Australian Victoria Cross Recipients

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This is the story of all the Australian Victoria Cross recipients. Their deeds, the battles and wars they fought in and the impact their actions had on Australia’s history.

See also on our website   What is the Victoria Cross?

Note: to see how old they were when the action took place, subtract the date of birth from the date of action.

On 15 January 1991 the Queen instituted the Victoria Cross for Australia. This is the highest decoration that can be awarded to a person in wartime.

Key to abbreviations is listed at the bottom.

	Date of Action	Unit
Afghanistan War
Baird, Corporal Cameron Stewart      7 June 1981 – 2013	22 June 2013	6th Battalion Royal Australia Regiment
Keighran, Corporal Daniel Alan      18 June 1983 –	24 August 2010	6th Battalion Royal Australia Regiment
Roberts-Smith, Corporal Benjamin      1 November 1978 –	11 June 2010	Special Air Service Regiment
Donaldson, Corporal Mark Gregor      2 April 1979 –	2 Sept 2008	Special Air Service Regiment
Vietnam War
Badcoe, Maj. Peter John      11 Jan 1934 – 7 Apr 1967 *	23 Feb – 7 Apr 1967	Australian Army Training Team, Vietnam
Payne, WO2 Keith      30 Aug 1933 –	24 May 1969	Australian Army Training Team, Vietnam
Simpson, WO2 Rayene Stewart      16 Feb 1926 – 18 Oct 1978	6 and 11 May 1969	Australian Army Training Team, Vietnam
Wheatley, WO2 Kevin      13 Mar 1937 – 13 Nov 1965 *	13 Nov 1965	Australian Army Training Team, Vietnam
World War II
Anderson, Lt. Col. Charles G. W.      12 Feb 1897 – 11 Nov 1988	18 – 22 Jan 1942	2 / 19th Battalion
Chowne, Lt. Albert      19 Jul 1920 – 25 Mar 1945 *	25 Mar 1945	2 / 2nd Battalion
Cutler, Lt. Arthur Roden      24 May 1916 – 21 Feb 2002	19 June – 6 July 1941	2 / 5th Field Regiment
Derrick, Sgt. Thomas Currie      20 Mar 1914 – 24 May 1944 *	24 Nov 1943	2 / 48th Battalion
Edmondson, Cpl. John Hurst      8 Oct 1914 – 14 Apr 1941 *	13 April 1941	2 / 17th Battalion
Edwards, A W Commander Hughie      1 Aug 1914 – 5 Aug 1982	4 July 1941	No. 105 Squadron RAF
French, Cpl. John Alexander      15 Jul 1914 – 4 Sep 1942 *	4 Sept 1942	2 / 9th Battalion
Gordon, Pte. James Heather      7 Mar 1909 – 24 Jul 1986	10 July 1941	2 / 31st Battalion
Gratwick, Pte. Percival Eric      19 Oct 1902 – 26 Oct 1942 *	25 – 26 Oct 1942	2 / 48th Battalion
Gurney, Pte. Arthur Stanley      15 Dec 1908 – 22 Jul 1942 *	22 July 1942	2 / 48th Battalion
Kelliher, Pte. Richard      1 Sep 1910 – 28 Jan 1963	13 Sept 1943	2 / 25th Battalion
Kenna, Pte. Edward      6 Jul 1919 –	15 May 1945	2 / 4th Battalion
Kibby, Sgt. William Henry      15 Apr 1903 – 31 Oct 1942 *	23 – 31 Oct 1942	2 / 48th Battalion
Kingsbury, Pte. Bruce Steel      8 Jan 1918 – 29 Aug 1942 *	29 Aug 1942	2 / 14th Battalion
Mackey, Cpl. John Bernard      16 May 1922 – 12 May 1945 *	12 May 1945	2 / 3rd Pioneer Battalion
Middleton, F-Sgt. Rawdon Hume      22 Jul 1916 – 1 Feb 1943 ***	28 – 29 Nov 1942	RAAF, attached to No. 149 Squadron RAF
Newton, F-Lt. William Ellis      8 Jun 1919 – 29 Mar 1943 ***	16 Mar 1943	No. 22 Squadron, RAAF
Partridge, Pte. Frank John      29 Nov 1924 – 23 Mar 1964	24 July 1945	8th Battalion
Rattey, Cpl. Reginald Roy      28 Mar 1918 – 10 Jan 1986	22 Mar 1945	25th Battalion
Starcevich, Pte. Leslie Thomas      5 Sep 1918 – 17 Nov 1989	28 June 1945	2 / 43rd Battalion

     * Men who died in war, from action listed or a later action.
  * * F-Sgt. R. H. Middleton’s plane crashed into the ocean, but his body didn’t
       wash ashore until over a month later on 1 Feb 1943
* * * F-Lt. William Ellis Newton was executed by the Japanese 2 weeks after his
       plane was brought down by enemy gunfire.

Pte	Private	WO2	Warrant Officer Class 2	Sgt	Sergeant
Cpl	Corporal	F-Sgt.	Flight Sergeant	Lt	Lieutenant
L-Cpl.	Lance-Corporal	A W Cdr.	Acting Wing Commander	Capt	Captain