Index of Victoria Cross Recipients by New South Wales State Electorate INDEX OF VICTORIA CROSS RECIPIENTS BY NEW SOUTH WALES STATE ELECTORATE COMPILED BY YVONNE WILCOX NSW Parliamentary Research Service Index of Victoria Cross recipients by New South Wales electorate (includes recipients who were born in the electorate or resided in the electorate on date of enlistment) Ballina Patrick Joseph Bugden (WWI) resided on enlistment ............................................. 36 Balmain William Mathew Currey (WWI) resided on enlistment ............................................. 92 John Bernard Mackey (WWII) born ......................................................................... 3 Joseph Maxwell (WWII) born .................................................................................. 5 Barwon Alexander Henry Buckley (WWI) born, resided on enlistment ................................. 8 Arthur Charles Hall (WWI) resided on enlistment .................................................... 26 Reginald Roy Inwood (WWI) resided on enlistment ................................................ 33 Bathurst Blair Anderson Wark (WWI) born ............................................................................ 10 John Bernard Mackey (WWII) resided on enlistment .............................................. ..3 Cessnock Clarence Smith Jeffries (WWI) resided on enlistment ............................................. 95 Clarence Frank John Partridge (WWII) born........................................................................... 13 Coogee Rawdon Hume Middleton (WWII) born .................................................................... 16 Thomas James Bede Kenny (WWI) resided on enlistment ..................................... 78 Cootamundra Charles Groves Wright Anderson (WWII) resided on enlistment ............................. 19 Reginald Roy Rattey (WWII) born, resided on enlistment ....................................... 23 Index of Victoria Cross Recipients by New South Wales State Electorate Granville Arthur Charles Hall (WWI) born ............................................................................... 26 Holsworthy Peter John Badcoe (Vietnam) resided on enlistment .............................................. 29 Lismore Patrick Joseph Bugden (WWI) born ........................................................................ 36 Liverpool John Hurst Edmondson (WWII) resided on enlistment ............................................ 87 Maitland Joseph Maxwell (WWI) resided on enlistment ......................................................... ..5 Manly Arthur Roden Cutler (WWII) born, resided on enlistment ........................................ 39 Murray Albert Chalmers Borella (WWI) resided on enlistment ............................................ 42 James Rogers (Boer War) born .............................................................................. 45 John William Alexander Jackson (WWI) born, resided on enlistment ..................... 48 Newcastle Mark Gregor Strang Donaldson (Afghanistan) born (or electorate of Wallsend) ..... 51 Newtown Walter Ernest Brown (WWI) resided on enlistment (or electorate of Summer Hill) .. 53 Alfred John Shout (WWI) resided on enlistment ...................................................... 56 Rayene Stewart Simpson (Vietnam) born ............................................................... 59 Kevin Arthur Wheatley (Vietnam) born (or electorate of Sydney) ............................ 62 North Shore Blair Anderson Wark (WWI) resided on enlistment ................................................. 10 Northern Tablelands George Cartwright (WWI) resided on enlistment ..................................................... 65 NSW Parliamentary Research Service Oatley John Patrick Hamilton (WWI) (resided) ................................................................... 68 Orange John Patrick Hamilton (WWI) born .......................................................................... 68 Neville Reginald Howse (Boer War) resided on enlistment ..................................... 71 Rawdon Hume Middleton (WWII) resided on enlistment ......................................... 16 Oxley Frank John Partridge (WWII) resided on enlistment ................................................ 13 Strathfield George Julian Howell (WWI) born, resided on enlistment ....................................... 76 Summer Hill Walter Ernest Brown (WWI) resided on enlistment (or electorate of Newtown) ...... 53 Sydney Thomas James Bede Kenny (WWI) born ................................................................ 78 Kevin Arthur Wheatley (Vietnam) born (or electorate of Newtown) ......................... 62 Vaucluse Leonard Maurice Keysor (WWI) resided on enlistment ........................................... 