in the huts to burn them and then to suicide by throwing themselves into the flames. Within minutes, the huts were afire. The garrison sprang into action. Hardy and Jones ran for their Vickers covering the eastern perimeter wire. The escaping Japanese also made for

6 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

the position, attacking and overwhelming them. After killing the two soldiers, the Japanese swung the machine gun around to rake B Company who were garrisoning the camp. In their haste the prisoners forgot to swing the ammunition belt around with the gun, and it jammed. The Japanese around the gun were finally cut down by fire from "B" Company, and fire from various Australian positions virtually enveloped the camp. The surviving Japanese were pinned down in a large storm-water drain. They surrendered at daylight. In the days that followed, many who had escaped to the surrounding countryside were rounded up, or committed suicide in various ways. Had the garrison been overwhelmed, the sleeping town of Cowra might have been overrun by a horde of vengeful enemy soldiers. Only the prompt and efficient actions of the garrison averted the danger. Members of the 22nd Garrison Battalion were complimented by the Minister for the Army, Mr. Frank Forde, through the Commander-in-Chief, General Sir Thomas Blarney. Although the events occurred in August 1944, the awards of the George Cross to Privates Hardy and Jones were not promulgated until more than six years later. Benjamin Hardy was born at Marrickville, New South Wales, on 28th August 1898, and enlisted at Chatswood (Sydney) on 17th December 1941. He was near his forty-sixth birthday when he died. In civil life he was a motor driver, and unmarried. Hardy's aged mother, Emily, died a few days before the promulgation of his award. The Governor-General, Sir William McKell, presented the George Cross to his sister Miss Beatrice Hardy on 21st January 1952.

JONES Ralph (Posthumous Award) Rank/Title: Private, 22nd Australian Garrison Battalion, A.M.F. Date:4-5 August 1944 (GC was donated to the AWM by the Cowra Shire Council December 2007)

YES

AWM AWM ROH WW2 PANEL 77

Citation: Private Ralph Jones and Private Benjamin Hardy were on duty at the No. 12 Prisoner of War Camp, as members of a Vickers machine gun crew, guarding the prisoner of war compound, in which were interned over 1,000 Japanese prisoners of war. On the might of 4-5 August 1944 the Japanese prisoners, armed with knives, baseball clubs, and other weapons, staged a mass outbreak, stormed over the perimeter and bore down on the machine gun crew. Privates Jones and Hardy stood their ground and continued to work the gun until bashed to death, displaying outstanding gallantry and devotion to duty in their fight against an overwhelming onslaught of fanatical Japanese. They met their deaths in the true British spirit of sacrifice for their country. (London Gazette: 1 September 1950.)

7 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

MADDEN Horace William (Posthumous Award) Rank/Title: Private, 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment Date:24 April - 6 November 1951

YES AWM (on loan) AWM ROH KOREA PANEL 1

Citation: Private Madden was captured by Chinese Communist Forces on 24 April 1951 near Milton. He was a signaller attached to Battalion headquarters at the time and received concussion prior to being captured. Private Madden was held prisoner by the enemy until about 6 November 1951, when he died of malnutrition and the result of ill treatment. During this period he openly resisted all enemy efforts to force him to collaborate, to such a degree that his name and example were widely known through the various groups of prisoners. Testimonials have been provided by officers and men from many units of the Commonwealth and Allied forces which showed that the heroism he displayed was quite outstanding. Despite repeated beatings and many forms of ill treatment inflicted because of his defiance to his captors, Private Madden remained cheerful and optimistic. Although deprived of food because of his behaviour, resulting in severe malnutrition, he was known to sheer his meagre supplies, purchased from Koreans, with other prisoners who were sick. It would have been apparent to Private Madden that to pursue this course must eventually result in his death. This did not deter him, and for over six months, although becoming progressively weaker, he remained undaunted in his resistance. He would in no way co-operate with the enemy. This gallant soldiers outstanding heroism was an inspiration to all his fellow prisoners. (London Gazette: 30 December 1955.) MADDEN, HORACE WILLIAM ('SLIM') (1924-1951), soldier, was born on 14 February 1924 at Cronulla, Sydney, son of Australian-born parents Charles Bernard Madden, labourer, and his wife Pearl Ellen, née Clemson. Giving his occupation as fruiterer's assistant, Horace was mobilized in the Militia on 26 May 1942 and posted to the 114th Australian General Hospital, Goulburn. He transferred to the Australian Imperial Force in August 1943, and served in New Guinea with the 8th Field Ambulance and on Bougainville with the 5th Motor Ambulance Convoy Platoon. His next unit, the 253rd Supply Depot Platoon, was stationed on Morotai before being sent to Japan as part of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force. After his discharge in Sydney on 2 June 1947, Madden was employed as a male nurse at Morisset Mental Hospital for about two years and then as a moulder. On 19 August 1950 he enlisted for service in Korea with the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment.

Joining 3RAR as a driver in November 1950, Madden volunteered to become a linesman in the Signals Platoon which worked in below-freezing temperatures to maintain communications with forward elements of the battalion. On the evening of 23 April 1951 the Chinese attacked 3RAR's positions near Kapyong. Concussed by enemy fire, Madden was surrounded on the following day and forced to surrender. Corporal Bob Parker and

8 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

Private Keith Gwyther were also captured during the battle. For the next few days the three of them were forced to recover wounded Chinese soldiers and were exposed to attacks by United Nations Command aircraft.

