List of Australian Victoria Cross recipients

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The Australian War Memorial which currently holds 66 VCs.

The Victoria Cross (VC) is a military decoration awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy"[1] to members of the Australia Armed Forces. It may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service, and to civilians under military command. Being the highest award in the Australian Honours Order of Wearing, the Victoria Cross takes precedence over all other postnominals and Australian orders and decorations. The Victoria Cross was instituted by Queen Victoria in 1856, initially to reward acts of valour during the Crimean War. Because of its rarity and inherent significance, the VC is highly prized, both as an award and as a collector's item, with one medal being sold for over A$1 million at auction.[2] Australians have received the Victoria Cross under the Imperial honours system and later under the Australian Honours System, when in 1991 a new but equivalent award was established by letters patent within the Commonwealth of Australia and its Territories, known as the Victoria Cross for Australia. The Victoria Cross for Australia has been awarded four times: twice to Special Air Service Regiment members, once to a member of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, and a posthumous award to a member of the 2nd Commando Regiment. All four were for actions in the War in Afghanistan.

The Imperial Victoria Cross has been awarded to ninety-six Australians—91 were received for actions whilst serving with Australian forces, and another 5 were received for actions whilst serving with South African and British forces. The majority of the awards were for action in the First World War when a total of 64 medals were awarded. Nine of these awards were for action during the Gallipoli Campaign. 20 medals were awarded for action in the Second World War, 6 in the Second Boer War, 4 in the Vietnam War and 2 in the Russian Civil War.[1] Twenty-eight Australians have been awarded the medal posthumously.[3] Notably, one recipient—Captain Alfred Shout VC, MC (who was also Mentioned in Despatches)—was Australia's most decorated soldier of the Gallipoli campaign. His Victoria Cross was posthumously awarded after Shout died of his wounds during the Battle of Lone Pine.[4] Another nineteen VCs have been awarded to soldiers who were either born in Australia, or died there, but did not serve in Australian units and as such these are not included in this list.[5]

With the death of Edward Kenna on 8 July 2009, Keith Payne is the only living recipient of the original Victoria Cross; three recipients of the Victoria Cross for Australia are still serving in the Australian Defence Force.

Recipients[edit]

  This along with the *, indicates that the Victoria Cross was awarded posthumously
AWM = This denotes that the medal is held at the Australian War Memorial

Victoria Cross[edit]

