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 1942Second World War2/19th BattalionMuar River, MalayaAWM[6]
Thomas Axford 1918First World War16th BattalionHamel Wood, FranceAWM[6]
Peter Badcoe 1967*Vietnam WarAustralian Army Training TeamHuong Tra, VietnamAWM[7]
Robert Beatham 1918*First World War8th BattalionRosieres, FranceQueensland Museum
South Bank[8][9]
Frederick Bell 1901Second Boer WarWest Australia Mounted InfantryTransvaal, South AfricaWestern Australian
Museum[10]
Frederick Birks 1917*First World War6th BattalionYpres, BelgiumAWM[6]
John Bisdee 1900Second Boer WarTasmanian Imperial BushmenWarm Bad, South AfricaTasmanian Museum
and Art Gallery[11]
Arthur Blackburn 1916First World War10th BattalionPozières, FranceAWM[6]
Albert Borella 1918First World War26th BattalionVillers-Bretonneux, FrancePrivately held
Walter Brown 1918First World War20th BattalionVillers-Bretonneux, FranceAWM[6]
Alexander Buckley 1918*First World War54th BattalionPéronne, FranceAWM[6]
Maurice Buckley 1918First World War13th BattalionLe Verguier, FranceAWM[6]
Patrick Bugden 1917*First World War31st BattalionZonnebeke, BelgiumQueensland Museum
South Bank[8]
Alexander Burton 1915*First World War7th BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM[6]
John Carroll 1917First World War33rd BattalionSt. Yves, BelgiumAWM[6]
George Cartwright 1918First World War33rd BattalionBouchavesnes, FranceImperial War Museum
London[12]
Claud Castleton 1916*First World WarAustralian Machine Gun CorpsPozières, FranceAWM[6]
Percy Cherry 1917*First World War26th BattalionLagnicourt, FranceAWM[6]
Albert Chowne 1945*Second World War2/2nd BattalionDagua, New GuineaAWM[6]
Thomas Cooke 1916*First World War8th BattalionPozières, FranceArmy Museum
New Zealand[13]
William Currey 1918First World War53rd BattalionPéronne, FranceAWM[6]
Arthur Roden Cutler 1941Second World War2/5th Field Regiment, RRoAAMerdjayoun-Damour, LebanonAWM[6]
Henry Dalziel 1918First World War15th BattalionHamel Wood, FranceAWM[6]
Wilbur Dartnell 1915*First World War25th (Service) Battalion, Royal FusiliersMaktau, KenyaAWM[6]
Phillip Davey 1918First World War10th BattalionMerris, FranceAWM[6]
Tom Derrick 1943Second World War2/48th BattalionSattelberg, New GuineaAWM[6]
William Dunstan 1915First World War7th BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM[6]
John Dwyer 1917First World WarAustralian Machine Gun CorpsZonnebeke, BelgiumAWM[6]
John Edmondson 1941*Second World War2/17th BattalionTobruk, LibyaAWM[6]
Hughie Edwards 1941Second World WarNo. 105 Squadron RAFBremen, GermanyAWM[6]
Jack French 1942*Second World War2/9th BattalionMilne Bay, PapuaPrivately held
Alfred Gaby 1918*First World War28th BattalionVillers-Bretonneux, FranceTasmanian Museum
and Art Gallery[11]
Bernard Gordon 1918First World War41st BattalionBray, FranceAWM[6]
Jim Gordon 1941Second World War2/31st BattalionDjezzine, SyriaPrivately held
Percy Gratwick 1942*Second World War2/48th BattalionEl Alamein, EgyptArmy Museum of
Western Australia[14]
Robert Grieve 1917First World War37th BattalionMessines, BelgiumShrine of Remembrance
Melbourne[15][16]
Stan Gurney 1942*Second World War2/48th BattalionTel-el-Eisa, EgyptAWM[6]
Arthur Hall 1918First World War54th BattalionPéronne, FranceAWM[6]
John Hamilton 1915First World War3rd BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM[6]
George Howell 1917First World War1st BattalionBullecourt, FranceAWM[6]
Neville Howse 1900Second Boer WarNew South Wales Medical Staff CorpsVredefort, South AfricaAWM[6]
George Ingram 1918First World War24th BattalionMontbrehain, FranceAWM[6]
Roy Inwood 1917First World War10th BattalionPolygon Wood, BelgiumAdelaide Town Hall[17]
Albert Jacka 1915First World War14th BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM[6]
William Jackson 1916First World War17th BattalionArmentieres, FrancePrivately held
Clarence Jeffries 1917*First World War34th BattalionPasschendaele, BelgiumChrist Church Cathedral,
Newcastle, N.S.W.[18]
Jørgen Jensen 1917First World War50th BattalionNoreuil, FranceAWM[6]
William Joynt 1918First World War8th BattalionHerleville Wood, FrancePrivately held[19]
Richard Kelliher 1943Second World War2/25th BattalionNadzab, New GuineaAWM[6]
Edward Kenna 1945Second World War2/4th BattalionWewak, New Guineaunknown[20]
Bede Kenny 1917First World War2nd BattalionHermies, FranceAWM[6]
Leonard Keysor 1915First World War1st BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM[6]
Bill Kibby 1942*Second World War2/48th BattalionEl Alamein, EgyptAWM[6]
Bruce Kingsbury 1942*Second World War2/14th BattalionIsurava, PapuaAWM[6]
John Leak 1916First World War9th BattalionPozières, FrancePrivately held
