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 VC takes precedence over all other postnominals and Australian orders and decorations. The VC 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 VC 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 five 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, and a posthumous award to Teddy Sheean. The first four were for actions in the War in Afghanistan while Sheean's was for actions during World War II.

The Imperial VC has been awarded to 96 Australians—91 were received for actions whilst serving with Australian forces, and another five to former members of the Australian forces then 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] 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 19 VCs have been awarded to soldiers who were either born in Australia, or died there, but did not serve in Australian units before being awarded the VC, and as such these are not included in this list.[5]

Keith Payne is the only living Australian recipient of the original VC; there are three living recipients of the Victoria Cross for Australia.

Recipients

  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

Name Date of action Conflict Unit Place of action Location of medal
Charles Anderson 1942 Second World War 2/19th Battalion Muar River, Malaya AWM[6]
Thomas Axford 1918 First World War 16th Battalion Hamel Wood, France AWM[6]
Peter Badcoe 1967* Vietnam War Australian Army Training Team Huong Tra, Vietnam AWM[7]
Robert Beatham 1918* First World War 8th Battalion Rosieres, France Queensland Museum
South Bank[8][9]
Frederick Bell 1901 Second Boer War West Australia Mounted Infantry Transvaal, South Africa Western Australian
Museum[10]
Frederick Birks 1917* First World War 6th Battalion Ypres, Belgium AWM[6]
John Bisdee 1900 Second Boer War Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen Warm Bad, South Africa Tasmanian Museum
and Art Gallery[11]
Arthur Blackburn 1916 First World War 10th Battalion Pozières, France AWM[6]
Albert Borella 1918 First World War 26th Battalion Villers-Bretonneux, France Privately held
Walter Brown 1918 First World War 20th Battalion Villers-Bretonneux, France AWM[6]
Alexander Buckley 1918* First World War 54th Battalion Péronne, France AWM[6]
Maurice Buckley 1918 First World War 13th Battalion Le Verguier, France AWM[6]
Patrick Bugden 1917* First World War 31st Battalion Zonnebeke, Belgium Queensland Museum
South Bank[8]
Alexander Burton 1915* First World War 7th Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
John Carroll 1917 First World War 33rd Battalion St. Yves, Belgium AWM[6]
George Cartwright 1918 First World War 33rd Battalion Bouchavesnes, France Imperial War Museum
London[12]
Claud Castleton 1916* First World War Australian Machine Gun Corps Pozières, France AWM[6]
Percy Cherry 1917* First World War 26th Battalion Lagnicourt, France AWM[6]
Albert Chowne 1945* Second World War 2/2nd Battalion Dagua, New Guinea AWM[6]
Thomas Cooke 1916* First World War 8th Battalion Pozières, France Army Museum
New Zealand[13]
William Currey 1918 First World War 53rd Battalion Péronne, France AWM[6]
Arthur Roden Cutler 1941 Second World War 2/5th Field Regiment, RRoAA Merdjayoun-Damour, Lebanon AWM[6]
Henry Dalziel 1918 First World War 15th Battalion Hamel Wood, France AWM[6]
Wilbur Dartnell 1915* First World War 25th (Service) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers Maktau, Kenya AWM[6]
Phillip Davey 1918 First World War 10th Battalion Merris, France AWM[6]
Tom Derrick 1943 Second World War 2/48th Battalion Sattelberg, New Guinea AWM[6]
William Dunstan 1915 First World War 7th Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
John Dwyer 1917 First World War Australian Machine Gun Corps Zonnebeke, Belgium AWM[6]
John Edmondson 1941* Second World War 2/17th Battalion Tobruk, Libya AWM[6]
Hughie Edwards 1941 Second World War No. 105 Squadron RAF Bremen, Germany AWM[6]
Jack French 1942* Second World War 2/9th Battalion Milne Bay, Papua Privately held
Alfred Gaby 1918* First World War 28th Battalion Villers-Bretonneux, France Tasmanian Museum
and Art Gallery[11]
Bernard Gordon 1918 First World War 41st Battalion Bray, France AWM[6]
Jim Gordon 1941 Second World War 2/31st Battalion Djezzine, Syria Privately held
Percy Gratwick 1942* Second World War 2/48th Battalion El Alamein, Egypt Army Museum of
Western Australia[14]
Robert Grieve 1917 First World War 37th Battalion Messines, Belgium Shrine of Remembrance
Melbourne[15][16]
Stan Gurney 1942* Second World War 2/48th Battalion Tel-el-Eisa, Egypt AWM[6]
Arthur Hall 1918 First World War 54th Battalion Péronne, France AWM[6]
John Hamilton 1915 First World War 3rd Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
George Howell 1917 First World War 1st Battalion Bullecourt, France AWM[6]
Neville Howse 1900 Second Boer War New South Wales Medical Staff Corps Vredefort, South Africa AWM[6]
