V.C. FOR AUSTRALIAN

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 March 1944, Page 5

V.C. FOR AUSTRALIAN

HEROISM IN NEW GUINEA

CANBERRA, March 23

The Victoria Cross has been awarded to Sergeant Thomas Currie Derrick, D.C.M., of Adelaide, for gallant action during the final assault on Satelberg. in Nev Guinea. The citation says that Sergeant Derrick’s' courgae was largely responsible for the capture of Satelberg, which 101 l to tine Australians last October. Sergeant Derrick is the fourteenth Australia!'. to win the Victoria Cross in this war, but only five of the recipients are still living. The citation announcing the award says: “On October 24 a company ol an infantry battalion was ordered to outflank ’enemy strong positions situated on a precipitous cliff face and then to attack a feature 150 yards from Satelberg. It appeared impossible to reach the objective or even hold the ground already occupied, and the company was ordered to retire. When this order came Sergeant Derrick, displaying dogged tenacity, asked if he could make one last attempt to reach the objective. Moving ahead of his forward section he personally destroyed with grenades an enemy post which had been holding up this section. He then ordered the second section round on the right flank. This section came under fire from six enemy posts. Without regard for his personal safety Sergeant Derrick clambered forward well ahead of the leading men and hurled grenade after grenade so completely demoralising the enemy that they fled.

“Not content with the work already done, Sergeant Derrick led two sections of his platoon to deal with three of the remaining posts. On four occasions he dashed forward and threw grenades at a range of from six to eight yards until these positions were finally silenced. In all, Sergeant Derrick reduced 10 enemy posts. From the vital ground he had. canlured th remainder of the battalion moved f n to capture Satelberg the following morning.”