Rattey VC. First VC to a Militia Battalion member

Reginald Roy Rattey, born on March 28, 1917, at Barmedman, a small rural community midway between Wyalong and Temora, 457 kilometres south-west of Sydney, was the third of seven children of a Lutheran couple, Johannes Albert Rattey a Springton, South Australia, born, share farmer and his Munyabla New South Wales born wife Anna Elisabeth (nee Damschke) who were married at Pleasant Hills on February 26 1914.

As an eighteen year old Johannes had undertaken the six week journey travelling from the Eden Valley in South Australia to Temora with an uncle in a horse drawn wagon. Then with only a bicycle for transport and a tent for accommodation he set about earning his living fencing, clearing land, harvesting wheat, shearing sheep and trapping rabbits.

At the time of Reg’s birth the then thirty one year old Johannes was share-farming for a solicitor Mr. T Farrell, three years later he purchased "Pine Lodge" near Wargin, on the Barmedman to Rankins Springs Railway line, to which he later added "Bon Accord", these two properties totalling 1672 acres.

Reg and his siblings attended the small one teacher school at Bellarwi travelling the six and a half km to and from school in a sulky pulled by the family’s pony ‘Podge’. After school and at weekends he helped with the work on the family farm and for recreation regularly played tennis. During the depression it became necessary for Reg and his elder brothers to find work away from the family property.

Reg was working at the Gibsonvale Open Cut Tin Mine at Kikoira and was a member of the part time Citizens Forces the 21st Light Horse Regiment at Wagga Wagga, under the command of Lieutenant Alexander when war broke out.

On September 24 1941, his regiment was conscripted into Australia’s full time Military Forces and reformed as a Carrier Regiment. N200461 carrier driver Reg Rattey was soon promoted to driver mechanic. Then on the 22 May 1942 he was appointed Alexander’s personal driver. On the 10 July 1942 Reg volunteered for the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF), transferring on the 12th August as No NX102964. On the 23 September 1942 his regiment was designated the 21st Australian Division, Cavalry Regiment.

19 July 1943 saw him transferred to the 3rd Division (later renamed the 11th Division) Carrier Company with which he embarked for New Guinea on 3 September 1943, where he served at Port Moresby, Soputa, and in the Gusap area. On February 12 1944, he was promoted to Acting Corporal.

Returning to Townsville, North Queensland onboard the ‘Taroona’ on the 2 April 1944, Reg trained as a Infantryman before he was transferred on the 9 June to the 25th Australian Infantry Battalion (The Darling Downs Regiment) which had already served in New Guinea during 1942/43.

With the 25th Reg returned to Madang, New Guinea on 24 July 1944 on board the ‘Katoomba’. They embarked on 12 November from Madang onboard the ‘Santa Monica’, for Torokina, an area located on the northern side of Empress Augusta Bay, Bougainville, landing there on the 15th .

As the Australians landed, the Americans who had landed at Torokina two weeks earlier withdrew their forces from Bougainville leaving the Australians under the command of Lieut-General Stanley G. (later Sir Stanley) Savige to deal with what they [the Americans] estimated to be 12,000 Japanese troops. The Australian believed there was probably 25,000 Japanese left on the island, when in fact there were 40,000 well equipped enemy troops left on the island who continued to fight until September 3 1945 before they surrendered.

Bougainville is the largest of the Solomon Islands is 200kl long and 60kl wide the mountain range, which traverses the island rises to 8,000 mts in height.

On 16 December, Reg Rattey’s promotion to Corporal was confirmed. On the December 30 1944 The 25th relieved the 9th battalion at Doiabie and then a month later they relieved the 47th on the Tavera River.

It was here during a particularly bitter phase of the campaign while attempting to force their way toward the town of Buin, on the March 4 1945 they were opposed by the Japanese 6th Division, which was under the command of Major-General Kanda.