Name
 Date of
action
 Conflict
 Unit
 Place of action
 Location of medal
Anderson, CharlesCharles Anderson 1942 Second World War 2/19th Battalion Muar River, Malaya AWM[6]
Axford, ThomasThomas Axford 1918 First World War 16th Battalion Hamel Wood, France AWM[6]
Badcoe, PeterPeter Badcoe 1967* Vietnam War Australian Army Training Team Huong Tra, Vietnam AWM[7]
Beatham, RobertRobert Beatham 1918* First World War 8th Battalion Rosieres, France Queensland Museum
South Bank[8][9]
Bell, FrederickFrederick Bell 1901 Second Boer War West Australia Mounted Infantry Transvaal, South Africa Western Australian
Museum[10]
Birks, FrederickFrederick Birks 1917* First World War 6th Battalion Ypres, Belgium AWM[6]
Bisdee, JohnJohn Bisdee 1900 Second Boer War Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen Warm Bad, South Africa Tasmanian Museum
and Art Gallery[11]
Blackburn, ArthurArthur Blackburn 1916 First World War 10th Battalion Pozières, France AWM[6]
Borella, AlbertAlbert Borella 1918 First World War 26th Battalion Villers-Bretonneux, France Privately held
Brown, WalterWalter Brown 1918 First World War 20th Battalion Villers-Bretonneux, France AWM[6]
Buckley, AlexanderAlexander Buckley 1918* First World War 54th Battalion Péronne, France AWM[6]
Buckley, MauriceMaurice Buckley 1918 First World War 13th Battalion Le Verguier, France AWM[6]
Bugden, PatrickPatrick Bugden 1917* First World War 31st Battalion Zonnebeke, Belgium Queensland Museum
South Bank[8]
Burton, AlexanderAlexander Burton 1915* First World War 7th Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
Carroll, JohnJohn Carroll 1917 First World War 33rd Battalion St. Yves, Belgium AWM[6]
Cartwright, GeorgeGeorge Cartwright 1918 First World War 33rd Battalion Bouchavesnes, France Imperial War Museum
London[12]
Castleton, ClaudClaud Castleton 1916* First World War Australian Machine Gun Corps Pozières, France AWM[6]
Cherry, PercyPercy Cherry 1917* First World War 26th Battalion Lagnicourt, France AWM[6]
Chowne, AlbertAlbert Chowne 1945* Second World War 2/2nd Battalion Dagua, New Guinea AWM[6]
Cooke, ThomasThomas Cooke 1916* First World War 8th Battalion Pozières, France Army Museum
New Zealand[13]
Currey, WilliamWilliam Currey 1918 First World War 53rd Battalion Péronne, France AWM[6]
Cutler, RodenRoden Cutler 1941 Second World War 2/5th Field Regiment, RRoAA Merdjayoun-Damour, Lebanon AWM[6]
Dalziel, HenryHenry Dalziel 1918 First World War 15th Battalion Hamel Wood, France AWM[6]
Dartnell, WilburWilbur Dartnell 1915* First World War 25th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers Maktau, Kenya AWM[6]
Davey, PhillipPhillip Davey 1918 First World War 10th Battalion Merris, France AWM[6]
Derrick, TomTom Derrick 1943 Second World War 2/48th Battalion Sattelberg, New Guinea AWM[6]
Dunstan, WilliamWilliam Dunstan 1915 First World War 7th Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
Dwyer, JohnJohn Dwyer 1917 First World War Australian Machine Gun Corps Zonnebeke, Belgium AWM[6]
Edmondson, JohnJohn Edmondson 1941* Second World War 2/17th Battalion Tobruk, Libya AWM[6]
Edwards, HughieHughie Edwards 1941 Second World War No. 105 Squadron RAF Bremen, Germany AWM[6]
French, JackJack French 1942* Second World War 2/9th Battalion Milne Bay, Papua Privately held
Gaby, AlfredAlfred Gaby 1918* First World War 28th Battalion Villers-Bretonneux, France Tasmanian Museum
and Art Gallery[11]
Gordon, BernardBernard Gordon 1918 First World War 41st Battalion Bray, France AWM[6]
Gordon, JimJim Gordon 1941 Second World War 2/31st Battalion Djezzine, Syria Privately held
Gratwick, PercyPercy Gratwick 1942* Second World War 2/4th Battalion El Alamein, Egypt Army Museum of
Western Australia[14]
Grieve, RobertRobert Grieve 1917 First World War 37th Battalion Messines, Belgium Shrine of Remembrance
Melbourne[15][16]
Gurney, StanStan Gurney 1942* Second World War 2/48th Battalion Tel-el-Eisa, Egypt AWM[6]
Hall, ArthurArthur Hall 1918 First World War 54th Battalion Péronne, France AWM[6]
Hamilton, JohnJohn Hamilton 1915 First World War 3rd Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
Howell, GeorgeGeorge Howell 1917 First World War 1st Battalion Bullecourt, France AWM[6]
Howse, NevilleNeville Howse 1900 Second Boer War New South Wales Medical Staff Corps Vredefort, South Africa AWM[6]
Ingram, GeorgeGeorge Ingram 1918 First World War 24th Battalion Montbrehain, France AWM[6]
Inwood, RoyRoy Inwood 1917 First World War 10th Battalion Polygon Wood, Belgium Adelaide Town Hall[17]
Jacka, AlbertAlbert Jacka 1915 First World War 14th Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
Jackson, WilliamWilliam Jackson 1916 First World War 17th Battalion Armentieres, France Privately held
Jeffries, ClarenceClarence Jeffries 1917* First World War 34th Battalion Passchendaele, Belgium Christ Church Cathedral,
Newcastle, N.S.W.[18]
Jensen, JørgenJørgen Jensen 1917 First World War 50th Battalion Noreuil, France AWM[6]
Joynt, WilliamWilliam Joynt 1918 First World War 8th Battalion Herleville Wood, France Privately held[19]
