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Lieutenant Thomas Derrick V.C.Print Page Print this page

06-January-2021
06-January-2021

Photographs supplied by Stephen Warren

The Tom 'Diver' Derrick road bridge was named in honour of Victoria Cross recipient Lieutenant Thomas Currie Derrick (1914 - 1945).

On 17 November 1940 Derrick had embarked for the Middle East with the 2nd/48th Battalion, which was to be the most decorated unit in the A.I.F. In that distinguished company Derrick was outstanding and awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

The 2nd/48th returned to Australia in February 1943 and trained in North Queensland and Papua before helping to capture Lae, New Guinea, in September. By 24 November the battalion was attacking the heights of Sattelberg, overlooking Finschhafen. Late that afternoon, while leading the advance platoon, Derrick confronted an almost vertical slope of thick jungle hiding Japanese machine-guns.

Derrick was told to withdraw, but he decided to go on. Covered by his mates, he scrambled hands and feet up the cliff, hurling grenades into enemy posts and clearing them out with his rifle. Even in peacetime the climb is barely possible, yet Derrick cleared ten machine-gun posts, stopping just short of the crest as dusk fell. It was one of the most astonishing feats of the war. He was awarded the Victoria Cross on 22 March 1944. He was killed in action in Borneo in May 1945.

Location

Address:Port Adelaide Expressway, Tom `Diver` Derrick Bridge, Port Adelaide, 5015
State:SA
Area:AUS
GPS Coordinates:Lat: -34.838432
Long: 138.507117
Note: GPS Coordinates are approximate.
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Details

Monument Type:Structure
Monument Theme:People
Sub-Theme:Military
Actual Event Start Date:23-May-1945
Actual Event End Date:23-May-1945

Dedication

Actual Monument Dedication Date:Friday 1st August, 2008
Front Inscription

Plaque :

Tom `Diver` Derrick Bridge was named in honour of Lieutenant Thomas Currie `Diver` Derrick, VC, DCM and opened by his sister Mrs Rose Stirling and Hon Mike Rann, MP, Premier of South Australia on Friday, 1 August 2008

Source: MA
Monument details supplied by Monument Australia - www.monumentaustralia.org.au