'Slim' Madden was 6 ft 0½ ins (184 cm) tall and—as his nickname indicated—of slender build. Although suffering the effects of concussion, he recovered quickly and helped Australian and other U.N. prisoners of war on their arduous march to the notorious 'Bean Camp'. He showed defiance and refused to co-operate with the Chinese. They beat him repeatedly and subjected him to other forms of maltreatment, but he remained cheerful and optimistic. His health deteriorated, and his condition was exacerbated by his willingness to share the little food he had with men in a worse state than he. Madden was among the sick and wounded prisoners moved to 'the Caves' at Kangdong. In late October the Chinese forced them to march to Pingchong-Ni, a distance of some 140 miles (225 km). Madden collapsed and had to be transported by cart. Although he survived the journey, he died of malnutrition sometime between late November and early December 1951. After the Korean War had ended, his remains were reburied in the United Nations memorial cemetery, Pusan.

Gwyther said of him: 'Slim was a real hero—and didn't know it. He became a sort of legend. He didn't try to be like that—it was just the way he was made. Nothing could make him co-operate with the enemy'. In 1955 Madden was posthumously awarded the George Cross. Parker and Gwyther had made repeated attempts to escape before their release in August 1953; both of them were mentioned in dispatches. The courage shown by these three Australian soldiers in the face of terrible hardships and threats of death was sustained by their indomitable spirit.

Select Bibliography

A. Farrar-Hockley, The Edge of the Sword (Lond, 1954); L. Wigmore (ed), They Dared Mightily (Canb, 1963); P. J. Greville, 'The Australian Prisoners of War', in R. O'Neill, Australia in the Korean War 1950-53, vol 2 (Canb, 1985) and 'The Unfinished Story of Slim Madden, George Cross', Duty First, 2, no 2, Mar 1996. More on the resources

Author: P. J. Greville

Print Publication Details: P. J. Greville, 'Madden, Horace William (Slim) (1924 - 1951)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 15, Melbourne University Press, 2000, p. 280

9 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

MATTHEWS Lionel Colin (Posthumous Award) Rank/Title: Captain, Prisoner of War, 2nd A.I.F. Date:August 1942 - March 1944

YES AWM (Photo next to the Kuching Foundation Stone in the WW2 Year of Victory Gallery) AWM ROH WW2 PANEL 27

British Citation: In recognition of gallant distinguished services while a prisoner of war in Japanese hands. (London Gazette: 28 November 1947). Australian Citation: Captain Matthews was a prisoner of war held by the Japanese in Sandakan, Borneo, between August 1942 and March 1944. During this period he directed personally an underground intelligence organisation and arranged through native contacts for the delivery into the camp of sorely needed medical supplies, food and money, factors which not only kept up the morale and courage of the prisoners but which undoubtedly saved the lives of many. He was instrumental in arranging a radio link with the outside world and was able to send weekly news bulletins to the civil internees on Berhala Island. He was also responsible for arranging the delivery to a secret rendezvous of firearms for future use. Although a prisoner of war, Captain Matthews was appointed to command the North British Armed Constabulary and at great danger organised that body, together with the local native population in Sandakan into readiness for a rising against the Japanese. He gained contact with guerrilla forces in the Philippines and successfully organised escape parties. He continued these activities at the greatest peril to himself until arrested. Captain Matthews, although subjected to brutal torture, beatings and starvation, steadfastly refused to make admissions to implicate or endanger of the lives of his associates. His conduct at all times was that of a very brave and courageous gentleman and he worthily upheld the highest traditions of an Australian officer. Captain Matthews was executed by the Japanese on 2nd March 1944 and even at the time of his execution defied the Japanese. (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 11 December 1947.) Additional Information: Lionel Matthews was born at Stepney in South Australia on 15 August 1912. He enrolled for reserve military service at the age of 18 and served with the 10th Battalion, also spent a period of time training in signals with the R.A.N.V.R. He married and moved to Melbourne were he was employed as a salesman. Matthews joined the Citizen Military Forces, taking up a posting with the 3rd Division Signals unit. He was made a lieutenant on 18 January 1940 and was appointed to the 8th Division, Second A.I.F. when it was formed in July 1940. During the fighting to save Singapore, Matthews won the Military Cross (London Gazette: 10 January 1946) for his efforts to maintain communications between the Headquarters of 27th Brigade and the forward units despite heavy artillery and mortar fire, and air bombardment. Later, during the closing days of the fighting for the Island itself, he laid a communications cable across an area strongly occupied by the enemy, restoring vital communications between divisional and brigade headquarters at a critical time.

