Frank John Partridge
Private, 8th Battalion * Australian Military Forces
- Register No.
- 968 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 8th Battalion * Australian Military Forces (register: 8th Battalion, AIF) all AIF VCs →
- Date of action
- 24 July 1945 on this day → all of 1945 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- London Gazette
- 22nd January 1946 on this day → all of 1946 →
- Born
- the 29th November, 1924 at Grafton, New South Wales, Australia
- Died
- 23rd March 1964 at Bellinger, New South Wales, Australia
- Memorial / grave
- at Marksville Cemetery, New South Wales and on the Australian War Memorial, Canberra
Digest of citation
At Bougainville, in the Solomon Islands, on 24th July 1945, Private Partridge's section came under heavy fire from machine-guns and they suffered severe casualties. The Bren gunner was killed. In spite of being badly wounded himself, Private Partridge retrieved the Bren gun from the dead man and handed it to another to provide covering fire whilst he rushed a bunker to silence the enemy machine gun with a grenade. He killed the single occupant and went on to attack another bunker. Loss of blood caused him to grow weak which compelled him to halt. He rejoined the action later, during which time the Platoon withdrew from an untenable situation
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
PARTRIDGE, Frank John. (reg No. 968).
Private. 8th Battalion * Australian Military Forces.
London Gazetted on 22nd January 1946.
Born on the 29th November, 1924 at Grafton, New South Wales, Australia.
Died on 23rd March 1964 at Bellinger, New South Wales, Australia.
Memorial on grave at Marksville Cemetery, New South Wales and on the Australian War Memorial, Canberra.
Digest of Citation reads: At Bougainville, in the Solomon Islands, on 24th July 1945, Private Partridge's section came under heavy fire from machine-guns and they suffered severe casualties. The Bren gunner was killed. In spite of being badly wounded himself, Private Partridge retrieved the Bren gun from the dead man and handed it to another to provide covering fire whilst he rushed a bunker to silence the enemy machine gun with a grenade. He killed the single occupant and went on to attack another bunker. Loss of blood caused him to grow weak which compelled him to halt. He rejoined the action later, during which time the Platoon withdrew from an untenable situation.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Marksville Cemetery, New South Wales and on the Australian War Memorial, Canberra
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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