Reginald Roy Rattey
Corporal, 25th Battalion. Australian Military Forces
- Register No.
- 1022 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Corporal all Corporals →
- Unit
- 25th Battalion. Australian Military Forces (register: 25th Battalion, AIF) all AIF VCs →
- Date of action
- 22 March 1945 on this day → all of 1945 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Second World War
- London Gazette
- 26th August 1945 on this day → all of 1945 →
- Born
- 28th March 1918 at Barmedman, New South Wales, Australia
- Died
- 8th January 1986 at West Wyalong, New South Wales, Australia
- Memorial / grave
- on Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia
Digest of citation
An Australian infantry company was making attack on a strongly held enemy position at Bougainville, in the Solomon Islands on 22nd March 1945, when they were subjected to extremely heavy fire. Corporal Rattey realised that any advance would be halted and heavy casualties inflicted by this fire, and rushing forward, nullified the enemy fire from the three forward bunkers, whilst firing his Bren gun from the hip. Then using a grenade he silenced one bunker, on fetching two more grenades silenced the remaining two bunkers. These obstacles removed, the company was able to continue advancing. At a later time, Corporal Rattey captured an enemy machine-gun and 2000 rounds of ammunition
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
RATTEY, Reginald Roy. (reg No. 1022).
Corporal. 25th Battalion. Australian Military Forces.
London Gazetted on 26th August 1945.
Born on 28th March 1918 at Barmedman, New South Wales, Australia.
Died on 8th January 1986 at West Wyalong, New South Wales, Australia.
Memorial on Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia.
Digest of Citation reads: An Australian infantry company was making attack on a strongly held enemy position at Bougainville, in the Solomon Islands on 22nd March 1945, when they were subjected to extremely heavy fire. Corporal Rattey realised that any advance would be halted and heavy casualties inflicted by this fire, and rushing forward, nullified the enemy fire from the three forward bunkers, whilst firing his Bren gun from the hip. Then using a grenade he silenced one bunker, on fetching two more grenades silenced the remaining two bunkers. These obstacles removed, the company was able to continue advancing. At a later time, Corporal Rattey captured an enemy machine-gun and 2000 rounds of ammunition.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: on Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia
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