With supporting fire from mortars and medium machine-guns, "A" Company breached the Puriata River at Galvin’s Crossing before establishing themselves two hundred yards south along the main road to Buin at Slater’s Knoll. Here they were surrounded by the Japanese and repeatedly attacked for three days with the Japanese firing an estimated 600 shells at Slater’s Knoll and driving a wedge between the forward and rear companies of the 25th.

Reg’s platoon was divided into two sections, Reg as acting Sergeant in charge of one half and Lieut. Darlison of Melbourne in charge of the other half. Both sections advanced along the road toward their forward company forcing the Japanese back until the retreating Japanese halted and reformed at a well established extensive system of Japanese pillboxes at a road junction.

On 22 March following an allied air and artillery attack on the Japanese stronghold the 25th were ordered to capture this still strongly held position. Reg sprang into action following the wounding of two of his best mates, realising casualties among his men would be high in an all out attack, Reg concluded that a charge by a lone soldier [himself] may just take the enemy by surprise.

Firing his Bren gun from the hip he ran toward the first Japanese weapon pit which he silenced with a grenade, after destroying a second pit, he returned to his platoon. Taking more grenades from NX194354 Pte Forrester he then attacked and destroyed two more of the enemy pillboxes with the grenades and consistently accurate fire from his Bren gun.

Minutes later the Japanese retaliated, firing on his section with a Juki (Heavy Machine Gun) and once again without hesitation Reg single-handedly attacked this position with his Bren gun. He killed the gunner and wounded one of the crew before the remaining Japanese fled, leaving behind the Juki, 2,000 rounds of ammunition and 18 of their dead comrades.

Due to Reg’s daring initiative, a serious situation had within an hour been turned into a brilliant success allowing his section to go forward and dig in. Ten minutes later with the position secured Reg celebrated their victory by boiling the billy and relaxing with a cup of tea.

Records show that during this battle eighty three Australians had successfully driven back a force of five hundred and fifty Japanese. Five Australians were wounded two of whom remained on duty.

Reg considered he was very lucky to have survived the action, as he examined his shirt that had been torn by shrapnel he exclaimed ‘They came very close!’ Two days later he was recommended for an Immediate award of a Victoria Cross.

This was the first Victoria Cross of the Bougainville Campaign also the first awarded to a member of a militia battalion.

Although Reg had volunteered for the AIF on the 10th July 1942 the 25th was still a militia battalion, a battalion could not be classed as a AIF battalion until two thirds of its members had volunteered for the AIF.

Allied intelligence then indicated their belief that the Japanese would launch a major offensive in April against the Australians targeting the area held by 25th battalion. The anticipated offensive came early the 25th were attacked on March 25 with the 10 day battle ending after a unsuccessful major assault by the Japanese against Slater’s Knoll on April 5. During the ten day battle the Japanese lost 620 dead and 1,000 wounded, the 25th Battalion lost 10 Officers and 179 other ranks either killed or wounded.

(During the entire Bougainville Campaign from November 1 1943 till September 3 1945. 516 Australians were killed, and 1,572 were wounded. Of the 65,000 Japanese who were on the island when the Americans attacked in November 1943 only 24,000 survived the Campaign.)

After five months on Bougainville half of which was in the front line, the 25th were relieved on April 13, two weeks later Reg was promoted to Acting Sergeant, before the 25th left Torokina onboard the ‘Taroona’ arriving in Sydney on May 9. 17 days home leave was then granted to members of the Battalion.

For the first few days at home Reg was very quite and did not tell his family of his exploits. When asked by his mother about the torn shirt he explained, ‘I got that in a bit of a go with the nips’. With out any further explanation he relaxed in his home environment by helping his younger brother Ken with the ploughing of the fields in readiness for the Autumn sowing.

Reg returned to duty only to spent 12 days in Hospital suffering from Malaria before going to Yeerongpilly Staging Camp in Brisbane. Where on the morning of August 6 he read in a morning paper that the Governor General, The Duke of Gloucester had announced his VC had been gazetted.

