Walter Peeler, (9 August 1887 – 23 May 1968) was an
Australian recipient of the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
, the highest award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British and
Commonwealth
A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...
armed forces. He was decorated following his actions during the
Battle of Broodseinde
The Battle of Broodseinde was fought on 4 October 1917 near Ypres in Belgium, at the east end of the Gheluvelt plateau, by the British Second and Fifth armies against the German 4th Army. The battle was the most successful Allied attack of th ...
in October 1917. Then a
lance corporal
Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organisations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer (NCO), usually equi ...
in the
Australian Imperial Force, he repeatedly took the lead in the 37th Battalion's advance on well-defended German positions, destroying four machine gun posts and killing more than 30 German soldiers during the battle.
Born near
Castlemaine, Victoria
Castlemaine ( , Variation in Australian English, non-locally also ) is a small city in Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, in the Goldfields region of Victoria, Goldfields region about 120 kilometres (75 miles) northwest by road from ...
, Peeler worked at various jobs in his home town and in the Melbourne area before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force in February 1916. Posted to the
3rd Pioneer Battalion, he arrived on the
Western Front during November. In June 1917, his battalion participated in the
assault on Messines ridge, where he was lightly wounded. Eight days after his Victoria Cross action, Peeler was severely wounded in his right arm and spent the next seven months recuperating in the United Kingdom. Following the
armistice with Germany
The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...
, he was discharged from service with the rank of sergeant in December 1918.
Peeler re-settled with his family in Victoria, and was appointed the inaugural custodian of Melbourne's
Shrine of Remembrance
The Shrine of Remembrance (commonly referred to as The Shrine) is a war memorial in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in Kings Domain on St Kilda Road. It was built to honour the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I, but ...
in 1934. In May 1940, Peeler enlisted for service in the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, understating his age by fourteen years to avoid the upper age limit imposed on volunteers. He was posted to the
2/2nd Pioneer Battalion and initially saw action in the
Syria–Lebanon campaign
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Syria and Lebanon (then controlled by Vichy France) in June and July 1941, during the Second World War. The French had ceded autonomy to Syria in Septembe ...
. However, with the entry of Japan into the war, his unit was one of the first sent to the
Netherlands East Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, which ...
in early 1942. The unit arrived in
Sumatra
Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
and was disembarking when it was diverted to
Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...
where it assisted in the Dutch defence of the island. When Dutch resistance collapsed in March, allied forces in Java signed a formal surrender with British, Australian and American troops becoming prisoners of war. After three-and-a-half years as
prisoner of war
A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610.
Belligerents hold prisoners of wa ...
, Peeler was freed in August 1945 and returned to Australia in October, resuming his duties at the Shrine of Remembrance. He retired in 1964 and, aged 80, died at his home in
South Caulfield in 1968.
Early life
Walter "Wally" Peeler was born at Barker's Creek, near
Castlemaine, Victoria
Castlemaine ( , Variation in Australian English, non-locally also ) is a small city in Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, in the Goldfields region of Victoria, Goldfields region about 120 kilometres (75 miles) northwest by road from ...
, on 9 August 1887. He was the eighth child of William Peeler, a farmer and miner, and his English-born wife Mary Ellen (née Scott). As a youth Peeler worked in his parents' orchard, before gaining employment with Thompson's Foundry in Castlemaine.
On 10 July 1907, he wed Emma Hewitt;
the couple were to have five children.
An active sportsman, Peeler was a member of the Castlemaine Cricket Club and, briefly, secretary of the Wesley Hill Football Club.
First World War
![Wandilla](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d9/Wandilla.jpeg)
By 1916, Peeler was living in the
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
suburb of
Richmond
Richmond most often refers to:
* Richmond, Virginia, the capital of Virginia, United States
* Richmond, London, a part of London
* Richmond, North Yorkshire, a town in England
* Richmond, British Columbia, a city in Canada
* Richmond, California, ...
with his wife and three daughters.
On 17 February, he enlisted in the
Australian Imperial Force for service in the First World War. Posted as a
private
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
soldier to the machine gun section of the
3rd Pioneer Battalion, Peeler underwent his initial training in Victoria,
before departing from Melbourne headed for England aboard
HMAT ''Wandilla'' on 6 June.