George Ingram 1918 First World War 24th Battalion Montbrehain, France AWM[6]
Roy Inwood 1917 First World War 10th Battalion Polygon Wood, Belgium Adelaide Town Hall[17]
Albert Jacka 1915 First World War 14th Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
William Jackson 1916 First World War 17th Battalion Armentieres, France Privately held
Clarence Jeffries 1917* First World War 34th Battalion Passchendaele, Belgium Christ Church Cathedral,
Newcastle, N.S.W.[18]
Jørgen Jensen 1917 First World War 50th Battalion Noreuil, France AWM[6]
William Joynt 1918 First World War 8th Battalion Herleville Wood, France Privately held[19]
Richard Kelliher 1943 Second World War 2/25th Battalion Nadzab, New Guinea AWM[6]
Edward Kenna 1945 Second World War 2/4th Battalion Wewak, New Guinea unknown[20]
Bede Kenny 1917 First World War 2nd Battalion Hermies, France AWM[6]
Leonard Keysor 1915 First World War 1st Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
Bill Kibby 1942* Second World War 2/48th Battalion El Alamein, Egypt AWM[6]
Bruce Kingsbury 1942* Second World War 2/14th Battalion Isurava, Papua AWM[6]
John Leak 1916 First World War 9th Battalion Pozières, France Privately held
Alby Lowerson 1918 First World War 21st Battalion Mont St. Quentin, France AWM[6]
Jack Mackey 1945* Second World War 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion Tarakan Island, Borneo AWM[6]
Robert MacTier 1918* First World War 23rd Battalion Mont St. Quentin, France AWM[6]
Joseph Maxwell 1918 First World War 18th Battalion Estrees, France AWM[6]
Leslie Maygar 1901 Second Boer War 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles Geelhoutboom, South Africa AWM[6]
Dominic McCarthy 1918 First World War 16th Battalion Madam Wood, France AWM[6]
Stanley McDougall 1918 First World War 47th Battalion Dernancourt, France AWM[6]
Lewis McGee 1917* First World War 40th Battalion Ypres, Belgium Queen Victoria Museum
and Art Gallery,
Launceston[21]
Frank McNamara 1917 First World War No. 1 Squadron AFC Tel el Hesi, Palestine RAF Museum, London[22]
Ron Middleton 1942* Second World War RAAF attached No. 149 Squadron RAF Turin, Italy AWM[6]
Mick Moon 1917 First World War 58th Battalion Bullecourt, France AWM[6]
Harry Murray 1917 First World War 13th Battalion Gueudecourt, France AWM
James Newland 1917 First World War 12th Battalion Bapaume, France AWM[6]
Bill Newton 1943* Second World War No. 22 Squadron RAAF New Guinea AWM[6]
Martin O'Meara 1916 First World War 16th Battalion Pozières, France Army Museum of
Western Australia[14]
Frank Partridge 1945 Second World War 8th (Militia) Battalion Bougainville, New Guinea Privately held
Keith Payne 1969 Vietnam War Australian Army Training Team Ben Het, Vietnam AWM[6]
Samuel Pearse 1919* North Russia Relief Force 45th Battalion, RF Emtsa, Russia AWM[6]
Walter Peeler 1917 First World War 3rd Pioneer Battalion Ypres, Belgium AWM[6]
Charles Pope 1917* First World War 11th Battalion Louveral, France AWM[6]
Reg Rattey 1945 Second World War 25th Battalion Bougainville, New Guinea Privately held
James Rogers 1901 Second Boer War South African Constabulary Thaba 'Nchu, South Africa AWM[6]
William Ruthven 1918 First World War 22nd Battalion Ville-sur-Ancre, France AWM[6]
John Ryan 1918 First World War 55th Battalion Hindenburg Defences, France AWM[6]
Clifford Sadlier 1918 First World War 51st Battalion Villers-Bretonneux, France St George's Cathedral
Perth W.A.[23]
Alfred Shout 1915* First World War 1st Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
Ray Simpson 1969 Vietnam War Australian Army Training Team Kontum Province, Vietnam AWM[6]
Leslie Starcevich 1945 Second World War 2/43rd Battalion Beaufort, British North Borneo Army Museum of
Western Australia[14]
Percy Statton 1918 First World War 40th Battalion Proyart, France AWM[6]
Percy Storkey 1918 First World War 19th Battalion Hangard Wood, France Army Museum
New Zealand[13]
Arthur Sullivan 1919 North Russia Relief Force 45th Battalion, RF Sheika River, Russia AWM[6]
William Symons 1915 First World War 7th Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
Hugo Throssell 1915 First World War 10th Light Horse Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
Edgar Towner 1918 First World War Australian Machine Gun Corps Mont St. Quentin, France Privately held
Frederick Tubb 1915 First World War 7th Battalion Gallipoli, Turkey AWM[6]
Blair Wark 1918 First World War 32nd Battalion Bellicourt, France Queensland Museum
South Bank[8][24]
Lawrence Weathers 1918 First World War 43rd Battalion Peronne, France Privately held
Kevin Wheatley 1965* Vietnam War Australian Army Training Team Tra Bong, Vietnam AWM[6]
John Whittle 1917 First World War 12th Battalion Boursies, France AWM[6][25]
James Woods 1918 First World War 48th Battalion Le Verguier, France AWM[6]
Guy Wylly 1900 Second Boer War Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen Warm Bad, South Africa Tasmanian Museum
and Art Gallery[11]

