november december australian recipient victoria_cross highest decoration gallantry face enemy awarded members british commonwealth armed forces decorated victoria_cross following actions second battle ran trench bombing german forces attacking position use grenades driving born suburb sydney new south wales employed builder enlisting june allotted force served gallipoli prior transferring western participating offensive wounded promoted corporal early attack german held village led rifle bombing section awarded military medal actions severely wounded victoria_cross action underwent prolonged period returning australia receiving discharge medical grounds settling gained employment working advertising staff newspapers following outbreak second world war served soon sought discharge enlisted died age early life born sydney suburb new_south_wales november fourth son english born carpenter australian wife martha née educated park receiving builder employed native area sydney world war june enlisted service world war allotted 7th reinforcements private embarked sydney egypt july aboard joining november served peninsula allied evacuation following month returning egypt battalion spent months training desert preparation service western embarked france march april unit entrenched sector week july wounded taking offensive evacuated hospital sheffield england early august attended training school returning battalion november appointed lance corporal december promoted corporal february april took 1st battalion attack german held village engagement led rifle bombing section forefront company german position section held times advance heavy machine gun fire managed overcome opposition continue advance time actions battle awarded military medal recommendation cited courage devotion duty great assistance company capture objectives award published supplement london gazette victoria_cross preparation attack line 1st attached attack commenced morning 2nd division lined conjunction thirteen divisions despite progress early attack australian forces soon held strong opposition evening entrenched old german line known battalion companies occupied line fourth placed reserve position occupied wedge german line flanks german held territory initial attack canadians extreme right extreme left able capture hold set objectives course days severe fighting took place troops drawn hold extend gains germans launched counter attack forced withdraw trenches engagement perform act earn victoria_cross charge post right line noticed battalion right flank forced trench beginning retire immediately battalion headquarters captain assumed temporary command battalion organised group non soldiers headquarters form defensive line road bank order fend expected german advance fierce bombing grenade fight soon ensued sides suffering heavy casualties fearing germans battalion climbed began running trench line throwing bombs germans subject heavy rifle bomb fire forcing germans trench supported lieutenant followed trench firing bursts lewis gun soon supply bombs began attack bayonet fell trench wounded hit legs machine gun fire brought clearing station hours later discovered suffered separate wounds actions ground lost soon german attack later repulsed citation victoria_cross appeared supplement london gazette june reading 27th june majesty king pleased approve award victoria_cross officer officers men imp force conspicuous bravery seeing party enemy likely initiative single handed exposed heavy bomb rifle fire climbed proceeded bomb enemy pressing trench having exhausted stock bombs continued attack enemy bayonet severely wounded prompt action conduct face superior numbers witnessed battalion greatly inspired subsequent successful counter attack multiple wounds required prolonged period treatment sent norfolk england july invested victoria cross military medal king george buckingham palace photograph pair taken time later published times history war promoted sergeant returned australia october having adequately recovered wounds discharged june medical grounds father brothers served western world war father brother frederick later life march married nurse sydney pair settled employed advertising staff later new_south_wales representative brisbane standard queensland worker outbreak second world war offered services enlisted australian_army october posted granted rank staff sergeant found staff work dull sought discharge february august enlisted united_states_army service able participate invasion commencement philippines campaign december following wife death moved sydney western australia accompanied grandson journey took days train pair arrived perth suburb live married daughter later moved reside years returning perth joined australian contingent victoria_cross recipients attended parade london park commemorate centenary institution victoria_cross died hollywood perth december granted funeral military honours body cremated ashes interred perth commemorated plaque remembrance victoria_cross medals display australian war memorial canberra
George Howell (VC)