The battalion arrived in
Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth ...
seven weeks later.
During the three months Peeler's unit spent in England undergoing additional training, he was charged with being
absent without leave
Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or post without permission (a pass, liberty or leave) and is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with unauthorized absence (UA) or absence without leave (AWOL ), which a ...
for six hours on 3 July, and fined a day's pay.
He was nevertheless promoted to
lance corporal
Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organisations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer (NCO), usually equi ...
on 6 November.
Two weeks later, the 3rd Pioneer Battalion was posted to the
Western Front.
Sent to the
Armentières
Armentières (; vls, Armentiers) is a commune in the Nord department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is part of the Métropole Européenne de Lille.
The motto of the town is ''Pauvre mais fière'' (Poor but proud).
Geogra ...
sector, the battalion spent several months working on trench and railway construction.
In mid-December, Peeler attended a week-long course at the Machine Gun School in
Le Touquet
Le Touquet-Paris-Plage (; pcd, Ech Toutchet-Paris-Plache; vls, 't Oekske, older nl, Het Hoekske), commonly referred to as Le Touquet (), is a commune near Étaples, in the Pas-de-Calais department, northern France. It has a population of 4, ...
,
and in early 1917, accompanied the battalion north in preparation for the upcoming
Messines offensive.
However, on 8 May 1917, one month before the offensive, Peeler found himself the subject of a
court-martial in the field. Following an incident that occurred during a training session on 26 April, he was charged with "careless and negligent handling of a Lewis Gun whilst instructing" that led to "grievous bodily injury" to Private John Martin Fife. Found guilty of the charge, Peeler was stripped of his lance corporal stripe.
On 7 June 1917, Peeler participated in the initial assault on Messines Ridge. Manning a
Lewis gun during the action,
he was injured twice, suffering shrapnel wounds to his face and eye from an artillery shell, and a gunshot wound to his right cheek.
He spent three days in hospital before returning to his battalion. On 22 June, he was once again promoted to lance corporal.
The 3rd Pioneer Battalion spent the next four months in a quieter section of the front.
Victoria Cross
![Walter Peeler VC D00016A](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/Walter_Peeler_VC_D00016A.jpg)
As part of the third stage of General
Sir Herbert Plumer's Passchendaele offensive, an attack against Broodseinde was scheduled for 4 October 1917.
The
3rd Australian Division's
10th Australian Infantry Brigade was one of the assault formations charged with delivering the main blow, and ultimately with seizing the heavily defended Broodseinde Ridge.
To provide defence against low-flying German aircraft during the attack, a group of 24 men, including Peeler, from the 3rd Pioneer Battalion's machine gun section were attached to the 10th Brigade's 37th Battalion.
The
attack on Broodseinde began at 06:00 under the cover of an artillery barrage.
Armed with a Lewis Gun, Peeler advanced with the initial wave. The Australians rapidly crossed the first before becoming pinned down by a party of nine German soldiers, who were situated in a shellhole and sniping at the advancing troops.
Firing his machine gun from the hip, Peeler dashed forward across the exposed ground and shot the group of Germans, "clearing the way for the advance".
He performed similar feats on two subsequent occasions, killing several German soldiers and emerging unscathed.
The Australian force continued to press their assault, encountering pillboxes and machine gun positions as they pushed forward. One such machine gun position, situated in the open, held up the advance. Firing a single burst from his Lewis Gun,
Peeler killed the gunner and caused the remainder of the gun's defenders to seek cover in a nearby dugout.
One of the Australians then lobbed a "well aimed" grenade into the dugout, driving out ten soldiers whom Peeler then shot.
Described as being "particularly prominent in the advance" by historian
Charles Bean
Charles Edwin Woodrow Bean (18 November 1879 – 30 August 1968), usually identified as C. E. W. Bean, was Australia's official war correspondent, subsequently its official war historian, who wrote six volumes and edited the remaining six of ...
,
Peeler "almost single-handedly" destroyed four German posts in an hour,
accounting for more than 30 soldiers.