Kelliher, RichardRichard Kelliher 1943 Second World War 2/25th Battalion Nadzab, New Guinea AWM[6]
Kenna, EdwardEdward Kenna 1945 Second World War 2/4th Battalion Wewak, New Guinea unknown[20]
Kenny, BedeBede Kenny 1917 First World War 2nd Battalion Hermies, France AWM[6]
Keysor, LeonardLeonard Keysor 1915 First World War 1st Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
Kibby, BillBill Kibby 1942* Second World War 2/48th Battalion El Alamein, Egypt AWM[6]
Kingsbury, BruceBruce Kingsbury 1942* Second World War 2/14th Battalion Isurava, Papua AWM[6]
Leak, JohnJohn Leak 1916 First World War 9th Battalion Pozières, France Privately held
Lowerson, AlbyAlby Lowerson 1918 First World War 21st Battalion Mont St. Quentin, France AWM[6]
Mackey, JackJack Mackey 1945* Second World War 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion Tarakan Island, Borneo AWM[6]
MacTier, RobertRobert MacTier 1918* First World War 23rd Battalion Mont St. Quentin, France AWM[6]
Maxwell, JosephJoseph Maxwell 1918 First World War 18th Battalion Estrees, France AWM[6]
Maygar, LeslieLeslie Maygar 1901 Second Boer War 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles Geelhoutboom, South Africa AWM[6]
McCarthy, DominicDominic McCarthy 1918 First World War 16th Battalion Madam Wood, France AWM[6]
McDougall, StanleyStanley McDougall 1918 First World War 47th Battalion Dernancourt, France AWM[6]
McGee, LewisLewis McGee 1917* First World War 40th Battalion Ypres, Belgium Queen Victoria Museum
and Art Gallery,
Launceston[21]
McNamara, FrankFrank McNamara 1917 First World War No. 1 Squadron AFC Tel el Hesi, Palestine RAF Museum, London[22]
Middleton, RonRon Middleton 1942* Second World War RAAF attached No. 149 Squadron RAF Turin, Italy AWM[6]
Moon, MickMick Moon 1917 First World War 58th Battalion Bullecourt, France AWM[6]
Murray, HarryHarry Murray 1917 First World War 13th Battalion Gueudecourt, France AWM
Newland, JamesJames Newland 1917 First World War 12th Battalion Bapaume, France AWM[6]
Newton, BillBill Newton 1943* Second World War No. 22 Squadron RAAF New Guinea AWM[6]
O'Meara, MartinMartin O'Meara 1916 First World War 16th Battalion Pozières, France Army Museum of
Western Australia[14]
Partridge, FrankFrank Partridge 1945 Second World War 8th (Militia) Battalion Bougainville, New Guinea Privately held
Payne, KeithKeith Payne 1969 Vietnam War Australian Army Training Team Ben Het, Vietnam AWM[6]
Pearse, SamuelSamuel Pearse 1919* North Russia Relief Force 45th Battalion, RF Emtsa, Russia AWM[6]
Peeler, WalterWalter Peeler 1917 First World War 3rd Pioneer Battalion Ypres, Belgium AWM[6]
Pope, CharlesCharles Pope 1917* First World War 11th Battalion Louveral, France AWM[6]
Rattey, RegReg Rattey 1945 Second World War 25th Battalion Bougainville, New Guinea Privately held
Rogers, JamesJames Rogers 1901 Second Boer War South African Constabulary Thaba 'Nchu, South Africa AWM[6]
Ruthven, WilliamWilliam Ruthven 1918 First World War 22nd Battalion Ville-sur-Ancre, France AWM[6]
Ryan, JohnJohn Ryan 1918 First World War 55th Battalion Hindenburg Defences, France AWM[6]
Sadlier, CliffordClifford Sadlier 1918 First World War 51st Battalion Villers-Bretonneux, France St George's Cathedral
Perth W.A.[23]
Shout, AlfredAlfred Shout 1915* First World War 1st Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
Simpson, RayRay Simpson 1969 Vietnam War Australian Army Training Team Kontum Province, Vietnam AWM[6]
Starcevich, LeslieLeslie Starcevich 1945 Second World War 2/43rd Battalion Beaufort, British North Borneo Army Museum of
Western Australia[14]
Statton, PercyPercy Statton 1918 First World War 40th Battalion Proyart, France AWM[6]
Storkey, PercyPercy Storkey 1918 First World War 19th Battalion Hangard Wood, France Army Museum
New Zealand[13]
Sullivan, ArthurArthur Sullivan 1919 North Russia Relief Force 45th Battalion, RF Sheika River, Russia AWM[6]
Symons, WilliamWilliam Symons 1915 First World War 7th Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
Throssell, HugoHugo Throssell 1915 First World War 10th Light Horse Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
Towner, EdgarEdgar Towner 1918 First World War Australian Machine Gun Corps Mont St. Quentin, France Privately held
Tubb, FrederickFrederick Tubb 1915 First World War 7th Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
Wark, BlairBlair Wark 1918 First World War 32nd Battalion Bellicourt, France Queensland Museum
South Bank[8][24]
Weathers, LawrenceLawrence Weathers 1918 First World War 43rd Battalion Peronne, France Privately held
Wheatley, KevinKevin Wheatley 1965* Vietnam War Australian Army Training Team Tra Bong, Vietnam AWM[6]
Whittle, JohnJohn Whittle 1917 First World War 12th Battalion Boursies, France AWM[6][25]
Woods, JamesJames Woods 1918 First World War 48th Battalion Le Verguier, France AWM[6]
Wylly, GuyGuy Wylly 1900 Second Boer War Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen Warm Bad, South Africa Tasmanian Museum
and Art Gallery[11]

