William John Symons, VC (10 July 1889 – 24 June 1948) 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 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 ...

forces. He was 26 years old, and a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in the 7th Battalion, (Victoria), Australian Imperial Force during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 8–9 August 1915, at Lone Pine,

Gallipoli The Gallipoli peninsula (; tr, Gelibolu Yarımadası; grc, Χερσόνησος της Καλλίπολης, ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles ...

, Turkey, Symons was in command of a section of newly captured trenches and repelled several counter-attacks with great coolness. An enemy attack on an isolated sap early in the morning resulted in six officers becoming casualties and part of the sap being lost, but Symons retook it, shooting two Turks. The sap was then attacked from three sides and this officer managed, in the face of heavy fire, to build a barricade. On the enemy setting fire to the head cover, he extinguished it and rebuilt the barricade. His coolness and determination finally compelled the enemy to withdraw. ''(Victoria Cross)'' On 2 February 1916, Lt. Col. (later Major-General) Harold (Pompey) Elliott, commanding the 7th Battalion, wrote to his wife Kate about the action at Lone Pine when the 7th won four Victoria Crosses, including Symons. He describes the infiltration of the Australian trenches by the attacking Turks and the exchange of shots and grenades. Captain Bastin was shot through the arm and stretchered out of the trench but the Turks entered the trench a second time. Elliott writes that when the Australian's waivered he got together a few fresh men and placed Symons in charge with the order to charge the Turks at bayonet point. In a trench described as being full of dead men, blood and brains, Symons succeeded to Elliott's admiration.McMullin, Ross, ''Pompey Elliott at War - In his own word'', Scribe, Brunswick Victoria, 2017, p. 114 Even though Elliot promoted the bravery of his men, he was concerned about being over looked for his promotion and awards. Whilst on English convalescence leave an interested King George V presented Symons with his VC. Symons told the King about the action and the award of four Victoria Crosses. During the conversation he asked why Elliott has never been even mentioned in dispatches after being through the Gallipoli campaign and been wounded. The King’s secretary took Elliot’s name and in his letter to Kate, on 18 February 1916, Elliott announced his promotion to Brigadier-General. Symons later achieved the rank of

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

during 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 ...

. His Victoria Cross is displayed 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 ...

, Canberra, Australia.

References

Monuments to Courage David Charles Harvey (29 July 1946 – 4 March 2004) was a historian and author. He is notable for his seminal work, ''Monuments To Courage'', which documents the graves of almost all recipients of the Victoria Cross, a task that took him over 36 ...

(David Harvey, 1999) *

The Register of the Victoria Cross ''The Register of the Victoria Cross'' is a reference work that provides brief information on every Victoria Cross awarded until the publication date. Each entry provides a summary of the deed, along with a photograph of the recipient and the fol ...

(This England, 1997) *

VCs of the First World War - Gallipoli ''VCs of the First World War'' is a series of books that list the Victoria Cross recipients of the First World War. The series consists of 13 books written by four different authors, first published under the label Sutton Publishing Limited, part ...

(Stephen Snelling, 1995) *Anthony Staunton
''Symons, William John (1889–1948)''

Australian Dictionary of Biography The ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'' (ADB or AuDB) is a national co-operative enterprise founded and maintained by the Australian National University (ANU) to produce authoritative biographical articles on eminent people in Australia's ...

, Volume 12, Melbourne University Press, 1990, pp. 158–59.

External links

Location of grave and VC medal
''(Golders Green)'' {{DEFAULTSORT:Symons, William John 1889 births 1948 deaths Military personnel from Victoria (Australia) People from Bendigo Australian World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross Australian Gallipoli campaign recipients of the Victoria Cross Australian Army officers