Australian Victoria Cross Recipient
Lieutenant Rupert Vance Moon
Unit
58th Battalion
Born
14 August 1892 at Bacchus Marsh, Victoria
Date of action
12 May 1917
Place
Near Bullecourt, France
Details
Moon’s platoon was given the task of neutralising a concrete machine-gun shelter which lay between the opposition trenches. Moon, wounded early in the attack, successfully led his men in the capture of the shelter. He then rallied them for an attack on the enemy trench and, although wounded a second time, organised a Lewis gun team to bring effective fire to bear on the Germans, causing them to flee. He followed, but was forced back, so he organised for grenades to be thrown at the enemy who were sheltering in a cutting. With some other men he attacked the position and forced the Germans into dug-outs where they were effectively trapped. Moon was wounded for a third time (in the leg and foot) in the fight for this cutting. As the reinforcements came through to mop up, Moon and two fellow officers decided to withdraw their men a short distance and consolidate to escape the persistent sniper fire. Just before the move was carried out, Moon, who was peering over the cutting to ascertain enemy locations, was shot in the jaw. He insisted, however, on seeing the new position occupied before he allowed two men to take him to the rear.
Died
28 February 1986
Buried or Commemorated
Mt Duneed Cemetery, Victoria
Current location of the VC
Australian War Memorial