10 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

Matthews was captured, along with most of the 8th Division, at the fall of Singapore on 15 February 1942. He was known as "The Duke" by those with whom he endured captivity at the hands of the Japanese. He was moved from Changi prison on the Island of Singapore to a work camp at Sandakan in British North Borneo in July 1942, where he became a key player in a variety of "underground" activities. He organised and equipped a clandestine force called the British North Borneo Armed Constabulary in preparation for possible Allied landings in the area, and he raised a similar force among the loyal local natives. He also helped to organise several escape parties, which he could have joined at any time, but remained in order to continue to organise similar schemes for others. In July 1943, however, four Chinese members of the organisation were betrayed to the Japanese. They were tortured and eventually implicated Matthews and several others. Searches uncovered radios and other equipment and many people, including Matthews, were arrested. Matthews underwent a protracted regime of brutality and torture which continued until March 1944, when the trials of those arrested were completed. Of the 22 Australians involved, one died before the trial was complete, one was acquitted, one received six months imprisonment, and the remainder sentences ranging from 11⁄2 to 12 years penal servitude. Matthews, as the leader of the group, and eight natives who were also involved, were sentenced to death. Matthews’ Military Cross was presented to his widow Lorna by the Governor-General on 20 November 1947. His son David received his father’s George Cross from the Governor of South Australia on 4 October 1949. The Royal Australian Corps of Signals commemorates this hero with the Lionel Matthews Signals Memorial Scholarship, established to help educate the children of ex-servicemen. Captain Lionel Matthews’ George Cross medal donated to Memorial 2 Mar 2015 On this day 71 years ago, Captain Matthews, known as “The Duke”, was executed by the Japanese in the Kuching prisoner-of-war camp on the island of Borneo. The then Lieutenant Russ Ewin, the last survivor of the resistance and a witness to the execution on March 2, 1944, was in Canberra for the presentation of Captain Matthews' medal .The 98-year-old recalled his former leader with affection and pride. "Lionel was a great man, dominant to look at and dominant in his leadership," he said. "I was in a group who would go out to fell timber for the boilers. I took information out [for the underground] and brought back medical supplies and parts for the wireless. "He [Matthews] refused to make admissions under brutal torture, beatings and starvation to implicate or endanger the lives of his associates." He said the Japanese had treated the remains with respect. "The camp commandant, Colonel Tatsuji Suga, had fought with the Allies for Japan

11 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

in WWI. He was a well-educated man," Mr Ewin said. "Suga said [after the execution] Lionel was the bravest man he had seen. "Colonel Suga committed suicide, hari kiri, after he was captured by the Allies. He had his orderly help him cut his own throat. I think he was a good man caught up in the military regime and the instructions from above."

MOULD John Stuart Rank/Title: Lieutenant, Mine Clearance Specialist R.A.N.V.R. Date:November 1941 - June 1942

The George Cross, George Medal group of eight to Lt Cmdr JS Mould were purchased from Mould’s widow about 1992 by Mr. John Meyers of the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum and were subsequently resold to a retired doctor in Brisbane on 21 February 2004 for approx. $460,000. {John Meyers March 2007}

YES See comments in right column.

Citation: Lieutenant Mould has shown the highest form of personal courage combined with exceptional skill in planning and executing the many difficult and dangerous operations he has been charged with. He joined HMS Vernon for enemy mining work in March 1941, and since then he has been almost continually employed on most dangerous work. His outstanding work in dock clearance operations and those resulting in the stripping of the early German mine Type G has been the subject of a previous recommendation for which he was ultimately awarded the George Medal. Since that time he has carried out the most important recovery and rendering safe operations with brilliant success. These operations have included the recovery, rendering safe and investigation of the first German acoustic unit and moored magnetic mine. (London Gazette: 3 November 1942). John Mould was born at Gosforth, England, on 1910 and migrated with his family to Australia when he was two years old. His father established himself as an architect in Sydney, a profession which the younger Mould also followed. Mould enlisted in the AIF in early 1940 but was forced to leave after a bout of pneumonia. During his convalescence he learned that the Royal Australian Navy was offering commissions to holders of a Yachtsman’s Certificate. Mould was a keen sailor and obtained the necessary certificate, and was commissioned into the R.A.N Volunteer Reserve (R.A.N.V.R.) on 1 September 1940. He left Australia soon afterwards for training and service with the Royal Navy, which trained him as a mine disposal expert. In this field, he pioneered some of the highly dangerous techniques involved, particularly in underwater operations. The mine disposal work that led to his award of the George Cross occurred in the period November 1941 to June 1942. During this time he cleared mines in a variety of complex and dangerous situations, involving several risky and innovative techniques. In particular, he was the first to successfully defuse the German magnetic acoustic mine fitted with sensitive anti-tampering devices, which had killed several other mine clearance officers. Later, Mould was involved in organising and training special groups of divers clearing mines, explosive and booby traps from German ports, docks and canals. He assisted in developing a diving suit for this work, fitted with an independent air supply. Mould was demobilised with the rank of Lieutenant Commander after the war, and worked as an architect in Germany with the Allied Military Government for several years before returning to Australia to follow his profession. He died on 9 August 1957.

12 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

PRATT Michael Kenneth Rank/Title: Constable, Victoria Police Date:4 June1976

NO NK Citation: On the morning of 4 June l976, Constable Pratt, who was off duty and unarmed, was driving in his car past a bank in Clifton Hill when he saw three masked men entering the bank. He noticed that they were carrying firearms and realised that they were about to commit an armed robbery. He immediately turned his car, switched up the lights and, sounding his horn, mounted the kerb and blocked the bank entrance, at the same time shouting to a passer-by to get police assistance. The raiders were taken by surprise, but one of them threatened the constable with a gun and told him to remove the car. He refused, removed the ignition key and armed himself with the handle of a car jack. The men then tried to leave the bank and Constable Pratt managed to grab one of them, and during the violent struggle which ensued, the raider was knocked unconscious. A second gunman had now left the bank and was threatening to shoot the officer at close range. Constable Pratt was by this time grappling again with the first man who had recovered consciousness, and while he was trying to retain his hold on his captive, he was shot and seriously wounded. He had displayed outstanding bravery and complete disregard for his own safety when, unarmed and single-handed, he faced and attempted to arrest three dangerous armed criminals. (Gazetted: 4 July 1978).