Not wishing to be the centre of attention Reg removed his Sergeant’s stripes from his tunic and was only discovered when the camp orderly remembered that he had read out the name Rattey in the morning parade.

The Sergeant’s mess organized a celebration party for that night at the nearby Royal Mail Hotel, who’s licensee was former Sergeant Major George Bartlett who had served with the 25th Battalion.

Reg declined their invitation to the party preferring to spend the night with several privates he had become friendly with at the camp. He only accepted the invitation to the Sergeants party when the Sergeants agreed to allow the privates to attend their celebrations.

A surprised Albert and Anna Rattey received a telegram from Australia’s Prime Minister Ben Chifley telling them of their son’s act of bravery and the awarding to him of the Victoria Cross. Reg was then granted a further 7 days special leave and returned home to receive a tumultuous welcome as he alighted from the train at Barmedman.

With only two days notice the people of Barmedman, had erected a "Tin Marque" in which Reg was honoured at a Banquet attended by 400 People. Reg told the gathering, " I have seen boys do the same as I did and not receive any recognition, not just once but a dozen times".

Lieutenant J Alexander of Lockhart, for whom Reg was the personnel driver while a member of the 21st Light Horse Regiment, then addressed the crowd. "You all know what Reg did with a Bren Gun and his two hind legs. Imagine what he would have done with a Bren Gun carrier and a Vickers Gun? He may have taken on Tokyo and delivered an ultimatum to the Emperor".

While on leave the Bland Shire Council gave Reg a Civic Reception, at which the Deputy President A.T.B. Holland called upon the Minister for the Army, Hon Mr. Forde to grant Reg a immediate discharge from the Army. He was supported by J. C. Neagle, President of the R.S.L. who believed Reg should be released from active service immediately, saying, "This would be a fitting reward, when it is considered that 15 Australians have been awarded the Victoria Cross in this war and nine of them are dead".

Further support came from Ex Sergeant John. C. Whittle VC., of Glebe, Sydney, who had been awarded a Victoria Cross for his actions in France in 1917. Army Minister Forde said he would consider a request from Reg Rattey VC for an immediate discharge, if he applied. Reg declined the offer.

Forde then seconded Reg to the ‘Salute to Valour Tour’ for a month, during which time Rattey VC’s photograph appeared in many magazines and newspapers as he toured New South Wales promoting and appealing for donations to the Australian Comforts Fund.

Reg Rattey VC., shared the stage in Martin Place, Sydney, on 3 August 1945 with Admiral Sir Bruce A. Frazer, Royal Navy, Commander in Chief, British Pacific Fleet. Colonel F.W. Marshall, United States Army. Major-General E.C.P. Plant, AIF and Alderman Sir William Neville Harding, the Lord Mayor of Sydney who led the crowd in giving Reg three cheers.

On the 31 October 1945, NX102964 Sergeant Reginald Roy Rattey VC received his discharge certificate from N53695 Sergeant A.O. Howe at the Sydney Showground, following a further period in hospital suffering from Malaria. He had served 4 years and 1 month in the Army, 1 year and eight months of this overseas.

Reg then returned to West Wyalong where a Public Meeting that had been held on August 11 had started a testimonial fund for him and called on the Minister for Lands to grant him a special lease of 2,400 acres of land fronting Lake Cowal.

The Minister agreed and the lease was arranged, of a bare undeveloped block, which Reg named "Weeloona" and proceeded through sheer hard work to built a home and made this land into a viable property, later adding a further 783 acres. At its peak this property carried 1,000 merinos, 40 Hereford cows & calves, 60 pigs and had 700 acres sown to wheat.

In 1946 Reg was notified that a place was available for him with the Australian Victory Contingent, which was to be made up of 250 Australian Servicemen & women who between them held 162 Bravery Awards. The Contingent was to represent Australia when the ‘Fighting Men and Women of the British Empire’, marched in the Victory Parade through the streets of London on 8 June 1946.