![Australia VCs recruitment P00398](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/ce/Australia_VCs_recruitment_P00398.001.JPG)
By 07:15 the following morning, the 37th Battalion had captured its objective, having seized eight pillboxes, several concrete dugouts, 20 machine guns and 420
prisoners
A prisoner (also known as an inmate or detainee) is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement, captivity, or forcible restraint. The term applies particularly to serving a prison sentence in a prison.
...
. Two hours later, the Australians were in possession of Broodseinde Ridge. For his actions during the battle, Peeler was awarded the Victoria Cross; one of two Australians to be so decorated that day.
On 12 October, eight days after Peeler's actions, the men of the 10th Brigade returned to the front line in an effort to exploit the success of the previous week. The ground in front of their position was dominated by a series of German pillboxes and had been turned into a
quagmire by heavy rain.
The brigade's attack was soon subject to a "torrent of machine gun fire",
and Peeler was severely wounded in his right arm. Initially evacuated to the 11th Australian Field Ambulance casualty station, it was decided that his wound necessitated treatment in England so he embarked for the Northampton War Hospital on 15 October, arriving the following day.
While recuperating in England, the announcement and accompanying citation for Peeler's Victoria Cross was promulgated in a supplement to the ''London Gazette'' on 26 November 1917, reading:
Recuperation and repatriation
As news of Peeler's decoration spread, it prompted a "wave of celebrations" in his hometown of Castlemaine; flags flew in his honour, and one of his daughters was cheered by fellow pupils at her school.
On 8 January 1918, Peeler was formally conferred with his Victoria Cross by
King George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.
Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...
in an investiture ceremony at
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...
. Having sufficiently recovered from his wound, Peeler rejoined the 3rd Pioneer Battalion in France on 17 May; he was promoted to temporary
corporal
Corporal is a military rank in use in some form by many militaries and by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. The word is derived from the medieval Italian phrase ("head of a body"). The rank is usually the lowest ranking non ...
two weeks later.
On 22 June 1918, Peeler was posted to the Corps Gas School for eight days.
He was promoted to
sergeant
Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...
on 30 July.
Around this time,
Australian Prime Minister
The prime minister of Australia is the head of government of the Commonwealth of Australia. The prime minister heads the executive branch of the federal government of Australia and is also accountable to federal parliament under the principl ...
Billy Hughes
William Morris Hughes (25 September 1862 – 28 October 1952) was an Australian politician who served as the seventh prime minister of Australia, in office from 1915 to 1923. He is best known for leading the country during World War I, but ...
invited Australia's Victoria Cross recipients of the war to return to Australia and assist in a recruiting drive. Among the group who accepted the offer, Peeler was one of ten who embarked for Melbourne aboard HMAT ''Medic'' on 24 August, arriving in Melbourne seven weeks later. He would not return to France; on 11 November 1918 an
armistice with Germany
The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...
was declared, effectively ending the war. Peeler was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 10 December.
Inter-war years
Following his discharge, Peeler gained employment with the soldier-settler branch of the Victorian Department of Lands. He remained with the department for six years, before acquiring an orchard in the Castlemaine district. However, this venture proved short-lived and he soon returned with his family to Melbourne, joining the
H.V. McKay Sunshine Harvester Works
The Sunshine Harvester works, was an Australian factory making agricultural equipment founded by industrialist H. V. McKay, and with engineering development headed by H.B. Garde.
History
Early years
Having established an agricultural imple ...
at
Sunshine
Sunlight is a portion of the electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun, in particular infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light. On Earth, sunlight is scattered and filtered through Earth's atmosphere, and is obvious as daylight when th ...
. Also on the company's staff was a fellow Victoria Cross recipient,
Dominic McCarthy. When Melbourne's
Shrine of Remembrance
The Shrine of Remembrance (commonly referred to as The Shrine) is a war memorial in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, located in Kings Domain on St Kilda Road. It was built to honour the men and women of Victoria who served in World War I, but ...
was completed in 1934, Peeler was appointed as the memorial's first custodian. He occupied this post for next 30 years, coming to regard the Shrine as "his second home".
