Sergeant John Dwyer V.C.Print Page

The memorial stone commemorates Sergeant John James Dwyer who was awarded the Victoria Cross (V.C.) in September 1917 in Belgium during World War One.

John James Dwyer, VC (1890 – 1962) was a politician and an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Elected to the Tasmanian House of Assembly  in 1931 representing the Labor Party, Dwyer served as Deputy Premier of Tasmania from August 1958 to May 1959 and remained in office until his death.

On 26 September 1917 at Zonnebeke, Belgium, during the Battle of Polygon Wood, Sergeant Dwyer, in charge of a Vickers machine-gun during an advance, rushed his gun forward to within 30 yards of an enemy machine-gun, fired point blank at it and killed the crew. He then seized the gun and carried it back across shell-swept ground to the Australian front line. On the following day, when the position was being heavily shelled, and his Vickers gun was blown up, he took his team through the enemy barrage and fetched a reserve gun which he put into use in the shortest possible time.

Dwyer later achieved the rank of lieutenant. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Australian War Memorial.

 

Location

Address:	15 School Road, Bruny Island District School, Alonnah, 7150
State:	TAS
Area:	AUS
GPS Coordinates:	Lat: -43.317224 Long: 147.245989 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.

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Details

Monument Type:	Monument
Monument Theme:	People
Sub-Theme:	Military
Actual Event Start Date:	26-September-1917
Actual Event End Date:	26-September-1917
Link:	http://adb.anu.edu.au/

Dedication

Source: MA, ADB