Australian Victoria Cross Recipient
Private Richard Kelliher
Unit
2/25th Battalion
Born
1 September 1910 at Ballybeggan, Ireland
Date of action
13 September 1943
Place
Near Nadzab, New Guinea (now Papua New Guinea)
Details
During an engagement Kelliher’s platoon came under heavy fire from a concealed machine-gun post fifty metres away. Five of the platoon were killed and three wounded including his section commander, Corporal W.H. Richards. Kelliher said to a companion, ‘I’d better go and bring him (Richards) in’, then suddenly got up, rushed the post and hurled two grenades at it. When he ascertained that some, but not all, of the enemy had been killed he returned to his section, seized a Bren gun, and again dashed forward to within thirty metres of the post and with accurate fire completely silenced it. He then went forward again, through heavy rifle fire, and successfully rescued his section leader who had been wounded in the shoulder.
Died
28 January 1963
Buried or Commemorated
Springvale Lawn Cemetery, Melbourne
Current location of the VC
Australian War Memorial
More Information