Lewis Mcgee
Sergeant, 14th Battalion * Australian Imperial Force
- Register No.
- 779 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Sergeant all Sergeants →
- Unit
- 14th Battalion * Australian Imperial Force (register: 40th Battalion, AIF) all AIF VCs →
- Date of action
- 4 October 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 26th November, 1917 on this day → all of 1917 →
- Born
- 13th May 1888 at Ross, Tasmania
- Died
- in action 13th October 1917 at Passchendaele, Belgium
- Memorial / grave
- at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele, Belgium and on the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia
Digest of citation
To the east of Ypres, Belgium, on the 4th October 1917, Sergeant McGee's Platoon was stopped by machine gun fire from a pill box, and they were suffering badly. Armed with only a revolver, the sergeant rushed at the post, shooting some members of the crew, capturing the remainder. This enabled the advance to continue. Sergeant McGee reorganised what was left of his platoon, doing outstanding work whilst consolidating his position. The success of the operation was largely due to Sergeant McGee's coolness and bravery
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
McGEE, Lewis. (reg No. 779).
Sergeant. 14th Battalion * Australian Imperial Force.
London Gazetted on 26th November, 1917.
Born on 13th May 1888 at Ross, Tasmania.
Killed in action 13th October 1917 at Passchendaele, Belgium.
Memorial on grave at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele, Belgium and on the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia..
Digest of Citation reads: To the east of Ypres, Belgium, on the 4th October 1917, Sergeant McGee's Platoon was stopped by machine gun fire from a pill box, and they were suffering badly. Armed with only a revolver, the sergeant rushed at the post, shooting some members of the crew, capturing the remainder. This enabled the advance to continue. Sergeant McGee reorganised what was left of his platoon, doing outstanding work whilst consolidating his position. The success of the operation was largely due to Sergeant McGee's coolness and bravery.
* Tasmania
* Tasmania
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Passchendaele, Belgium and on the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia
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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