Frank Partridge (VC) - World War II

World War II

In December 1942, during World War II, Partridge was conscripted by the Australian Army. He served as a private in the 8th Battalion, a Militia unit formed in Victoria. In May 1944, the 8th Bn was posted to New Guinea.

In June 1945, the 8th Battalion was transferred to the Bougainville campaign, where it operated to contain Japanese forces on the Bonis Peninsula. It was here that Partridge performed a deed for which he received the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest award for gallantry that could be awarded to British Commonwealth forces.

On 24 July, Partridge was a member of a patrol ordered to destroy an enemy post, known as Base 5, near Ratsua. His section came under heavy machine-gun fire and suffered severe casualties, including a Bren gunner who was killed. Partridge, although he too had been badly wounded, retrieved the Bren gun and handed it to another man to provide covering fire, while he rushed a bunker and silenced the machine-gun with a grenade. He killed the only living occupant and attacked another bunker, but weakness from loss of blood compelled him to halt. Later he re-joined the fight and remained in action while the platoon withdrew from an untenable situation.

Partridge was the last and youngest Australian to be awarded the VC in World War II. He and Corporal Reg Rattey were the only Militia personnel to win it and they received the only VCs awarded to Australians for actions on Bougainville.