Remembrance Events Gallantry Exhibition
Gallantry Exhibition
Hosted by the Semaphore Port Adelaide RSL 29th October2015, History SA/Veteran SA’s joint traveling exhibition Gallantry tells the moving stories of the brave actions of five South Australians awarded the Victoria Cross and George Cross in the Second World War and the Vietnam War.
Entry by gold coin donation, it consists of 10 pull-up banners telling the history of both awards, a background to South Australia and World War II and the Vietnam War and the stories of the five recipients: Peter Badcoe VC; Thomas Currie (Diver) Derrick VC; George Gosse GC; William (Bill) Kibby VC; and Lionel Matthews GC. The framed replica medals and citations of each man are also included. These come stored in three wooden crates which then double as plinths for their display.
The format follows on from History SA/Veterans SA’s successful traveling display Bravest of the Brave, launched in 2012 and telling the stories of the SA recipients of the Victoria Cross during the First World War.
DERRICK, THOMAS CURRIE
Service Australian Army
Service Number SX7964
Date of Birth 20 Mar 1914
Place of Birth ADELAIDE, SA
Date of Enlistment 5 Jul 1940
Locality on Enlistment NORTH ADELAIDE, SA
Place of Enlistment GLOSSOP, SA
Next of Kin DERRICK, BERYL
Date of Death 24 May 1945
Rank Lieutenant
Posting on Death 2/48 Australian Infantry Battalion
WW2 Honours and Gallantry Victoria Cross, Distinguished Conduct Medal
Prisoner of War No
Roll of Honour BERRI SA
In November 1943 Derrick and his men were heavily involved in the taking of Sattelberg. Battling steep terrain and under fire from Japanese machine guns, Derrick led his men to attack the enemy at close quarters. He went well ahead of his men and destroyed enemy posts with grenades. By this amazing act, Derrick was responsible for the destruction of 10 machine gun posts. The following day it was Derrick who raised the Australian flag over Sattelberg. On 22 March 1944 he was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest award for valour for British and Commonwealth forces, for his actions at the capture of Sattelberg. A notation in Derrick’s service records states:
“Undoubtedly Sgt DERRICK’S outstanding gallantry fine leadership and refusal to admit defeat in the face of a seemingly impossible situation resulted in the capture of SATELBERG [sic]. His outstanding gallantry and thoroughness were an inspiration to his platoon and to the remainder of his Coy, and has served as a conspicuous example of fearless devotion to duty throughout the whole Bn.”
KIBBY, WILLIAM HENRY
Service Australian Army
Service Number SX7089
Date of Birth 15 Apr 1905
Place of Birth WINLATON, ENGLAND
Date of Enlistment 29 Jun 1940
Locality on Enlistment SAINT LEONARDS, SA
Place of Enlistment ADELAIDE, SA
Next of Kin KIBBY, SARAH
Date of Death 31 Oct 1942
Rank Sergeant
Posting on Death 2/48 AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY BATTALION
WW2 Honours and Gallantry Victoria Cross
Prisoner of War No
Roll of Honour GLENELG
Kibby was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions over 23–31 October 1942. Taking over after his platoon commander was killed, he was ordered to attack strong enemy positions. He personally assaulted an enemy post, firing his Thompson sub-machine gun, killing three of the enemy and capturing 12 others.
2/48th Battalion
The 2/48th Infantry Battalion was Australia’s highest decorated unit of the Second World War, awarded four Victoria Crosses (three of them posthumously) and more than 80 other decorations.
GOSSE, GEORGE
Service Royal Australian Navy
Service Number Not Applicable
Date of Birth 16 Feb 1912
Place of Birth HARVEY, WA
Date of Enlistment 1 Jan 1926
Locality on Enlistment Unknown
Home Port/Port Division PORT ADELAIDE
Next of Kin DIANNA
Date of Discharge 20 Mar 1946
Rank LIEUTENANT COMMANDER
Posting at Discharge HMAS Torrens
WW2 Honours and Gallantry George Cross
Prisoner of War No
Lieutenant Gosse was awarded the George Cross for his actions in disarming mines in Breman Harbour during May 1945. The citation reads:
‘Divers searching the Undersee Hafen had reported a sighting of what appeared to be a new form of mine and, on the 8 May, Gosse dived and verified that it was a A G.D. pressure mine known as the ‘oyster’. Gosse was given the task of recovering the device intact and dived the next day to remove the primer, with improvised tools, rendering the device safe. During this procedure he heard a loud noise which, upon examination after the mine was brought to land, was found to have been caused by the detonator firing as the primer was removed. He later defused two similar mines which were posing a danger to shipping, on both occasions the detonator fired before the mine reached the surface.’
MATTHEWS, LIONEL COLIN
Service Australian Army
Service Number VX24597
Date of Birth 15 Aug 1912
Place of Birth STEPNEY, SA
Date of Enlistment 10 Jun 1940
Locality on Enlistment AUBURN, VIC
Place of Enlistment CAULFIELD, VIC
Next of Kin MATTHEWS, MYRTLE
Date of Death 2 Mar 1944
Rank Captain
Posting on Death 8 DIVISION SIGNALS
WW2 Honours and Gallantry George Cross, Military Cross
Prisoner of War Yes
Roll of Honour Unknown
As signals officer, 27th Brigade, he maintained cable communications while under fire at Gemas, Malaya, and on Singapore (January-February 1942), and won the Military Cross. In January 1942 he was promoted captain. After Singapore fell on 15 February, he was interned in Changi prison.
Badcoe, Peter John
Service: Australian Army
Service Number: 41400
Rank: Major
Unit: Australian Army Training Team Vietnam
Service: Army
Conflict: Vietnam, 1962-1975
Award: Victoria Cross
Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 26 October 1967
Location in Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: Page 5845, position 1
Date of London Gazette: 17 October 1967
Location in London Gazette: Page 11273, position 1
On 23 February 1967, during a small operation in the Phu Thu district, he ran across almost 650 yards (594 m) of fire-swept ground to assist a platoon of the South Vietnamese Popular Forces. Taking charge of the unit, Badcoe led it in a frontal attack, averting defeat and inflicting heavy casualties. He collected the corpse of an American adviser and braved further volleys to rescue one who was wounded. Commanding the province’s reaction company on 7 March, Badcoe conducted a series of fierce assaults which put to flight a strong People’s Liberation Armed Forces (Viet Cong) formation and saved the district headquarters of Quang Dien and its defenders.
“His valour and leadership were in the highest traditions of the military profession and the Australian Regular Army.”
