The Victoria Cross (VC) is a military decoration awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the Australian Defence Force. It may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service, and to civilians under military command. Being the highest award in the Australian Honours Order of Wearing, the VC takes precedence over all other postnominals and Australian orders and decorations. The VC was instituted by Queen Victoria in 1856, initially to reward acts of valour during the Crimean War. Because of its rarity and inherent significance, the VC is highly prized, both as an award and as a collector's item, with one medal being sold for over A$1 million at auction. Australians have received the VC under the Imperial honours system and later under the Australian Honours System, when in 1991 a new but equivalent award was established by letters patent within the Commonwealth of Australia and its Territories, known as the Victoria Cross for Australia. The Victoria Cross for Australia has been awarded five times: twice to Special Air Service Regiment members, once to a member of the 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, and a posthumous award to a member of the 2nd Commando Regiment, and a posthumous award to Teddy Sheean. The first four were for actions in the War in Afghanistan while Sheean's was for actions during World War II.

The Imperial VC has been awarded to 96 Australians—91 were received for actions whilst serving with Australian forces, and another five to former members of the Australian forces then serving with South African and British forces. The majority of the awards were for action in the First World War when a total of 64 medals were awarded. Nine of these awards were for action during the Gallipoli Campaign. 20 medals were awarded for action in the Second World War, 6 in the Second Boer War, 4 in the Vietnam War and 2 in the Russian Civil War. Twenty-eight Australians have been awarded the medal posthumously.Wigmore 1986, p. 14. One recipient—Captain Alfred Shout VC, MC (who was also Mentioned in Despatches)—was Australia's most decorated soldier of the Gallipoli campaign. His Victoria Cross was posthumously awarded after Shout died of his wounds during the Battle of Lone Pine. Another 19 VCs have been awarded to soldiers who were either born in Australia, or died there, but did not serve in Australian units before being awarded the VC, and as such these are not included in this list.Wigmore 1986, pp. 180–187.

Keith Payne is the only living Australian recipient of the original VC; there are three living recipients of the Victoria Cross for Australia.

