DVA 131 Monday 27 August 2001

This Week In History - Our Wartime Heritage

Issued by the Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Bruce Scott, to foster awareness of Australia’s wartime history and heritage during the Centenary of Federation.

31 August-6 September

31 August-2 September 1918: The Battle of Mont St Quentin, a famous engagement of World War I involving the Australian Corps under Lieutenant General Sir John Monash. Advancing on Peronne, Monash attempted to surprise the German defenders by capturing the heights of Mont St Quentin overlooking the town. After earlier losses, the attacking Australians were dangerously undermanned but, over three days, succeeded in capturing the heights and sweeping down to take the town. The Australian divisions suffered some 3000 casualties but captured about 2600 prisoners and dealt a heavy blow to the German forces. During the battle, seven Australians were awarded the Victoria Cross:

Private George Cartwright, 33rd Battalion, 9th Brigade, 3rd Division, originally from London Ã¢ÂÂÃ¯Â¿Â»Ã¯Â¿Â»Ã¯Â¿Â»

Temporary Corporal Alexander Buckley, 54th Battalion, 14th Brigade, 5th Division, originally from Warren, NSW (Posthumous award). Ã¢ÂÂÃ¯Â¿Â»Ã¯Â¿Â»Ã¯Â¿Â»

Sergeant Albert Lowerson, 21st Battalion, 6th Brigade, 2nd Division, originally from Myrtleford, Victoria Ã¢ÂÂÃ¯Â¿Â»Ã¯Â¿Â»Ã¯Â¿Â»

Private Robert Mactier, 23rd Battalion, 6th Brigade, 2nd Division, originally from Tatura, Victoria. Ã¢ÂÂÃ¯Â¿Â»Ã¯Â¿Â»Ã¯Â¿Â»

Lieutenant Edgar Towner, 2nd Machine Gun Battalion, 2nd Division, originally from Blackall, QLD Ã¢ÂÂÃ¯Â¿Â»Ã¯Â¿Â»Ã¯Â¿Â»

Corporal Arthur Hall, 54th Battalion, 14th Brigade, 5th Division, originally from Nyngan, NSW Ã¢ÂÂÃ¯Â¿Â»Ã¯Â¿Â»Ã¯Â¿Â»

Temporary Corporal L.C. Weathers, 43rd Battalion, 11th Brigade, 3rd Division, originally from Te Koparu, NZ. Ã¢ÂÂÃ¯Â¿Â»Ã¯Â¿Â»Ã¯Â¿Â»

1 September 1900: Lieutenant Guy Wylly and Trooper John Bisdee of the 1st Tasmanian Imperial Bushmen were awarded the Victoria Cross for their actions at Warm Bad, South Africa. The two men were members of an eight-man reconnaissance party that was ambushed by Boers, wounding six, including Lt Wylly and Trooper Bisdee. Lt Wylly gave his horse to another wounded man and opened fire from behind a rock to cover the retreat of the other soldiers. Trooper Bisdee gave his horse to his wounded major and ran alongside, despite being seriously wounded. John Bisdee was the first Australian-born soldier serving in an Australian unit to receive the VC.

1 September 1939: Germany invaded Poland, beginning World War II. Britain, France, Australia and New Zealand declared war on 3 September and Australia formed the Second AIF just two days later.

2 September 1945: Japan signed a formal instrument of surrender on board USS Missouri at Tokyo. General Sir Thomas Blamey accepted the surrender for Australia.

3 September 1915: Temporary Lieutenant William Dartnell, 25th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, originally from Melbourne, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his valour at Maktau, British East Africa. During a mounted infantry engagement, the British troops were unable to evacuate their severely wounded in the face of the advancing enemy soldiers. The enemy troops had a reputation for killing wounded soldiers and Lt Dartnell, who had been wounded in the leg, insisted on being left behind to try to defend his comrades.

4 September 1942: Japanese forces began evacuating Milne Bay in Papua New Guinea, after their abortive attack on the Allied airfields. The evacuation marked the first defeat of a Japanese amphibious landing during WWII. During the fighting at Milne Bay, Corporal John French, 2/9th Battalion, 18th Brigade, 7th Division, from Toowoomba, Queensland, was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. Corporal French’s section came under heavy fire from three machine-gun posts. The Tobruk veteran single-handedly silenced two of the posts with grenades, then attacked the third post with a Thompson submachine-gun. He was mortally wounded in the firefight but succeeded in killing the enemy gun crew.

4 September 1943: The Australian 9th Division landed at Lae, New Guinea at the beginning of a major land, sea and air operation by Australian and American forces to capture the town from the Japanese. The amphibious landing of 7800 Australians was followed on 5 September by the airborne drop of American paratroops and gunners from the Australian 2/4th Field Regiment. The Allied assault secured nearby airfields and the Australian 7th Division was flown in on 7 September. Lae fell on 16 September with total Australian losses of 547.

6 September 1951: HMAS Anzac saw her first action of the Korean War. Commissioned in 1948, the Australian destroyer was deployed to Korean waters in August 1951. On 6 September, Anzac was screening HMS Glory, when she was detached to bombard targets near Haeju, Korea, including the suspected headquarters of local communist forces. Anzac was one of 11 Royal Australian Navy ships to serve in Korea.

Media Contact: Mark Croxford (02) 6277 7820 or 0408 645 787



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