ROGERS Jonathan (Posthumous Award) Rank/Title: Chief Petty Officer Royal Australian Navy Also DSM Date:10 February 1964

NO AWM AWM ROH PANEL NA

Citation: On 10th February 1964, HMAS Voyager sank after a collision. Chief Petty Officer Rogers kept up the morale of junior ratings, organised the escape of as many as possible, and stayed with those who could not and encouraged them to to meet their death with dignity and honour. He upheld the highest tradition of the Service at sea and of his rating as a Chief Petty Officer. The Sinking of HMAS Voyager: On the night of 10 February 1964, the aircraft carrier HMAS Melbourne was engaged in night flying exercises off the New South Wales coast. HMAS Voyager was acting in the role of 'plane guard' involving the rescue, if necessary, of aircrew personnel from the sea. At approximately 8.56 pm, some twenty miles southeast of Jervis Bay, she collided with HMAS Melbourne. Voyager was cut in two by the impact. Her forward section sank soon afterwards and the after section some time late ROGERS, JONATHAN (1920-1964), sailor, was born on 16 September 1920 at Vroncysylite, near Llangollen, Denbighshire, Wales, fifth of seven children of Jonathan Rogers, labourer, and his wife Sarah Ellen, née Probyn. Leaving Acrefair Central School at the age of 14, he worked at the Ruabon brickyard, boxed and played soccer.

On 22 November 1938 Rogers enlisted in the Royal Navy. Five ft 8 ins (173 cm) tall and heavily built, he had brown hair, blue eyes and a fresh complexion. He spent most of World War II at sea in three coastal vessels: Motor Anti-Submarine Boat No.62 (1940-41), Motor Launch No.204 (1942-43) and Motor Torpedo Boat No.698 (1943-45). Promoted

13 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

petty officer in 1943, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for his 'coolness and leadership' under enemy fire during an action off Dunkirk, France, on the night of 23/24 May 1944. He was discharged from the R.N. on 23 January 1946.

At the parish church, Pen-y-cae, Denbighshire, on 4 April 1942 Rogers had married Lorraine Williams; they lived in the village and were to have four children. After the war he worked above ground at a local colliery and built pre-fabricated houses. In 1950 he applied to join the Royal Australian Navy. He was accepted on 6 July and posted to the aircraft-carrier H.M.A.S. Sydney; his next ship was the frigate Burdekin. Service (1952-54) in the destroyer Tobruk took him to Korean waters. He was promoted chief petty officer in 1956. His subsequent postings included the ships Junee (1956-57), Anzac (1957-58), Warramunga (1959) and Barcoo (1959-61), and the shore establishments Cerberus (1958-59), Westernport, Victoria, and Rushcutter (1961-62), Sydney. The family finally settled at Ettalong Beach, New South Wales.

In January 1963 'Buck' Rogers joined the destroyer Voyager which was commanded by Captain D. H. Stevens. As her coxswain, Rogers was the senior sailor on board and responsible for the 'good order and discipline' of the ship's company. On 10 February 1964 Voyager took part in exercises with the aircraft-carrier Melbourne off the south coast of New South Wales. That evening Rogers presided over a game of tombola being played by about sixty men in the ship's forward cafeteria. At 8.56 p.m., 20 nautical miles (37 km) south-east of Jervis Bay, Voyager collided with Melbourne and was cut in two. Voyager's severed forward section immediately heeled sharply to starboard and about five minutes later turned upside down. Water began pouring into the cafeteria. Within another five minutes the forward section sank. Rogers was one of the eighty-two men who died. His wife, son and three daughters survived him.

Sailors who escaped from the cafeteria later told how Rogers had taken charge of the situation. He had calmed terrified shipmates, attempted to control the flooding, tried to free a jammed escape hatch with a length of pipe and a spanner, and organized men to move into other compartments with functioning emergency exits. Meanwhile, he knew that he was probably too large to fit through an escape hatch himself. When it was obvious that some of his comrades would not get out in time, he led them in prayer and a hymn, 'encouraging them to meet death' beside him 'with dignity and honour'. His wife remarked: 'It was typical of him—he never thought of himself'. He was posthumously awarded the George Cross.

Select Bibliography

Report of Royal Commissioner on Loss of H.M.A.S. ''Voyager'' (Melb, 1964); Sun News-Pictorial (Melbourne), 13 Mar 1965; Canberra Times, 11 Feb 1995; Navy News, 24 Mar

14 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

1995; information from Naval History Branch, Ministry of Defence, London; private information.Author: Darryl Bennet

Print Publication Details: Darryl Bennet, 'Rogers, Jonathan (1920 - 1964)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 16, Melbourne University Press, 2002, pp 122-123

SYME Hugh Randall Rank/Title: Lieutenant, Mine Clearance Specialist, R.A.N.V.R. Date:19 May 1941 - 25 December 1942

YES AWM

Citation: During 21 months of service in the Enemy Mining Section of HMS Vernon, Lieutenant Syme carried out 19 mine recovery or disposal operations including 5 acoustic, 8 magnetic, 2 acoustic magnetic mines and the recovery of the first and only Type T sinker. (London Gazette: 3 August 1943). SYME, HUGH RANDALL (1903-1965), naval officer, bomb disarmer and newspaper proprietor, was born on 20 February 1903 at Kew, Melbourne, third child of Australian-born parents John Herbert Syme, journalist, and his wife Ethel Maud, née King. David Syme was his grandfather. Educated at Scotch College and the University of Melbourne, Hugh rose to become assistant-manager of the family business, which published the Age. At St George's Church of England, Malvern, on 12 May 1931 he married Olive Alyson Clark; they were childless and divorced in 1940.

A keen yachtsman and part-owner of the 82-footer (25 m) Westwind, Syme was appointed probationary sub-lieutenant, Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve, on 1 September 1940. He was mobilized sixteen days later and sent to England for training at H.M.S. King Alfred. With John Mould, H. D. Reid and J. H. H. Kessack, he was one of the first Australians chosen to serve in the Royal Navy's Rendering Mines Safe section which had been established to disarm unexploded (and often booby-trapped) bombs and mines scattered across Britain by German aircraft.