Second World War
Enlistment and Syrian Campaign
![Walter Peeler VC 117940](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/Walter_Peeler_VC_117940.jpg)
On 27 May 1940, Peeler enlisted in the
Second Australian Imperial Force
The Second Australian Imperial Force (2nd AIF, or Second AIF) was the name given to the volunteer expeditionary force of the Australian Army in the Second World War. It was formed following the declaration of war on Nazi Germany, with an initial ...
for service in the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
,
giving his date of birth on his enlistment forms as 9 August 1901, thus understating his age by fourteen years.
At 52, Peeler was twelve years over the maximum age limit, although he later claimed he was not the "oldest fellow in my unit".
Granted the acting rank of sergeant, he was allotted to the newly raised
2/2nd Pioneer Battalion.
The battalion completed its initial training at
Puckapunyal
Puckapunyal (more formally the Puckapunyal Military Area, but also known as the Puckapunyal Camp or Puckapunyal Army Base, and colloquially as "Pucka") is an Australian Army training facility and base 10 km west of Seymour, in central Vi ...
,
during which time Peeler was made acting
staff sergeant
Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services.
History of title
In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervi ...
and Company Quartermaster Sergeant of D Company on 1 August.
On 7 April 1941, the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion embarked aboard
HMT ''Queen Mary'' at
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
, bound for the
Middle East
The Middle East ( ar, الشرق الأوسط, ISO 233: ) is a geopolitical region commonly encompassing Arabian Peninsula, Arabia (including the Arabian Peninsula and Bahrain), Anatolia, Asia Minor (Asian part of Turkey except Hatay Pro ...
; Peeler's rank of staff sergeant was confirmed as substantive on the same day. After just under four weeks at sea, the troopship disembarked at Port Tewfik in
Suez
Suez ( ar, السويس '; ) is a seaport city (population of about 750,000 ) in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez (a branch of the Red Sea), near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boun ...
, where the battalion entrained for
Palestine
__NOTOC__
Palestine may refer to:
* State of Palestine, a state in Western Asia
* Palestine (region), a geographic region in Western Asia
* Palestinian territories, territories occupied by Israel since 1967, namely the West Bank (including East ...
. There it was attached to the
7th Division in support of the
Syrian campaign against
Vichy French
Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its terr ...
forces.
The 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion was initially divided up, with each company attached to a different brigade of the 7th Division. Peeler's D Company—assigned to the
25th Brigade—was originally tasked with the maintenance and general repair of the road network in its locality. However, when the Vichy French launched a counter-attack on 15 June, the battalion was concentrated in the Merdjayoun area in an effort to prevent any further French gains.
On the night of 27 June, after a
costly assault against the Vichy French at Merdjayoun earlier that day, Peeler led out a patrol to recover the wounded. Four soldiers were discovered and brought back to the Australian lines.
Despite suffering heavy casualties in Syria, the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion served throughout the campaign, including participation in the decisive
Battle of Damour
The Battle of Damour (5–9 July 1941) was the final major operation of the Australian forces during the Syria-Lebanon Campaign of World War II.
Background
In 1941, Damour was the French administrative capital. Damour is a large town on the ...
in July.
After the Vichy French defeat in Syria, the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion was relocated to
Tripoli, Lebanon
Tripoli ( ar, طرابلس/ALA-LC: ''Ṭarābulus'', Lebanese Arabic: ''Ṭrablus'') is the largest city in northern Lebanon and the second-largest city in the country. Situated north of the capital Beirut, it is the capital of the North Gove ...
where it headquartered itself in an olive grove while carrying out training and garrison duties over the next four months. During November, the battalion was moved to
Qatana
Qatana ( ar, قَطَنَا, Qaţanā) is a city in southern Syria, administratively part of the Qatana District of Rif Dimashq Governorate. Qatana has an altitude of 879 meters. According to the Syria Central Bureau of Statistics, the city had ...
in Syria, but with the entry of
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
into the war in late 1941, the 1st Australian Corps including the
6th and 7th Divisions were directed to move to the
Netherlands East Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, which ...
for service in the
Pacific theatre.
In January 1942, Peeler was among the men of the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion who embarked aboard
HMT ''Orcades'' for Sumatra but later diverted to Java.
