Tasmania's VC Winners

Trooper John Bisdee and Lieutenant Guy Wylly

Both born in Tasmania, Trooper Bisdee and Lieutenant Wylly were serving with the 1st Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen when they were awarded the Victoria Cross for their valour at Warm Bad in South Africa on 1 September 1900. The two men were part of a scouting party that was ambushed in a narrow rocky pass. Despite being wounded, both men gave their horses to wounded comrades, Trooper Bisdee running alongside his horse officer and Lieutenant Wylly providing covering fire. They were the first Australian-born soldiers to win the VC.

Captain Henry Murray

One of the original Anzacs, Australia’s most decorated serviceman and the most decorated soldier in the British infantry in WWI, Henry Murray was born near Launceston. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his valour at Stormy Trench near Guedecourt on the Western Front on 4-5 February 1917. After leading his company to its objective, Captain Murray rallied his men in the face of heavy casualties to beat back three counter-attacks, heading bombing parties, leading bayonet charges and carrying wounded men to safety. As well as the VC, Murray was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal at Gallipoli, the Distinguished Service Order and Bar, the French Croix de Guerre and in 1919 was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George.

Captain Percy Cherry

Born in Victoria, Percy Cherry grew up at Cradoc in Tasmania and enlisted in the 26^th Battalion in March 1915. He served at Gallipoli from September 1915 until he was wounded shortly before the evacuation in December. Captain Cherry was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his valour at Lagnicourt, France on 26 March 1917. After all of the other officers in his company became casualties, he continued to lead his men in the face of fierce opposition and cleared his objective of enemy troops. Captain Cherry then led his men in beating off heavy counter-attacks and, despite being wounded, refused to leave his post. He was killed by an enemy shell.

Captain James Newland and Sergeant John Whittle

James Newland was born in Victoria, but served in the Commonwealth Military Forces in Tasmania for a number of years before enlisting in the 12th Battalion AIF. Captain Newland partnered Sergeant John Whittle, born on Huon Island, in the actions on the Western Front from 7-15 April 1917 that won them both the Victoria Cross. On 7 April, Sergeant Whittle was in command of a post near Boursies when the Germans counter-attacked and entered his trench. Sergeant Whittle charged the enemy and stabilised the position. Captain Newland then arrived and the two worked together until the line was re-established. On 15 April at Lagnicourt, German troops attempted to encircle Australian posts, bomb them out of existence or take them by frontal attacks. An Australian counter-attack and sustained shellfire against the Germans, led by Captain Newland and Sergeant Whittle, resulted in a complete AIF victory.

Sergeant John Dwyer

John Dwyer was born at Lovett, Tasmania, and served with the 15th Battalion at Gallipoli. He was serving with the 4th Machine Gun Company on 26 September 1917 when he won the Victoria Cross for his valour at Zonnebeke, Belgium. Sergeant Dwyer was in charge of a Vickers machine-gun crew when he charged an enemy machine-gun post and opened fire at point-blank range, killing the gun crew. He then seized the enemy gun and defied sniper fire to return to the Allied front-line, commanding both guns in the defence of a counter-attack. The next day, after his Vickers gun was destroyed by shellfire, Sergeant Dwyer led his crew back to headquarters under heavy fire, obtained a reserve gun and rushed back to the front-line.

Sergeant Lewis McGee

Lewis McGee was born at Ross, Tasmania, and was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his valour during the Third Battle of Ypres in Belgium on 4 October 1917. Sergeant McGee was leading his platoon from the 40th Battalion under heavy fire when a machine-gun post stopped the company’s advance. Armed only with a revolver, he charged the pillbox and shot the gun crew, then reorganised the remnants of his platoon and continued the advance. Sergeant McGee was later killed in action.

Sergeant Stanley McDougall
Stan McDougall was a third-generation Tasmanian, born at Recherche. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his valour at Dernancourt, France, on 28 March 1918. Sergeant McDougall was in a flank company of the 47th Battalion when an enemy attack breached the Australian lines.

Realising the situation, he single-handedly charged the enemy’s second wave with rifle and bayonet, captured a machine-gun which he turned on the attacking troops until his ammunition ran out, then continued on with a bayonet, saving the life of an Australian officer. Sergeant McDougall’s actions saved the line and stopped the enemy advance.

Corporal Walter Brown

Wally Brown grew up in New Norfolk and became a grocer in Hobart, but was working in Sydney when war broke out.

Corporal Brown was serving with the 20th Battalion at Dernancourt on 6 July 1918 when he won his Victoria Cross. A sniper post was holding up the Australians and Corporal Brown made his way alone through the trenches.

He was about to bomb the post when a group of Germans started to emerge from another dug-out. Corporal Brown threatened the enemy with his grenade and succeeded in capturing 13 prisoners.

A born soldier, Wally Brown was in Malaya in World War II before the fall of Singapore. He was last seen a few hours before the surrender, walking towards the Japanese positions with some grenades.

Lieutenant Alfred Gaby

Born in Springfield, Tasmania, Alfred Gaby was posthumously awarded his Victoria Cross for his valour at Villers-Bretonneux on 8 August 1918, during the Battle of Amiens. While leading an attack on an enemy trench, Lieutenant Gaby’s company came under heavy machine-gun fire. Armed only with a revolver, he single-handedly attacked the strong point, drove the crews from their guns and compelled the surrender of 50 enemy soldiers. Three days later, Lieutenant Gaby was walking the line and encouraging his men when he was killed by an enemy sniper.

Sergeant Percy Statton

Born at Beaconsfield, Tasmania, Percy Statton had already won the Military Medal in 1917 when he was awarded the Victoria Cross for his valour at Proyart, France, on 12 August 1918. Sergeant Statton’s platoon had reached its objective, only to be cut off from the rest of the 40th Battalion by heavy machine-gun fire. Sergeant Statton engaged two machine-gun posts with a Lewis gun, enabling the rest of his battalion to advance. Then, in broad daylight and armed only with a revolver, he rushed four machine-gun posts, putting two out of action. Later in the day, he went out under fire to rescue two wounded men.

Lance Corporal Sidney Gordon

Sidney Gordon was born in Launceston and served with the 41st Battalion on the Western Front.

Lance Corporal Gordon won the Military Medal at Hamel on 8 August 1918 and only 18 days later was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at Bray on 26-27 August.

Advancing under heavy fire, Lance Corporal Gordon single-handedly captured a machine-gun post that was attacking another company.

He continued to fight his way through the enemy trenches and was credited with capturing six machine-guns and 63 prisoners, as well as inflicting heavy casualties.