Syme was promoted lieutenant on 17 December 1940 and posted to the naval base H.M.S. Vernon, where he quickly gained a reputation for courage and initiative. He was awarded the George Medal in June 1941 for his coolness in dealing with ten mines. In June 1942 he was awarded a Bar to his G.M. for disarming a mine that had lodged deep in clay in a reservoir embankment at Primrose Hill, London. After tunnelling to the mine, he found that the fuse was on the other side, and had to tunnel around it. His action in disarming the weapon in extraordinarily difficult and dangerous conditions saved the neighbourhood from possible flooding.

On 3 March 1943 Syme was awarded the George Cross for carrying out nineteen mine-recovery operations. The most important had taken place in November 1942 at Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, where he defused a new mine known as a Type T. He endured painful electric shocks while insulating the detonator wires and at one stage hung upside

15 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

down in a mud hole. Other clearance officers found the information he had gained from the Type T invaluable. The award of his G.C. made Syme the most highly decorated officer in the R.A.N. at that time. His expertise was such that, despite the scepticism of the scientists who devised it, he defused a new British magnetic mine, much to their chagrin. Some of them refused to speak to him for months.

Following the deaths of his father and of his uncle Sir Geoffrey Syme, Hugh sailed for Australia in January 1943 and became a trustee of the family company. On 12 March 1943 at the Presbyterian Church, West Hawthorn, he married Joan, the 26-year-old daughter of Delamore McCay. He attempted to return to England, but the R.A.N. decided to avail itself of his experience, and in April 1943 he set up a bomb-disposal section at H.M.A.S. Cerberus, Westernport. The organization was never operationally required because the United States Navy's Mobile Explosive Investigation Unit jealously guarded its control over bomb disposal in the Pacific. Seeing no useful role to play, Syme returned to civilian life in December 1944

In 1946 he was appointed general manager of the Age. Two years later a public company, David Syme & Co. Ltd, was formed. After overseeing the firm's entry into television in 1956, he continued as general manager until 1963 and as a director until his death. He immersed himself in business matters, becoming a director of the Victorian Broadcasting Network Ltd and Anti-Friction Bearings Ltd, president (1959) of the Australian Newspapers Council and chairman of the Newspaper Proprietors' Association of Melbourne.

A member of the Athenaeum and Yorick clubs, Syme enjoyed motor racing, fishing and shooting. He was also a keen gardener who cultivated rare specimens of orchids. Survived by his wife and their three daughters, he died of a cerebral tumour on 7 November 1965 at Epworth Hospital, Richmond, and was cremated with Anglican rites and full naval honours. His estate was sworn for probate at £106,914.

Select Bibliography

J. F. Turner, Service Most Silent (Syd, 1955); I. Southall, Softly Tread the Brave (Syd, 1960); G. H. Gill, Royal Australian Navy 1942-1945 (Canb, 1968); P. Firkins, Of Nautilis and Eagles (Syd, 1975); L. Wigmore (ed), They Dared Mightily, 2nd edn, revised and condensed by J. Williams and A. Staunton (Canb, 1986); Sydney Morning Herald, 13 June 1941, 8 Nov 1965; Age (Melbourne), 8, 11 Nov 1965. More on the resourcesAuthor: Richard RefshaugePrint Publication Details: Richard Refshauge, 'Syme, Hugh Randall (1903 - 1965)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 16, Melbourne University Press, 2002, pp 355-356

16 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

TAYLOR George Anthony Morgan Rank/Title: Civilian, Vulcanologist, Commonwealth Bureau of Mineral Resources, Territory of Papua and New Guinea Date:January - April 1951

YES NK Citation: Mount Lamington, in Papua, began to erupt on the night of 18th January 1951. Three days later there was a violent eruption when a large part of the northern side of the mountain was blown away and steam and smoke poured from the gap for a considerable time afterwards. The area of extreme danger extended over a radius of about eight miles, while people near Higaturu, nine miles from the volcano, were killed by the blast or burned to death. This and subsequent eruptions caused the death of some 4,000 person, and considerable damage. Dust and ash filled every stream and tank for some miles around, and there was urgent need for food, water and medical supplies. Rescuers were hampered by the suffocating pumic dust and sulphuric fumes, and hot ashes on the ground, and the advance post of relief workers at Popondetta was threatened with destruction during several days following. Further tremors and explosions occurred during February. As late as 5th March a major eruption occurred which threw as far as two miles pieces of volcanic dome, 15ft by 12ft by 10 ft and caused a flow of pumice and rocks for a distance of nine miles, the whole being so hot as to set fire to every tree in its path. For a prolonged period Mr Taylor showed conspicuous courage in the face of great danger. He arrived at Mount Lamington on the day following the main eruption and from that onwards, over a period of several months he visited the crater by aircraft almost daily, and on many other occasions on foot. On some occasions he stayed at the foot of the volcano throughout the night. During the whole of this period the volcano was never entirely quiet. Several eruptions took place without any warning or any indications from the seismographical data which he had collected. Without regard for his personal safety he entered the danger area again and again, each time at great risk, both in order to ensure the safety of the safety of the rescue and working parties and in order to obtain scientific information relating to this type of volcano, about which little was known. His work saved many lives, for as a result of his investigations in the danger zone he was bale, when necessary, to warn rehabilitation parties and ensure they were prevented from entering an area which he so fearlessly entered himself. (London Gazette: 22 April 1952.)