He was promoted to
Warrant Officer Class II
A warrant officer (WO) in the British Armed Forces is a member of the highest group of non-commissioned ranks, holding the King's (or Queen's) warrant, which is signed by the Secretary of State for Defence. Warrant officers are not saluted, bec ...
during this time.
Defence of Java and prisoner of war
![WOII Walter Peeler 117835](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/WOII_Walter_Peeler_117835.JPG)
The 1st Australian Corps with the 6th and 7th Division were moving from the Middle East to
Dutch East Indies
The Dutch East Indies, also known as the Netherlands East Indies ( nl, Nederlands(ch)-Indië; ), was a Dutch colony consisting of what is now Indonesia. It was formed from the nationalised trading posts of the Dutch East India Company, which ...
. Sailing far ahead of the 7th Division ships, the fast liner ''Orcades'' with 3400 men including the 2/2nd Pioneer Battalion without its heavy equipment, reached Sumatra at midday of 15 February. ''Orcades'' was disembarking troops just hours before the
fall of Singapore
The Fall of Singapore, also known as the Battle of Singapore,; ta, சிங்கப்பூரின் வீழ்ச்சி; ja, シンガポールの戦い took place in the South–East Asian theatre of the Pacific War. The Empire of ...
when ordered to reembark troops and divert from
Sumatra
Sumatra is one of the Sunda Islands of western Indonesia. It is the largest island that is fully within Indonesian territory, as well as the sixth-largest island in the world at 473,481 km2 (182,812 mi.2), not including adjacent i ...
to
Batavia
Batavia may refer to:
Historical places
* Batavia (region), a land inhabited by the Batavian people during the Roman Empire, today part of the Netherlands
* Batavia, Dutch East Indies, present-day Jakarta, the former capital of the Dutch East In ...
in
Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's List ...
.
Disembarking at
Batavia
Batavia may refer to:
Historical places
* Batavia (region), a land inhabited by the Batavian people during the Roman Empire, today part of the Netherlands
* Batavia, Dutch East Indies, present-day Jakarta, the former capital of the Dutch East In ...
on 18 February,
Peeler's battalion was combined with the other units aboard ''Orcades'' to form Blackforce. This ad hoc grouping, under the command of fellow Victoria Cross holder Brigadier
Arthur Blackburn
Brigadier Arthur Seaforth Blackburn, (25 November 1892 – 24 November 1960) was an Australian soldier, lawyer, politician, and recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest award for valour in battle that could be awarded to a member o ...
, was tasked with defending a series of airfields and supporting the Dutch.
Blackburn organised his men into a brigade formation, consisting of a headquarters and three infantry battalions—the men of the 2/2nd Pioneers made up the bulk of Blackforce's 2nd Battalion.
On 28 February 1942, elements of the
Imperial Japanese Army
The was the official ground-based armed force of the Empire of Japan from 1868 to 1945. It was controlled by the Imperial Japanese Army General Staff Office and the Ministry of the Army, both of which were nominally subordinate to the Emperor o ...
landed on Java.
Blackforce was stationed at
Buitenzorg
Bogor ( su, , nl, Buitenzorg) is a city in the West Java province, Indonesia. Located around south of the national capital of Jakarta, Bogor is the 6th largest city in the Jakarta metropolitan area and the 14th overall nationwide.[Leuwiliang
Leuwiliang is a town and List of districts of Indonesia, district in the province of West Java on Java in Indonesia. Currently it lies within Bogor Regency, but is within that part of the regency that is being split off to form the new West Bogor R ...]
.
As the situation deteriorated further, Blackburn was forced to withdraw his men east on the night of 4/5 March, and again on 7/8 March. On 8 March, the Dutch surrendered, ordering all men to lay down their arms. With supplies running low and unable to contact the
Australian Government
The Australian Government, also known as the Commonwealth Government, is the national government of Australia, a federal parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Like other Westminster-style systems of government, the Australian Government i ...
