DVA 88 Tuesday 12 June 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.

June 15-21

15 June 1901: Sergeant James Rogers, South African Constabulary, born at Moama, New South Wales, was awarded the Victoria Cross for his gallantry during an attack by Boer forces near Thaba ‘Nchu, Orange Free State. Sergeant Rogers was part of a party of seven men under Lieutenant Dickinson, when his rearguard was attacked by about 50 Boers. Lieutenant Dickinson’s horse was shot and he was compelled to follow his men on foot. Sergeant Rogers returned to fetch the officer, firing from his saddle as he rode. He carried the lieutenant 800 metres to safety, then defied heavy fire to twice ride back to within 350 metres of the enemy to pick up unhorsed men and catch riderless horses. The Boers called on Sergeant Rogers to surrender but his only reply was to continue firing.

15 June 1942: HMAS Nestor was attacked in the Mediterranean while escorting a British convoy from Alexandria to Malta. The N Class destroyer was crippled after two near-misses by bombs and was taken in tow. The next day, when it was clear the Nestor could not reach port, she was scuttled.

16 June 1948: The Malayan Emergency was declared. Lasting 13 years, the Emergency was the longest continuing military commitment in Australia's history. Commonwealth forces were committed to Malaya and Singapore in the Far East Strategic Reserve and the Butterworth airfield became the major base for the RAAF’s 2, 3 and 77 Squadrons. Fifty-one Australian servicemen died during the Emergency and 27 were wounded - the majority of them members of the Australian Army.

18 June 1953: Australians taken PoW during the Korean War were released at Panmunjon. Twenty-nine Australians were taken prisoner in Korea. One prisoner died while in captivity.

19 June-6 July 1941: Sir Roden Cutler, 2/5th Field Regiment, 7th Division, born at Manly, New South Wales, was awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous and sustained gallantry over a period of 18 days during the Syrian campaign. On 6 July the then Lieutenant Cutler was serving as an artillery observation officer attached to the 2/16th Battalion, when he became involved in infantry fighting, capturing several Frenchmen from three machine gun posts. The infantry’s wireless would not work in such hilly country and he offered to carry a telephone line forward so that he could bring artillery fire down on the enemy. On the way he was severely wounded in the leg, lying isolated and exposed for 26 hours before being rescued. His leg had to be amputated. After the war, Sir Roden Cutler went on to take up various diplomatic appointments, received a knighthood and in 1965 was appointed Governor of New South Wales, retiring in 1981. He is the only Australian artilleryman to have won the Victoria Cross and one of

three living Australian recipients of the VC.

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



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