TAYLOR Patrick Gordon Rank/Title: Captain (formerly Royal Flying Corps) Date:15 May 1935

YES NK Citation: Captain P.G. Taylor averted disaster on the occasion of the late Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith’s attempted Australia-New Zealand Air Mail flight in 1935. He showed great resource and extraordinary courage of a very high order by moving about outside the cockpit during the flight, carrying oil by means of a thermos cover from one engine to another while clinging to the struts. He was successful in enabling the party to reach the coast. (London Gazette: 9 July 1937). Taylor was initially awarded the Order of the British Empire for Gallantry (EGM) for his deed, and received the George Cross instead when the former award was superseded. "Bill" Taylor was born in Sydney on 20 October 1896. He served as an army cadet during his schooling and enlisted aged 18 in 1915. He was impatient for active service, however, and gained his discharge in order to travel to England at his own expense to enlist in the

17 ISSUE # 13 (0630230216)

Royal Flying Corps. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant into the RFC in 1916 and saw active service in France from March 1917. He was awarded the Military Cross for his bravery in more than forty offensive patrols, at low altitude and under heavy fire. The citation for his MC states that Taylor had "always shown exceptional dash and gallantry in attacking large formations of hostile machines, setting a very fine example to all of his comrades." He resigned after the war as a Captain in March 1919. Taylor was closely involved in civil aviation between the wars, and gained a reputation as a fine pilot and expert in navigation. It was this ability which led to his selection to accompany Sir Charles Kingsford-Smith on a Jubilee airmail flight across the Tasman Sea to New Zealand on 15 May 1935. When their aircraft, the Southern Cross, was approximately 600 miles out from Sydney the starboard engine failed, forcing Kingsford-Smith to turn back at around 7 am. The added strain on the remaining two motors began to tell and the port motor began using excessive oil, a sign of impending failure. Fuel and cargo were jettisoned, but the aircraft was buffeted by strong winds and at times went down to as low as ten feet above the sea. In these precarious conditions, Taylor climbed out of the cabin and onto the wing to drain oil from the useless starboard motor and transfer it to the struggling port motor, using a vacuum flask for the oil. He made the journey six times, scrambling onto one wing, draining some oil, then climbing back through the cabin and out onto the other wing to top up the other engine. The engine continued to function, and the aircraft limped back to Mascot airport at 4 p.m. after 16 hours in the air. Taylor served in the Royal Australian Air Force during World War 2, resigning in 1944 as a Squadron Leader. He flew as the senior civilian captain with the RAF Transport Command, mostly in inter-continental flying, from 1944. He remained a key figure in the international flying arena after the war. He was knighted for his contribution to aviation in 1954.

Issue #2 (July 2009)

Annex K to BACKGROUNDER # 30 Issue # 10 August 2011

Empire Gallantry Medal and Albert Medal Exchanges

EGM = This indicates a recipient of the Empire Gallantry Medal who exchanged the award for the George

Cross. AM = This indicates a recipient of the Albert Medal who exchanged the award for the George Cross.

Name Date of action Organisation Summary of action(s) Notes

Arthur Bagot^ 12 April 1918

Royal Naval

Volunteer Reserve

Gallantry during engine room

explosion on HM Motor

Launch 356

AM

Jack Chalmers 4 February 1922

North Bondi Surf

Life Saving Club

Rescue of swimmer during

shark attack

AM

Stanley Gibbs 3 January 1927 Civilian


shark attack

AM

Robert

Kavanaugh

19 January 1929 Civilian


shark attack

AM

Frederick March

19 November 192

4

Chauffeur to

Governor-General of

Sudan

Gallantry during assassination

of the Governor-General of

Sudan

EGM

William

McAloney^

31 August 1937

Royal Australian Air

Force

Attempted rescue of an officer

trapped in a burning aircraft AM

Richard Richards 9 October 1915 –

19 March 1916

Imperial Trans-

Antarctic Expedition

Gallantry during Trans-

Antarctic Expedition

AM

Patrick Taylor 15 May 1935

Australia-New

Zealand airmail flight

Gallantry during flight when

the aircraft's starboard engine

failed

EGM

.

Issue #2 (July 2009)

Issue # 10 (August 2011)

Annex L to BACKGROUNDER # 30 Issue # 10August 2011

The George Cross Warrants

The George Cross was instituted by a Royal Warrant dated 24th September 1940, and published in the London Gazette of 31st January 1941 as follows : "GEORGE R.I. WHEREAS We have taken into Our Royal consideration the many acts of heroism performed both by male and female persons, especially during the present war: And whereas We are desirous of honouring those who perform such deeds: We do by these presents for Us, Our Heirs and Successors institute and create a new Decoration which We desire should be highly prized and eagerly sought after. First: It is ordained that the Decoration shall be designated and styled "The George Cross". Secondly: It is ordained that the Decoration shall consist of a plain cross with four equal limbs, the cross having in the centre a circular medallion bearing a design showing St. George and the Dragon, that the inscription "For Gallantry" shall appear round this medallion, and in the angle of each limb of the cross the Royal cypher "G.VI" forming a circle concentric with the medallion, that the reverse of the Cross shall be plain and bear the name of the recipient and the date of the award, that the Cross shall be suspended by a ring from a bar adorned with laurel leaves, and that the whole shall be in silver. Thirdly: It is ordained that the persons eligible for the Decoration of the Cross shall be (1) Our faithful subjects and persons under Our protection in civil life, male and female, of Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, India, Burma, Our Colonies, and of Territories under Our Suzerainty, Protection or Jurisdiction, (2) Persons of any rank in the Naval, Military or Air Forces of Our United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, of India, of Burma, of Our Colonies, and of Territories under Our Suzerainty, Protection or Jurisdiction, including the Home Guard and in India members of Frontier Corps and Military Police and members of Indian States' Forces and in Burma members of the Burma Frontier Force and Military Police, and including also the military Nursing Services and Women's Auxiliary Services, (3) Our faithful subjects and persons under Our protection in civil life, male and female, within, and members of the Naval, Military or Air Forces belonging to, any other part of Our Dominions, Our Government whereof has signified its desire that the Cross should be awarded under the provisions of this Our Warrant, and any Territory being administered by Us in such Government. The Cross is intended primarily for civilians and award in Our military services is to be confined to actions for which purely military Honours are not normally granted. Fourthly: It is ordained that awards shall be made only on a recommendation to Us, for civilians by Our Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, and for Officers and members of Our Naval, Military or Air Forces, as described in the previous Clause of this Our Warrant, only on a recommendation by Our First Lord of the Admiralty, Our Secretary of State for War or Our Secretary of State for Air, as the case may be. Fifthly: It is ordained that the Cross shall be awarded only for acts of the greatest heroism or of the