Alby Lowerson 1918First World War21st BattalionMont St. Quentin, FranceAWM[6]
Jack Mackey 1945*Second World War2/3rd Pioneer BattalionTarakan Island, BorneoAWM[6]
Robert MacTier 1918*First World War23rd BattalionMont St. Quentin, FranceAWM[6]
Joseph Maxwell 1918First World War18th BattalionEstrees, FranceAWM[6]
Leslie Maygar 1901Second Boer War5th Victorian Mounted RiflesGeelhoutboom, South AfricaAWM[6]
Dominic McCarthy 1918First World War16th BattalionMadam Wood, FranceAWM[6]
Stanley McDougall 1918First World War47th BattalionDernancourt, FranceAWM[6]
Lewis McGee 1917*First World War40th BattalionYpres, BelgiumQueen Victoria Museum
and Art Gallery,
Launceston[21]
Frank McNamara 1917First World WarNo. 1 Squadron AFCTel el Hesi, PalestineRAF Museum, London[22]
Ron Middleton 1942*Second World WarRAAF attached No. 149 Squadron RAFTurin, ItalyAWM[6]
Mick Moon 1917First World War58th BattalionBullecourt, FranceAWM[6]
Harry Murray 1917First World War13th BattalionGueudecourt, FranceAWM
James Newland 1917First World War12th BattalionBapaume, FranceAWM[6]
Bill Newton 1943*Second World WarNo. 22 Squadron RAAFNew GuineaAWM[6]
Martin O'Meara 1916First World War16th BattalionPozières, FranceArmy Museum of
Western Australia[14]
Frank Partridge 1945Second World War8th (Militia) BattalionBougainville, New GuineaPrivately held
Keith Payne 1969Vietnam WarAustralian Army Training TeamBen Het, VietnamAWM[6]
Samuel Pearse 1919*North Russia Relief Force45th Battalion, RFEmtsa, RussiaAWM[6]
Walter Peeler 1917First World War3rd Pioneer BattalionYpres, BelgiumAWM[6]
Charles Pope 1917*First World War11th BattalionLouveral, FranceAWM[6]
Reg Rattey 1945Second World War25th BattalionBougainville, New GuineaPrivately held
James Rogers 1901Second Boer WarSouth African ConstabularyThaba 'Nchu, South AfricaAWM[6]
William Ruthven 1918First World War22nd BattalionVille-sur-Ancre, FranceAWM[6]
John Ryan 1918First World War55th BattalionHindenburg Defences, FranceAWM[6]
Clifford Sadlier 1918First World War51st BattalionVillers-Bretonneux, FranceSt George's Cathedral
Perth W.A.[23]
Alfred Shout 1915*First World War1st BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM[6]
Ray Simpson 1969Vietnam WarAustralian Army Training TeamKontum Province, VietnamAWM[6]
Leslie Starcevich 1945Second World War2/43rd BattalionBeaufort, British North BorneoArmy Museum of
Western Australia[14]
Percy Statton 1918First World War40th BattalionProyart, FranceAWM[6]
Percy Storkey 1918First World War19th BattalionHangard Wood, FranceArmy Museum
New Zealand[13]
Arthur Sullivan 1919North Russia Relief Force45th Battalion, RFSheika River, RussiaAWM[6]
William Symons 1915First World War7th BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM[6]
Hugo Throssell 1915First World War10th Light HorseGallipoli, TurkeyAWM[6]
Edgar Towner 1918First World WarAustralian Machine Gun CorpsMont St. Quentin, FrancePrivately held
Frederick Tubb 1915First World War7th BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM[6]
Blair Wark 1918First World War32nd BattalionBellicourt, FranceQueensland Museum
South Bank[8][24]
Lawrence Weathers 1918First World War43rd BattalionPeronne, FrancePrivately held
Kevin Wheatley 1965*Vietnam WarAustralian Army Training TeamTra Bong, VietnamAWM[6]
John Whittle 1917First World War12th BattalionBoursies, FranceAWM[6][25]
James Woods 1918First World War48th BattalionLe Verguier, FranceAWM[6]
Guy Wylly 1900Second Boer WarTasmanian Imperial BushmenWarm Bad, South AfricaTasmanian 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 Afghanistan2nd Commando RegimentKhod Valley, AfghanistanAWM[6]
Mark Donaldson 2008War in AfghanistanSpecial Air Service RegimentUrozgan Province, AfghanistanAWM[6][26]
Daniel Keighran 2010War in Afghanistan6th Battalion, Royal Australian RegimentUrozgan Province, AfghanistanAWM[6]
Ben Roberts-Smith 2010War in AfghanistanSpecial Air Service RegimentKandahar Province, AfghanistanAWM[6][27]
Teddy Sheean 1942*Second World WarHMAS ArmidaleArafura Sea, East TimorAWM.

References

Specific

  1. 1 2 "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. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 "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. 1 2 3 "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. 1 2 3 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. 1 2 VC medals in the Army Museum, New Zealand Archived 13 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine, victoriacross.org.uk
  14. 1 2 3 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.
  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", 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.

General

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