Victoria Cross for Australia[edit]

Name
 Date of
action
 Conflict
 Unit
 Place of action
 Location of medal
Donaldson, MarkMark Donaldson 2008 War in Afghanistan Special Air Service Regiment Urozgan Province, Afghanistan AWM[6][26]
Roberts-Smith, BenBen Roberts-Smith 2010 War in Afghanistan Special Air Service Regiment Kandahar Province, Afghanistan AWM[6][27]
Keighran, DanielDaniel Keighran 2010 War in Afghanistan 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment Urozgan Province, Afghanistan AWM[6]
Baird, CameronCameron Baird 2013* War in Afghanistan 2nd Commando Regiment Khod Valley, Afghanistan AWM

References[edit]

General
Specific
  1. ^ a b "VC for Australia" (PDF). Australian Government. Retrieved 2007-07-02. 
  2. ^ "Gallipoli VC medal sets auction record". The Age. 2006-07-24. Retrieved 2007-01-30. 
  3. ^ Wigmore 1986, p. 14.
  4. ^ "Bravery awards at Gallipoli". Australian Government, Department of Veterans' Affairs. Retrieved 2007-11-09. 
  5. ^ Wigmore 1986, pp. 180–187.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp "Victoria Crosses held at the Memorial". Australian War Memorial. 
  7. ^ "Major Badcoe's Victoria Cross" (PDF). South Australian Museum. Retrieved 26 April 2013. 
    "The Victoria Cross - Major Peter Badcoe" (PDF). South Australian Museum. 
  8. ^ a b c "Victoria Cross". Queensland Museum South Bank. Government of Queensland. Retrieved 2012-07-26. 
  9. ^ Robert Beatham's medal, owned by Mr Neil Jenman and Mrs Ruth Jenman, is on loan to the Queensland Museum until 2012.
  10. ^ Lieutenant Colonel Frederick William Bell, victoriacross.org.uk
  11. ^ a b c VC medals in the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart, victoriacross.org.uk
  12. ^ Anthony Staunton, Cartwright, George (1894 - 1978), Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 13, Melbourne University Press, 1993, p. 379. Retrieved on 2009-03-03.
  13. ^ a b VC medals in the Army Museum, New Zealand, victoriacross.org.uk
  14. ^ a b c Items of significance, Army Museum of Western Australia, 4 January 2009. Retrieved on 2009-03-03.
  15. ^ Wilson, Neil (2003-08-09). "Rise & shrine". Herald Sun. p. 6. 
  16. ^ Robert Grieve's medal is on loan to the Shrine by its owners, Wesley College
  17. ^ "Reginald Roy Inwood's - Victoria Cross Medal". Adelaide City Council. Retrieved 2008-10-07. 
  18. ^ Capt. Clarence Smith Jeffries Memorial Park (Abermain), Register of War Memorials in New South Wales, 2002. Retrieved on 2009-03-03.
  19. ^ William Joynt's VC medal is thought to be held at Melbourne Grammar School.[citation needed]
  20. ^ Kenna's VC had been on loan to the AWM since 9 April 2010 - see AWM Media Release 335 - but no longer appears on the War Memorial's list of Victoria Crosses held at the Memorial.
  21. ^ Co Sergeant Major Lewis McGee, victoriacross.org.uk
  22. ^ VC medals in the RAF Museum, London, victoriacross.org.uk
  23. ^ "A History and Detailed Guide to St George's Cathedral", Revised 2007, pp.10&14. Retrieved on 2009-03-03.
  24. ^ Blair Wark's medal, owned by the United Service Club Queensland, is on loan to the Queensland Museum until 2012.
  25. ^ Whittle's VC has been on loan to the AWM since October 2009 - see AWM Media Release 296.
  26. ^ Donaldson's VC has been on loan to the AWM since January 2009 - see AWM Media Release 215.
  27. ^ "Australia's latest Victoria Cross recipient Corporal Ben Roberts-Smith VC MG views his newly installed panel and medal display for the first time" (PDF). Media alert. Australian War Memorial. 3 April 2011. Retrieved 8 August 2011. 
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