Issue # 10(August 2011)

most conspicuous courage in circumstances of extreme danger, and that the Cross may be awarded posthumously. Sixthly: It is ordained that every recommendation for the award of the Cross shall be submitted with such description and conclusive proof as the circumstances of the case will allow, and attestation of the act as the Minister or Ministers concerned may think requisite. Seventhly: It is ordained that the Cross shall be worn by recipients on the left breast suspended from a ribbon one and a quarter inches in width, of dark blue, that it shall be worn immediately after the Victoria Cross and in front of the Insignia of all British Orders of Chivalry, and that on those occasions when only the ribbon is worn, a replica in silver of the Cross in miniature shall be affixed to the centre of the ribbon. Provided that when the Cross is worn by a woman, it may be worn on the left shoulder, suspended from a ribbon of the same width and colour, fashioned into a bow. Eighthly: It is ordained that the award of the George Cross shall entitle the recipient on all occasions when the use of such letters is customary, to have placed after his or her names the letters "G.C.". Ninthly: It is ordained that an action which is worthy of recognition by the award of the Cross, but is performed by one upon whom the Decoration has been conferred, may be recorded by the award of a Bar to be attached to the ribbon by which the Cross is suspended, that for each such additional award an additional Bar shall be added, and that for each Bar awarded a replica in silver of the Cross in miniature, in addition to the emblem already worn, shall be added to the ribbon when worn alone. Tenthly: It is ordained that the names of all those upon or on account of whom We may be pleased to confer or present the Cross, or a Bar to the Cross, shall be published in the London Gazette, and that a Register of such names shall be kept in the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood. Eleventhly: It is ordained that from the date of this Our Warrant, the grant of the Medal of the Order of the British Empire, for Gallantry, which was instituted and created by His late Majesty King George the Fifth, shall cease, and a recipient of that Medal, living at the date of this Our Warrant, shall return it to the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood and become instead a holder of the George Cross: provided that there shall be a similar change in relation to any posthumous grant of the Medal of the Order of the British Empire, for Gallantry, made since the commencement of the present war. Twelfthly: It is ordained that reproductions of the Cross, known as a Miniature Cross, which may be worn on certain occasions by those to whom the Decoration is awarded shall be half the size of the George Cross. Thirteenthly: It is ordained that it shall be competent for Us, our Heirs and Successors by an Order under Our Sign Manual and on a recommendation to that effect by or through Our Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury, Our First Lord of the Admiralty, Our Secretary of State for War, or Our Secretary of State for Air, as the case may be, to cancel and annul the award to any person of the George Cross and that thereupon the name of such person in the Register shall be erased: provided that it shall be competent for Us, Our Heirs and Successors to restore the Decoration so forfeited when such recommendation has been withdrawn.

Lastly: We reserve to Ourself, our Heirs Successors, full power of annulling, altering, abrogating,

Issue #10 (August 2011)

augmenting, interpreting, or dispensing with these rules and ordinances, or any part thereof, by a notification under Our Sign Manual. Given at Our Court at St. James's, the twenty-fourth of September, one thousand nine hundred and forty, in the fourth year of Our Reign. . By His Majesty's Command, Winston S. Churchill."

