William Joynt

He rallied shaken men and led a bayonet charge into the wood

William Donovan Joynt was born at Elsternwick, Melbourne, on 19 March 1889. His father Edward was an Irish-born commercial traveller and his mother Alice was Victorian-born. After preparatory school and Melbourne Grammar he worked in offices, including an accountancy firm, before travelling through Queensland and taking bush and farming jobs. His pre-war experience extended to wheat growing in the Mallee, Western Australia and agricultural work on Flinders Island.

He had served in the Victorian Rifles militia before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force on 21 May 1915. Commissioned that December, he reached France in May 1916 and joined the 8th Battalion. A shoulder wound during a trench raid at The Bluff sent him to England in September. He returned in January 1917 and subsequently fought at Bullecourt, Menin Road and Broodseinde.

On 23 August 1918 his company commander was killed early in an attack near Herleville Wood. Joynt took command. The leading battalion had suffered severe casualties and its survivors were shaken by machine-gun and artillery fire. He moved forward, collected these men and reorganized them under cover while his own company came up.

After reconnoitring the source of the fire, he led a frontal bayonet attack that broke the immediate resistance. Later, at Plateau Wood, he again led volunteers into close fighting and helped force the defenders to surrender. His official citation describes his leadership across these successive stages and his continued efforts until shellfire wounded him (London Gazette, 27 November 1918; text at https://victoriacross.org.uk/bbjoynt.htm). He was wounded again near Péronne on 26 August and promoted captain in October.

Joynt returned to Melbourne in 1920. A soldier-settlement dairy farm at Berwick proved unsuccessful, but printing became a lasting career. He pioneered colour reproduction, founded publishing businesses and continued in the trade for more than sixty years. He married trained nurse Edith Amy Garrett in 1932; they had no children.

An inaugural member of Melbourne Legacy, he worked for veterans' dependants and supported the Shrine of Remembrance. He also continued militia service. In the Second World War he commanded the 3rd Garrison Battalion, then Puckapunyal camp, and served at Seymour. He retired in October 1944 as an honorary lieutenant-colonel. He later published three autobiographical books. Edith died in 1978; Joynt died at Windsor on 5 May 1986, aged ninety-seven, and received a military funeral and burial at Brighton Cemetery.

Official Victoria Cross citation

For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during the attack on Herleville Wood, near Chuignes, Peronne, on 23rd August, 1918. His company commander having been killed early in the advance, he immediately took charge of the company, which he led with courage and skill. On approaching Herleville Wood the troops of the leading battalion, which his battalion was supporting, suffered very heavy casualties and were much shaken. Lt. Joynt, grasping the situation, rushed forward under very heavy machine-gun and artillery fire, collected and reorganised the remnant of the battalion, and kept them under cover, pending the arrival of his own company. He then made a personal reconnaissance and found that the fire from the wood was checking the whole advance and causing heavy casualties to troops on his flanks. Dashing out in front of his men, he inspired and led a magnificent frontal bayonet attack on the wood. The enemy were staggered by this sudden onslaught, and a very critical situation was saved. Later, at Plateau Wood, this very gallant officer again with a small party of volunteers rendered invaluable service, and after severe hand-to-hand fighting turned a stubborn defence into an abject surrender. His valour and determination was conspicuous throughout, and he continued to do magnificent work until badly wounded by a shell.

Second Supplement to The London Gazette of 26 November 1918. 27 November 1918, Numb. 31034, p. 14040