Private Leslie Starcevich V.C.Print Page

The plaque commemorates Private Leslie Starcevich who was a recipient of the Victoria Cross (V.C.) for his actions during World War Two. The plaque is part of the Commemoration Way Project which honours Western Australian recipients of the Victoria Cross and George Cross.

Leslie "Tom" Starcevich (1918-1989) was a quietly-spoken Western Australian veteran of the fighting in Egypt - he was wounded at Tel el Eisa in July 1942 - and New Guinea before gaining the Victoria Cross in North Borneo. In the capture of Beaufort he attacked Japanese machine-gun positions, fearlessly firing his Bren gun from the hip. "The outstanding gallantry of Private Starcevich in carrying out these attacks single-handed with complete disregard of his own safety resulted in the decisive success of the action."

The service and sacrifice of Western Australia's Victoria Cross and George Cross recipients will be remembered in perpetuity with each recipient being commemorated at highway rest stops south of Perth. Veterans Minister Joe Francis said the project, similar to Remembrance Driveway on the Federal  and Hume highways between Sydney and Canberra, would see plaques honouring WA's 17 Victoria Cross and two George Cross recipients placed at rest areas on highways leading to Albany.

"The rest stops will be on Albany Highway between Perth and Albany and along South Western Highway between Pinjarra and Kirup," Mr Francis said. The plaques will be installed at rest stops in chronological order, starting with the South Western Highway (Frederick Bell VC).  Each will contain a short biography of the recipient and part of their citation as gazetted. "While the Victoria Cross is awarded for extreme gallantry in the face of the enemy, the George Cross - open to service personnel and civilians - was instituted to recognise extreme bravery that did not involve contact with the enemy. The series of plaques will be called Commemoration Way, and will be rolled out between Anzac Day and Remembrance Day, 2016."
Media Statement, 20th April 2016.

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