Victoria Cross for Australia

Name Date of action Conflict Unit Place of action Location of medal
Cameron Baird 2013* War in Afghanistan 2nd Commando Regiment Khod Valley, Afghanistan AWM[6]
Mark Donaldson 2008 War in Afghanistan Special Air Service Regiment Urozgan Province, Afghanistan AWM[6][26]
Daniel Keighran 2010 War in Afghanistan 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment Urozgan Province, Afghanistan AWM[6]
Ben Roberts-Smith 2010 War in Afghanistan Special Air Service Regiment Kandahar Province, Afghanistan AWM[6][27]
Teddy Sheean 1942* Second World War HMAS Armidale Arafura Sea, East Timor AWM.

References

Specific

  1. ^ a b "VC for Australia" (PDF). Australian Government. Retrieved 2 July 2007.
  2. ^ "Gallipoli VC medal sets auction record". The Age. 24 July 2006. Retrieved 30 January 2007.
  3. ^ Wigmore 1986, p. 14.
  4. ^ "Bravery awards at Gallipoli". Australian Government, Department of Veterans' Affairs. Retrieved 9 November 2007.
  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 bq "Victoria Crosses held at the Memorial". Australian War Memorial.
  7. ^ "Major Badcoe's Victoria Cross" (PDF). South Australian Museum. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2009. Retrieved 26 April 2013.
    "The Victoria Cross - Major Peter Badcoe" (PDF). South Australian Museum. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 June 2009.
  8. ^ a b c "Victoria Cross". Queensland Museum South Bank. Government of Queensland. Archived from the original on 18 July 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
  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 Archived 8 June 2009 at the Wayback Machine, victoriacross.org.uk
  11. ^ a b c VC medals in the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart Archived 28 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine, 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 Archived 13 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine, victoriacross.org.uk
  14. ^ a b c Items of significance Archived 21 March 2012 at the Wayback Machine, Army Museum of Western Australia, 4 January 2009. Retrieved on 2009-03-03.
  15. ^ Wilson, Neil (9 August 2003). "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 7 October 2008.
  18. ^ Capt. Clarence Smith Jeffries Memorial Park (Abermain) Archived 19 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine, 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 Archived 28 September 2009 at the Wayback Machine, 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"[permanent dead link], 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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