Albert Chowne

He rushed uphill to silence two concealed enemy machine guns

Albert Chowne was born in Sydney on 19 July 1920. Educated at Chatswood Boys Intermediate High School and Naremburn Junior Technical School, he became a shirt-cutter at David Jones in 1935. After a short period with the 36th Militia Battalion, he enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force on 27 May 1940.

With the 2/13th Battalion, Chowne served at Tobruk and in Syria before being wounded at El Alamein. Back in New Guinea in 1943, he earned the Military Medal for exposing himself close to Japanese positions to direct mortar fire. Commissioned in January 1944, he married Daphne Barton that March and joined the 2/2nd Battalion in October after jungle warfare training at Canungra.

On 25 March 1945, during the Aitape-Wewak campaign, Japanese troops held a narrow ridge near Dagua that threatened the Australian division's flank. Their concealed machine guns stopped the leading platoon of A Company, killing one soldier and wounding nine, including its commander. Chowne, commanding the reserve platoon, rushed forward without waiting for orders. His grenades silenced two machine guns, and he continued uphill firing his submachine gun and calling his men forward. Although twice wounded in the chest, he reached the Japanese foxholes before being killed. His attack enabled the company to take the position and continue the advance towards Wewak.

Chowne received the Victoria Cross posthumously. He was 24 when he died and is buried in Lae War Cemetery, Papua New Guinea. His widow later accepted the award.

Victoria Cross citation

“For most conspicuous bravery, brilliant leadership and devotion to duty during an attack on an enemy position on a narrow ridge near Dagua, New Guinea, on 25th March 1945. After the capture of Dagua, the main enemy force withdrew southwards from the beach to previously prepared positions on the flank of the Division. Further movement towards Wewak was impossible while this threat to the flank existed and the Battalion was ordered to destroy the enemy force.

"A" Company, after making contact with the enemy on a narrow ridge, was ordered to attack the position. The leading Platoon in the attack came under heavy fire from concealed enemy machine-guns sited on a small rise dominating the approach. In the initial approach one member of this platoon was killed and nine wounded, including the Platoon Commander, and the enemy continued to inflict casualties on our troops.

Without awaiting orders, Lieutenant Chowne, whose Platoon was in reserve, instantly appreciated the plight of the leading Platoon and rushed the enemy's position. Running up a steep, narrow track, he hurled grenades which knocked out two enemy Light Machine-Guns. Then, calling on his men to follow him, and firing his sub-machine gun from the hip, he charged the enemy's position.

Although he sustained two serious wounds in the chest, the impetus of his charge carried him 50 yards forward under the most intense machine-gun and rifle fire. Lieutenant Chowne accounted for two more Japanese before he was killed standing over three foxholes occupied by the enemy.

The superb heroism and self-sacrifice of this officer culminating in his death, resulted in the capture of this strongly-held enemy position, ensured the further immediate success of his Company in this area and paved the way directly for the continuance of the Division's advance to Wewak”.