Australian Victoria Cross Recipient
Lieutenant William Donovan Joynt
Unit
8th Battalion
Born
19 March 1889 at Elsternwick, Victoria
Date of action
23 August 1918
Place
Herleville Wood, near Chuignes, France
Details
During an action Joynt went forward and found a company of the 6th Battalion that was disorganised after losing its officers. He reformed the men and urged them forward but they were again halted by intense fire from Plateau Wood. Joynt, who was then joined by a platoon from his own battalion, decided to seize Plateau Wood. A German post and fifty prisoners were quickly taken. Joynt then led his men along a trench across the plateau, capturing prisoners as they went, to within fifty metres of the machine guns holding up the advance. At one stage twenty enemy advanced towards him with their rifles poised so Joynt covered their leader with a revolver and they surrendered. Finding another trench, Joynt was able to lead his men without casualties into the German position and so force them out of the wood. He returned to his battalion to find that his company commander had been wounded and that he was to assume command. From then until he was wounded in another attack three days later, he was always in the fight as the advance continued.
Died
5 May 1986
Buried or Commemorated
Brighton Cemetery, Melbourne
Current location of the VC
Privately held