Recipients

AWM = This denotes that the medal is held at the Australian War Memorial

Victoria Cross Name Date of action Conflict Unit Place of action Location of medal1942Second World War2/19th BattalionMuar River, MalayaAWM1918First World War16th BattalionHamel Wood, FranceAWM1967*Vietnam WarAustralian Army Training TeamHuong Tra, Vietnam AWM1918*First World War8th BattalionRosieres, FranceQueensland MuseumSouth BankRobert Beatham's medal, owned by Mr Neil Jenman and Mrs Ruth Jenman, is on loan to the Queensland Museum until 2012.1901Second Boer WarWest Australia Mounted InfantryTransvaal, South Africa Western AustralianMuseumLieutenant Colonel Frederick William Bell , victoriacross.org.uk1917*First World War6th BattalionYpres, BelgiumAWM1900Second Boer WarTasmanian Imperial BushmenWarm Bad, South Africa Tasmanian Museumand Art GalleryVC medals in the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, Hobart , victoriacross.org.uk1916First World War10th BattalionPozières, FranceAWM1918First World War26th BattalionVillers-Bretonneux, France Privately held 1918First World War20th BattalionVillers-Bretonneux, FranceAWM1918*First World War54th BattalionPéronne, FranceAWM1918First World War13th BattalionLe Verguier, FranceAWM1917*First World War31st BattalionZonnebeke, BelgiumQueensland MuseumSouth Bank1915*First World War7th BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM1917First World War33rd BattalionSt. Yves, BelgiumAWM1918First World War33rd BattalionBouchavesnes, France Imperial War MuseumLondonAnthony Staunton, Cartwright, George (1894 - 1978), Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 13, Melbourne University Press, 1993, p. 379. Retrieved on 2009-03-03.1916*First World WarAustralian Machine Gun CorpsPozières, FranceAWM1917*First World War26th BattalionLagnicourt, FranceAWM1945*Second World War2/2nd BattalionDagua, New GuineaAWM1916*First World War8th BattalionPozières, France Army MuseumNew ZealandVC medals in the Army Museum, New Zealand , victoriacross.org.uk1918First World War53rd BattalionPéronne, FranceAWM1941Second World War2/5th Field Regiment, RRoAAMerdjayoun-Damour, LebanonAWM1918First World War15th BattalionHamel Wood, France AWM1915*First World War25th (Service) Battalion, Royal FusiliersMaktau, KenyaAWM1918First World War10th BattalionMerris, FranceAWM1943Second World War2/48th BattalionSattelberg, New GuineaAWM1915First World War7th BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM1917First World WarAustralian Machine Gun CorpsZonnebeke, BelgiumAWM1941*Second World War2/17th BattalionTobruk, LibyaAWM1941Second World WarNo. 105 Squadron RAFBremen, GermanyAWM1942*Second World War2/9th BattalionMilne Bay, Papua Privately held1918*First World War28th BattalionVillers-Bretonneux, France Tasmanian Museumand Art Gallery1918First World War41st BattalionBray, FranceAWM1941Second World War2/31st BattalionDjezzine, Syria Privately held1942*Second World War2/48th BattalionEl Alamein, Egypt Army Museum ofWestern AustraliaItems of significance , Army Museum of Western Australia, 4 January 2009. Retrieved on 2009-03-03. 1917First World War37th BattalionMessines, Belgium Shrine of RemembranceMelbourneRobert Grieve's medal is on loan to the Shrine by its owners, Wesley College1942*Second World War2/48th BattalionTel-el-Eisa, EgyptAWM1918First World War54th BattalionPéronne, FranceAWM1915First World War3rd BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM1917First World War1st BattalionBullecourt, FranceAWM1900Second Boer WarNew South Wales Medical Staff CorpsVredefort, South AfricaAWM1918First World War24th BattalionMontbrehain, FranceAWM1917First World War10th BattalionPolygon Wood, BelgiumAdelaide Town Hall1915First World War14th BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM1916First World War17th BattalionArmentieres, France Privately held1917*First World War34th BattalionPasschendaele, BelgiumChrist Church Cathedral,Newcastle, N.S.W.Capt. Clarence Smith Jeffries Memorial Park (Abermain) , Register of War Memorials in New South Wales, 2002. Retrieved on 2009-03-03.1917First World War50th BattalionNoreuil, FranceAWM1918First World War8th BattalionHerleville Wood, France Melbourne Grammar SchoolWilliam Joynt's VC medal was donated to Melbourne Grammar School where it is currently held.1943Second World War2/25th BattalionNadzab, New GuineaAWM1945Second World War2/4th BattalionWewak, New Guinea unknownKenna's VC had been on loan to the AWM since 9 April 2010 - see AWM Media Release 335 - but no longer appears on the War Memorial's list of Victoria Crosses held at the Memorial .1917First World War2nd BattalionHermies, FranceAWM1915First World War1st BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM1942*Second World War2/48th BattalionEl Alamein, EgyptAWM1942*Second World War2/14th BattalionIsurava, PapuaAWM1916First World War9th BattalionPozières, France Privately held1918First World War21st BattalionMont St. Quentin, FranceAWM1945*Second World War2/3rd Pioneer BattalionTarakan Island, BorneoAWM1918*First World War23rd BattalionMont St. Quentin, FranceAWM1918First World War18th BattalionEstrees, FranceAWM1901Second Boer War5th Victorian Mounted RiflesGeelhoutboom, South AfricaAWM1918First World War16th BattalionMadam Wood, FranceAWM1918First World War47th BattalionDernancourt, FranceAWM1917*First World War40th BattalionYpres, BelgiumQueen Victoria Museumand Art Gallery,LauncestonCo Sergeant Major Lewis McGee , victoriacross.org.uk1917First World WarNo. 1 Squadron AFCTel el Hesi, Palestine RAF Museum, LondonVC medals in the RAF Museum, London , victoriacross.org.uk1942*Second World WarRAAF attached No. 149 Squadron RAFTurin, ItalyAWM1917First World War58th BattalionBullecourt, FranceAWM1917First World War13th BattalionGueudecourt, FranceAWM1917First World War12th BattalionBapaume, FranceAWM1943*Second World WarNo. 22 Squadron RAAFNew GuineaAWM1916First World War16th BattalionPozières, FranceArmy Museum ofWestern Australia1945Second World War8th (Militia) BattalionBougainville, New Guinea Privately held1969Vietnam WarAustralian Army Training TeamBen Het, VietnamAWM1919*North Russia Relief Force45th Battalion, RFEmtsa, RussiaAWM1917First World War3rd Pioneer BattalionYpres, BelgiumAWM1917*First World War11th BattalionLouveral, FranceAWM1945Second World War25th BattalionBougainville, New Guinea Privately held1901Second Boer WarSouth African ConstabularyThaba 'Nchu, South AfricaAWM1918First World War22nd BattalionVille-sur-Ancre, FranceAWM1918First World War55th BattalionHindenburg Defences, FranceAWM1918First World War51st BattalionVillers-Bretonneux, FranceSt George's CathedralPerth W.A."A History and Detailed Guide to St George's Cathedral", Revised 2007, pp.10&14. Retrieved on 2009-03-03.1915*First World War1st BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM1969Vietnam WarAustralian Army Training TeamKontum Province, VietnamAWM1945Second World War2/43rd BattalionBeaufort, British North BorneoArmy Museum ofWestern Australia1918First World War40th BattalionProyart, FranceAWM1918First World War19th BattalionHangard Wood, France Army MuseumNew Zealand1919North Russia Relief Force45th Battalion, RF Sheika River, RussiaAWM1915First World War7th BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM1915First World War10th Light HorseGallipoli, TurkeyAWM1918First World WarAustralian Machine Gun CorpsMont St. Quentin, France Privately held1915First World War7th BattalionGallipoli, TurkeyAWM1918First World War32nd BattalionBellicourt, FranceQueensland MuseumSouth BankBlair Wark's medal, owned by the United Service Club Queensland, is on loan to the Queensland Museum until 2012.1918First World War43rd BattalionPeronne, France Privately held1965*Vietnam WarAustralian Army Training TeamTra Bong, VietnamAWM1917First World War12th BattalionBoursies, France AWMWhittle's VC has been on loan to the AWM since October 2009 - see AWM Media Release 296 .1918First World War48th BattalionLe Verguier, FranceAWM1900Second Boer WarTasmanian Imperial BushmenWarm Bad, South Africa Tasmanian Museumand Art Gallery

Victoria Cross for Australia

Name Date of action Conflict Unit Place of action Location of medal2013*War in Afghanistan2nd Commando RegimentKhod Valley, Afghanistan AWM2008War in AfghanistanSpecial Air Service RegimentUrozgan Province, AfghanistanAWMDonaldson's VC has been on loan to the AWM since January 2009 - see AWM Media Release 215 .2010War in Afghanistan6th Battalion, Royal Australian RegimentUrozgan Province, Afghanistan AWM2010War in AfghanistanSpecial Air Service RegimentKandahar Province, AfghanistanAWM 1942*Second World WarHMAS ArmidaleArafura Sea, East Timor AWM.1968*Vietnam War1st Battalion, Royal Australian RegimentBình Dương province, South Vietnam Note: Richard Norden was awarded the Victoria Cross for Australia in 2024 posthumously after his death in 1972 from unrelated causes.

References Specific

General