Lewis McGee (soldier)

Rushing a pillbox with a revolver, he broke its deadly fire.

Lewis McGee was born in the Verwood area of Tasmania on 13 May 1888, the youngest of eleven children of John Dedman McGee and Mary, née Green. His mother died while he was a child. He became an engine driver with the Tasmanian railways and an accomplished cyclist. In November 1914 he married Eileen Rose Bailey; they had a daughter, Nada.

He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Avoca in March 1916 and joined the 40th Battalion. After training at Claremont and in Britain, he reached France in November. He was promoted to sergeant in January 1917 and fought at Messines that June.

On 4 October 1917, during the attack on Broodseinde Ridge in Belgium, his platoon was pinned down by machine-gun fire from a concrete pillbox. Armed with a revolver, McGee ran across the exposed ground, shot the gunners and captured the remaining defenders. He returned to organise his men and led a bombing party against another machine-gun position. His actions enabled the advance to continue and earned the Victoria Cross.

Eight days later, on 12 October, the battalion attacked again in the waterlogged Passchendaele battlefield. McGee, acting as company sergeant major that morning, was killed during the fighting. He was buried in Tyne Cot Cemetery.

His widow received his posthumous Victoria Cross in Tasmania in 1918. The Tasmanian government purchased the decoration in 1984, and it is displayed by the Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery at Launceston. His British War and Victory medals commemorate his overseas service.

Official Victoria Cross citation

For most conspicuous bravery when in the advance to the final objective, Sjt. McGee led his platoon with great dash and bravery, though strongly opposed, and under heavy shell fire. His platoon was suffering severely and the advance of the Company was stopped by machine gun fire from a “Pill-box” post. Single-handed Sjt. McGee rushed the post armed only with a revolver. He shot some of the crew and captured the rest, and thus enabled the advance to proceed. He reorganised the remnants of his platoon and was foremost in the remainder of the advance, and during consolidation of the position he did splendid work. This Non-commissioned Officer’s coolness and bravery were conspicuous and contributed largely to the success of the Company’s operations. Sjt. McGee was subsequently killed in action.

Fourth Supplement to The London Gazette of 23 November 1917. 26 November 1917, Numb. 30400, p. 12328