Australian Victoria Cross Recipient
Lieutenant Albert Chowne
Unit
2/2nd Battalion
Born
19 July 1920 Sydney, New South Wales
Date of action
25 March 1945
Place
Dagua, New Guinea (now Papua New Guinea)
Details
On 25 March A Company, 2/2nd, attacked the enemy but the leading platoon came under heavy fire from concealed machine guns sited on a small rise which dominated the approach to the positions. The enemy inflicted casualties, which included the platoon commander. Chowne saw their plight and rushed up the steep, narrow track and hurled grenades which knocked out two enemy light machine guns. He called on his men to follow him, and firing his sub-machine gun from the hip, charged the enemy. Although seriously wounded in the chest, his momentum carried him forward and he was able to kill two more Japanese before he himself was killed standing over three enemy foxholes.
Died
25 March 1945
Buried or Commemorated
Lae War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea
Current location of the VC
Australian War Memorial