By a Royal Warrant dated 8th May 1941, and published in the London Gazette of 24th June 1941, the 7th Clause was amended so that the width of the ribbon was now to be 1! inches wide and not 1" inches as formerly. There have been three further Royal Warrants. The first, dated 17th October 1942, and published in the London Gazette of 3rd November 1942, amended the 3rd, 4th and 13th Clauses so that condominium awards, and direct submissions in the case of any of the Dominions, were now permitted. The second, dated 9th April 1964 and published in the London Gazette of 26th May 1964, amended these same three Clauses. In Clause 3 the words "India" and "Burma" were omitted, and the words "or under Our Jurisdiction jointly with another power" were added. Also in the same Clause further references to India, Indian States and Burma were omitted. In Clause 4, recommendations in the case of a member of the Commonwealth, other than the United Kingdom, were to be made by the appropriate Minister of State for the particular Commonwealth country. And in Clause 13, provision was made for the cancelling and annulling of any award in Commonwealth countries, other than the United Kingdom, on the recommendation of the appropriate Minister of State of that country. The third, dated 19th May 1965, and published in the London Gazette of 15th June 1965, added the following Clauses : "Fourteenthly : It is ordained that every living recipient of the George Cross, who falls to be in this matter a responsibility of the United Kingdom Government, shall from the first day of April, one thousand nine hundred and sixty-five, be entitled to a special pension of one hundred pounds a year, for life, and that subsequently such recipients of the George Cross shall be entitled to the special pension from the date of the act by which the Decoration has been gained, and for life. Fifteenthly: It is ordained that should a recipient of the George Cross die before he has received a total of fifty pounds in respect of the special pension of one hundred pounds a year which is payable to holders of the George Cross by the United Kingdom Government, there should be credited to his estate a sum equal to the balance needed to complete fifty pounds. It is also ordained that when the George Cross is awarded posthumously and the matter is a responsibility of the United Kingdom Government, the sum of fifty pounds should be credited to the estate of the deceased recipient of the award*. Sixteenthly: It is ordained that, subject to such exceptions as We, Our Heirs and Successors may ordain, a citizen of a Member Country of the Commonwealth Overseas to whom the George Cross may be awarded, shall receive such special pension as may be provided from the revenues of that Country under regulations made by the said Country." *Note: The annuity paid to British holders of the Victoria Cross and George Cross was increased on 1st April 2002 to £1,495. Annuity for Australian holders of the GC as at Jan. 2005 From ADF Pay and Conditions 11A.1.2 Victoria Cross or George Cross - annuity 1. This clause applies to a member who is awarded the Victoria Cross or the George Cross.

Issue #10 (August 2011)

2. The member is entitled to an annuity of $250 a year from the day of the act that led to the medal being awarded. 3. If the medal is awarded after the member's death, an amount of $125 is payable under clause 1.2.9. 4. A member who forfeits a medal mentioned in subclause 1 also forfeits any entitlement under this clause. 5. However, if a medal that has been forfeited is subsequently restored, any amount of annuity not paid is payable from the date of restoration. Annuity under the Canadian Gallantry Awards Order as at Jan. 2005 In this Order, "member of the armed services of Canada" includes a member of the British forces who enlisted before March 31, 1949 while domiciled in Canada or Newfoundland.

(a) holders of the Victoria Cross or the George Cross shall receive an annuity of $3,000

Issue # 10(August 2011)

Annex M to BACKGROUNDER # 30 Issue # 10 August 2011

Albert Medal

The Albert Medal for Lifesaving was a British medal awarded to recognize the saving of life . The Albert Medal was first instituted by a Royal Warrant on 7 March 1866 and discontinued in 1971. The medal was named in memory of Prince Albert and originally was awarded to recognize saving life at sea. The original medal had a blue ribbon 5/8" (16 mm) wide with 2 white stripes. A further Royal Warrant in 1867 created two classes of Albert Medal, the first in gold and bronze and the second in bronze, both enamelled in blue, and the ribbon of the first class changed to 1 3/8" (35 mm) wide with 4 white stripes. In 1877, the medal was extended to cover saving life on land and from this point there are two medals with different inscriptions to depict which they were awarded for. The land version was enameled in red, with a red ribbon. The titles of the medals changed in 1917, the gold "Albert Medal, first class" becoming the "Albert Medal in gold" and the bronze "Albert Medal, second class" being known as just the "Albert Medal". The Albert Medal in gold was abolished in 1949, being replaced by the George Cross, and the second class of Albert Medal (in bronze) was only awarded posthumously. In 1971, the Albert Medal was discontinued (along with the Edward Medal) and all living recipients were invited to exchange the award for the George Cross. From the total of 64 eligible to exchange, 49 took up the option.{Reference : Wikipedia July 2009

The Albert Medal has been awarded to 27 Australians; 17 Bronze Sea, two Gold

Land and eight Bronze Land. The last Australian Albert Medal was awarded in 1969.

Albert Medal in Gold : Sergeant D E Coyne, 31 Battalion, AIF (ANZAC Hall)

3347 Sergeant David Emmet Coyne, a farmer from Mackay in Queensland, joined the AIF in January 1916 as a 20 year old, and embarked as part of the 7th reinforcements to 31 Battalion, joining the unit on the Somme in December 1916. By 1918 he had seen considerable service and had become an expert in bombing (grenades), with the rank of sergeant. On 15 May 1918 he was seriously injured, receiving over 20 wounds when he attempted to protect his comrades by smothering a grenade with his body. He subsequently died of his injuries, and was posthumously

awarded the Albert Medal in gold. He was the only member of the AIF to receive this award. He is buried at Vignacourt British Cemetery near Amiens. The recommendation, originally for the award of the Victoria Cross, but later changed to the Albert Medal, since the enemy played no part in the event, reads as follows: 'At VAIRE-SOUS-CORBIE at 9.30 pm on the 15.5.18 Sergeant Coyne was in a platoon post in the support line. Being doubtful as to the quality of some Mills Grenades in the trench, he decided to test some by throwing one over the parapet. He did so, but by some mischance or other the grenade fell back into the trench amongst a Lewis Gun team. Coyne cried "Go for your lives boys, the bomb is in the trench" and endeavoured to find the bomb in order to throw it out of the trench. Owing to the darkness he could not put his hand on the bomb, which had rolled some little distance away. Realising the danger to his mates who had not got clear of the trench, he threw himself on top of the bomb which exploded, inflicting on him injuries from which he has since died. His last words to the men around him were "I laid on the bomb. I thought you didn't have time to get out." He undoubtedly sacrificed his life in order to save those of his comrades around him. It was a splendid example {Reference: AWM website July 2009}

# 30 (14)-victoria cross -openers (0630230316) copy hall of valour.pdf · annexes: annex a:...

Documents