Subsequently Reg rejoined the A.I.F on the 30th March 1946 for a period of five months as Sergeant R. R. Rattey VC., NX208102.

The departure of the A.V.C. was delayed in Melbourne when Reg and some of his mates refused to board the 10,000 ton Cruiser HMAS Shropshire on April 18 until VX58273 Sgt Albert Curtin MM was onboard. Curtin, a former Medical Attendant, awarded his MM at Tarakan was told at the last minute, he was to remain in Australia, as his rifle drill was not up to standard. Following a compromise being agreed upon that allowed Curtin to make the trip as a medical attendant, Reg and his mates boarded the ship.

The Contingent disembarked and marched through the streets of Perth on April 23 before sailing for England, arriving in Portsmouth on May 30.

While in London they camped with troops from other countries in Kensington Park, near the Albert Memorial in small circular seven man tents. The night before the King, Queen and the Royal Princesses were to visit the Australian Contingent, Reg and the others who shared a tent celebrated the coming Royal visit rather too enthusiastically. Reg finally dropping off to sleep, only to be woken when the cigarette he had been smoking fell from his mouth and burnt a hole in his clothes.

Reg exchanged his tunic with NX110368 Cpl Reg Fletcher MM of the 2/12th who many believe should have received a VC for his actions at Balikpapan 1 July 1945, before being presented to the King. The King then spent some time speaking to many of the Australian contingent.

The setting up of the camp upset many Londoner’s who complained bitterly to ‘The Times’ one reader wrote, ‘To imprison for three lovely summer months one of London’s most loved playgrounds, is hardly a worthy way of celebrating our victory.’

On the Saturday prior to the parade the Australian Contingent led by a band of Welsh Guards marched to Australia House in the Strand, where Mr J. A. Beasley, Australia’s resident Minister in London held a reception and luncheon for the Australian troops.

The Victory Parade, which took two hours to pass the saluting base, was made up of Representatives from all the Allied countries with the exception of USSR, Poland and Yugoslavia. the A.V.C. were given 19 days leave, before leaving to return to Australia.

Reg Rattey VC., and Richard Kelliher VC., remained in London, where on July 9 1946, at Buckingham Palace, King George V1., invested them with their Victoria Cross’s. The investiture of their Victoria Cross’s by the King had been initiated by Kelliher in 1944, when he had been invited to Admiralty House, Sydney, to be invested with his Victoria Cross by Lord Gowrie, (later the Earl of Gowrie). The then Governor General of Australia, who himself had been awarded a VC in 1899 in the Sudan.

Kelliher declined the invitation to attend the Admiralty House ceremony stating that as a VC it was his right to have his medal personally presented to him by King George V1.

(Lord Gowrie, had invested Lieut A. R. Cutler with his Victoria Cross at Admiralty House, Sydney. The Duke of Gloucester at Government House Melbourne invested Pte Edward Kenna with his VC. and in Sydney had invested Pte Frank Partridge with his VC.)

Following this ceremony Rattey and Kelliher returned to Australia on the ‘Dominion Monarch’, which also carried 246 English war brides and their children to their new homeland. Leaving England on the 25th July 1946 they arrived in Melbourne on 22 August 1946 the same day as the HMAS Shropshire. Reg then rejoined the HMAS Shropshire for the voyage to Sydney where he was discharged on the 30th September 1946.

On March 13, 1948, Reg married nineteen year old Emily Joyce Café, (daughter of Edward and Emily Kate Café who had married in England while Edward was on leave there while serving with the 1st A.I.F.) their only child a daughter Jeanette was born on the 19 May 1949.