, Brigadier Blackburn announced the surrender of Blackforce four days later. Peeler and his fellow soldiers thus became prisoners of war. At the time, he was one of three Australian Victoria Cross recipients of the First World War serving overseas, all of whom were "swept up in the Japanese advance";
Blackburn surrendered with Peeler at Java, while
Walter Brown was caught up in the fall of Singapore, where he is believed to have been killed attempting to evade capture.
Peeler was among a contingent of Australian captives transported to work on the
Burma Railway
The Burma Railway, also known as the Siam–Burma Railway, Thai–Burma Railway and similar names, or as the Death Railway, is a railway between Ban Pong, Thailand and Thanbyuzayat, Burma (now called Myanmar). It was built from 1940 to 1943 ...
.
Despite the "harsh treatment" meted out by the Japanese,
he later played down his ordeal, stating: "I wasn't treated too badly, apart from nearly starving ... But what the Japs did to the others on the railway was pretty horrifying".
After three-and-a-half years incarceration, he was freed following the Japanese capitulation in August 1945 and the subsequent liberation of prisoner-of-war camps in the Pacific.
On 6 October, Peeler embarked for Australia aboard HMS ''Highland Brigade''; he arrived in Melbourne fifteen days later.
Back in Australia, he learned that his son, Donald, by his second marriage, had been killed in action on the island of
Bougainville on 31 December 1944, while serving with the 15th Battalion.
Donald Peeler was
posthumously
Posthumous may refer to:
* Posthumous award - an award, prize or medal granted after the recipient's death
* Posthumous publication – material published after the author's death
* ''Posthumous'' (album), by Warne Marsh, 1987
* ''Posthumous'' (E ...
mentioned in dispatches
To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches, MiD) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face ...
for his "distinguished service in the South-West Pacific Area". Warrant Officer Class II Walter Peeler was discharged from the Second Australian Imperial Force on 12 December 1945.
Later life and legacy
![Walter Peeler VC medals](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3e/Walter_Peeler_VC_medals.JPG)
Peeler resumed his duties as custodian of the Shrine of Remembrance on his discharge, guiding visitors around the memorial.
In the 1961
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Birthday Honours, in some Commonwealth realms, mark the reigning British monarch's official birthday by granting various individuals appointment into national or dynastic orders or the award of decorations and medals. The honours are present ...
, his "long and dedicated service" at the Shrine was recognised with the award of the
British Empire Medal
The British Empire Medal (BEM; formerly British Empire Medal for Meritorious Service) is a British and Commonwealth award for meritorious civil or military service worthy of recognition by the Crown. The current honour was created in 1922 to ...
.
He retired three years later at the age of 76, stating: "It's time I had a rest."
In 1966, Peeler was interviewed for a newspaper article; when queried on his Victoria Cross exploit, he recalled:
Peeler died at his home in
South Caulfield, Victoria, on 23 May 1968. Survived by his second wife, Kathleen, and his four remaining children, he was buried in
Brighton Cemetery
Brighton General Cemetery is located in the Melbourne suburb of Caulfield South, Victoria, but takes its name from Brighton, Victoria.
History
The Cemetery pre-dates the Caulfield Roads Board - the first official recognition of the suburb of Ca ...
. Kathleen died the following year.
Peeler is commemorated in the Victorian Garden of Remembrance, and a soldiers' club in
Casula, New South Wales
Casula is a suburb of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is 34 kilometres south-west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of the City of Liverpool.
Casula is the first suburb immediately sou ...
, bears his name.
His Victoria Cross and other medals are on display in the Hall of Valour at the
Australian War Memorial
The Australian War Memorial is Australia's national memorial to the members of its armed forces and supporting organisations who have died or participated in wars involving the Commonwealth of Australia and some conflicts involving pe ...
in
Canberra
Canberra ( )
is the capital city of Australia. Founded following the federation of the colonies of Australia as the seat of government for the new nation, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The ci ...
.
Notes
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Peeler, Walter
1887 births
1968 deaths
Australian Army soldiers
Australian Army personnel of World War II
Australian prisoners of war
Australian World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross
Australian recipients of the British Empire Medal
World War II prisoners of war held by Japan
Burma Railway prisoners
Australian shooting survivors
Military personnel from Victoria (state)
People from Castlemaine, Victoria
Burials at Brighton General Cemetery