Lieutenant Charles Pope V.C.Print Page 
On 15 April 1917 at Louverval, France, during the Battle of Lagnicourt, he was in command of a very important picquet post, with orders to hold it at all costs amidst a heavy German attack. The enemy, in greatly superior numbers, attacked and surrounded the post and ammunition was running short. Pope, in a desperate bid to save the position, was "seen to charge with his men into a superior enemy force, by which they were overpowered", although heavy losses were inflicted. He had "obeyed the order to hold out to the last"and his lifeless body, along with those of most of his men, was found amongst 80 enemy dead. He received the Victoria Cross posthumously for his actions.
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.
Location
| Address: | South Western Highway , Brunswick Rest Area, Brunswick, 6224 |
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| State: | WA |
| Area: | AUS |
| GPS Coordinates: | Lat: -33.256523 Long: 115.838203 Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate. |
Details
| Monument Type: | Plaque |
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| Monument Theme: | People |
| Sub-Theme: | Military |
| Actual Event Start Date: | 15-April-1917 |
| Actual Event End Date: | 15-April-1017 |
| Link: | http://adb.anu.edu.au/ |
Dedication
| Approx. Monument Dedication Date: | 2016 |
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Commemoration Way
In honour of Victoria Cross rRecipient
Lieutenant Charles Pope VC
Charles Pope was born in London on 5 March 1883. In 1910 Pope immigrated to Perth where he joined the Australian Imperial Force on 25 August 1915, and as a Second Lieutenant embarked from Fremantle in July 1916 with the 11th Battalion. Pope received his posthumous Victoria Cross for gallantry at Louverval and is buried in France.
11th Battalion, 15th April 1917 at Louveral, France
"For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty when in command of a very important picquet post in the sector held by his Battalion, his orders being to hold this post at all costs. After the picquet post had been heavily attacked, the enemy in greatly superior number surrounded the post. Lt. Pope, finding that he was running short of ammunition, sent back for further supplies. But the situation culminated before it could arrive, and in the hope of saving the position, this very gallant officer was seen to charge with his picquet into a superior force, by which it was overpowered. By his sacrifice Lt. Pope not only inflicted heavy loss on the enemy, but obeyed his order to hold the position to the last. His body, together with those of most of his men, was found in close proximity to eighty enemy dead - a sure proof of the gallant resistance which had been made."