Acting Sergeant Reg Rattey NX700427 again visited England in April 1953 as a member of the Australian and New Zealand Coronation Contingent. This time fellow Australian Edward Kenna VC and New Zealander John Hinton VC joined Reg Rattey VC,. Richard Kelliher VC,. and Frank Partridge VC,. as members of the contingent

The Contingent Sailed on board the Aircraft Carrier HMAS Sydney from Sydney on the 21 March, travelling by way of the Suez Canal and arriving in Plymouth on the 5 May to take part in the 8 mile Coronation March. Enroute the Five VCs visited the grave of John Hurst Edmondson VC in the Tobruk War Cemetery on the anniversary of his death in April 1941.

In 1954 Reg then a widower, declined an invitation to be part of the Official Celebrations for the Royal Visit by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip to Australia being unable to spare the time away from his property. On 11 January 1955 Reg married Aileen Delaney, the daughter of James & Ellen (nee O’Connor) Delaney there are four children from this marriage, Robert, Carmel, Christine and Helen.

Again not able to spare the time away from his property in 1956 Reg declined an invitation to attend with 300 other Victoria Cross recipients from around the World the Victoria Cross Centenary Celebrations in London. The people of West Wyalong understanding his dilemma, raised the money for Reg and Aileen to fly to London for the celebrations and avoid a lengthy sea voyage.

reinsert Rattey pic

While in London on July 1, Reg laid a wreath on the cenotaph at Whitehall on behalf of the Australian Contingent. Returning from England he received and approved a request from the ‘Other Ranks Club’ at Larrakeyah Barracks in Darwin, for the club to be called the "Rattey Club".

With 17 other Australian VCs he attended the opening of "VC Corner" in the Australian War Memorial by the then Governor General of Australia, Viscount De L’Isle VC., (William Philip Sidney) On the 13 April 1981, then with Aileen he attended the opening by Prince Charles of the "Hall of Valour" in the Australian War Memorial. Following the ceremony Reg was notified that he was entitled to six free first class flights each year within Australia, this was an entitlement he never used.

On the 25 February 1988, during a Royal Visit by the Queen Mother, Reg and Aileen attended a Garden Party at Government House, Sydney.

At home following the flooding of Lake Cowal, Reg worked with Eric Worrall of the Reptile Park at Gosford, New South Wales catching tiger snakes on his property. The snakes were then milked at the serum laboratory. Further diversification came when he took out a Commercial Fishing License and netted Lake Cowal selling his catch on a Friday outside the Wyalong Hotel.

Reg, a life member of the West Wyalong RSL was for a time Director of the Services and Citizens Club, he and Aileen attended a number of the reunions of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association that are held in London during May of every other year

Reg Rattey VC died of emphysema, aged 68 yrs, on the 10 January 1986. He was buried from St Mary’s Catholic Church, West Wyalong, on Tuesday January 14, when 400 mourners including Keith Payne VC., assembled with his family. Reg was given a full military funeral attended by 118 members of the 5/7 Royal Australian Regiment & the 2nd Cavalry Regiment.

With the people of the town and surrounding district lining the streets, Reginald Roy Rattey VC, the much loved husband, father, brother and comrade was laid to rest in the Lawn Cemetery, West Wyalong.

A Memorial Cairn was unveiled in Lions Park, West Wyalong on 13 November 1992. In the Strand, London at the V.P. Day Celebrations on 29 August 1995, twelve plaques were unveiled to record the heroic actions of VC recipients. One of these plaques is in honour of Reg Rattey VC. In March 1999 the Reg Rattey VC Drive was opened in West Wyalong.

In addition to The Victoria Cross, Reg received the 1939/45 Service Star, Pacific Star, 1939/45 King George VI War Medal, Australian Service Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II. Silver Jubilee Medal.

Remembered by all who knew him as always having a smile on his face a portrait of a stern faced Reg Rattey VC by J B Gordon is on display in the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.

LEST WE FORGET

Acknowledgements.

My thanks to
- Mrs. Aileen Rattey and her family,
- Mr Ken Rattey, Reg’s brother and
- Ex Corporal Reg Fletcher MM, for their help in researching this story.