81 Percy Valentine Storkey (WWI) resided on enlistment ............................................ 84 Wagga Wagga John Hurst Edmondson (WWII) born ....................................................................... 87 Edward John Francis Ryan (WWI) born, resided on enlistment .............................. 89 Wallsend William Matthew Currey (WWI) born ...................................................................... 92 Clarence Smith Jeffries (WWI) born ........................................................................ 95 Mark Gregor Strang Donaldson (Afghanistan) born (or electorate of Newcastle) ... 51 Willoughby Albert Edward Chowne (WWII) born, resided on enlistment ...................................98 Index of Victoria Cross Recipients by New South Wales State Electorate INTRODUCTION The contribution of Australians in armed conflicts from the Boer War (1899 -1902) to the war in Afghanistan has resulted in many stories of heroism and devotion to duty. Each of the 33 stories in this publication recounts the outstanding acts of valour of the men concerned, resulting in the award of the Victoria Cross. In August this year the Federal Parliamentary Library published a paper, Index of Victoria Cross recipients by electorate by Dr Nathan Church. This paper looked at the 100 recipients of the Victoria Cross, categorising each one by their connection to a Federal electorate by virtue of birth, residence at the time of enlistment, at the time of death or where buried. As a companion to that paper, this publication presents the stories of Victoria Cross winners who were born in New South Wales, or were residing in New South Wales at the time of their enlistment. The paper’s purpose is to enable members of the New South Wales Parliament to identify Victoria Cross (VC) winners with ties to New South Wales State electorates. All images are from the Australian War Memorial, People profiles and biographies, Australian Victoria Cross recipients. THE VICTORIA CROSS The Victoria Cross is the pre-eminent award for acts of bravery in wartime and Australia's highest military honour. It is awarded to persons who, in the presence of the enemy, display the most conspicuous gallantry; a daring or pre-eminent act of valour or self-sacrifice; or extreme devotion to duty. The Victoria Cross was created by Queen Victoria in 1856 and made retrospective to 1854 to cover the period of the Crimean War. The Victoria Cross is a Maltese Cross, cast in bronze from cannons captured during the Crimean War (1854-1856). They are each handmade by Hancocks and Company (Jewellers) of London. The obverse of the Victoria Cross bears a crowned lion standing on a royal crown. The words 'FOR VALOUR' are inscribed on a semi- circular scroll beneath the crown. The reverse of the cross is engraved with the date of the act of bravery and the name, rank and unit of the recipient. The suspension bar is decorated with laurel leaves and bears a 'V' from which the cross hangs. 1 NSW Parliamentary Research Service The medal ribbon of the Victoria Cross is crimson. Australians were eligible for the Victoria Cross and other awards under the Imperial system of honours, until the Victoria Cross was instituted in the Australian honours system by Letters Patent on 15 January 1991. The Victoria Cross has been awarded to 100 Australians, including five Australians serving with South African and British units. [1] Of these, 33 have been awarded to Australians who were born in New South Wales, or resided in New South Wales on enlistment, in the following conflicts: 2 in the Boer War 1899-1902 18 in World War I 1914-1918 9 in World War II 1939-1945 3 in Vietnam 1962-1972 1 in Afghanistan 2001-2013 [1] Australian Government, Victoria Cross, It’s an honour: Australia celebrating Australians. 2 Index of Victoria Cross Recipients by New South Wales State Electorate John Bernard (Jack) Mackey Born: 16 May 1922, Leichhardt, New South Wales [electorate of Balmain]. Place of residence at time of enlistment: Portland, New South Wales [electorate of Bathurst]. Enlistment date: 4 June 1940. Victoria Cross citation Corporal Mackey was in charge of a section of the 2/3rd Australian Pioneer Battalion in the attack on the feature known as Helen, East of Tarakan town. Led by Corporal Mackey the section moved along a narrow spur with scarcely width for more than one man when it came under fire from three well-sited positions near the top of a very steep, razor-backed ridge. The ground fell away almost sheer on each side of the track making it almost impossible to move to a flank so Corporal Mackey led his men forward. He charged the first Light Machine-Gun position but slipped and after wrestling with one enemy, bayoneted him, and charged