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Australian Dictionary of Biography - by Joyce Gibberd

Reginald Roy Inwood (1890-1971), soldier and miner, was born on 14 July 1890 in Adelaide, eldest son of Edward Inwood, labourer, and his wife Mary Ann, née Minney. He was educated at North Adelaide Public School and Broken Hill Model School. Inwood worked as a miner at Broken Hill.

In August 1914 he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force and was allotted to the 10th Battalion. Embarking in October, he served at Gallipoli until November 1915. He was promoted lance corporal in August. By April 1916 the battalion was in France. Inwood, who had been promoted temporary corporal in August was in October reduced to private, owing to absence without leave.

In the battle of Menin Road in September 1917 the 10th Battalion attacked at Polygon Wood. 'During the advance to the second objective, [Inwood] passed through our barrage, and alone captured a strong post, killing several and capturing nine. He volunteered for a special night-long patrol. He went out 600 yards [549 m] and sent back the most valuable information. 

To read more open link below 

https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/inwood-reginald-roy-6795 (adb.anu.edu.au)

Extract from “The Fighting 10th”, Adelaide, Webb & Son, 1936 by C.B.L. Lock; 

INWOOD, Reginald Roy VC

Born 14 July 1890 at North Adelaide, South Australia. A son of Edward Henry INWOOD and Mother Mary Anna (nee MINNEY).

Brother: 1533 Sergeant Robert Minney Inwood b. 2 April 1896 in Renmark, South Australia (3rd reinforcements), who was distinguished himself in the fighting at Rouge-de-Bout in the Armentieres Sector on 6 June 1916, and later at Pozieres on 24 July 1916 made a reconnaissance with Lieutenant A S Blackburn and was killed in action during the same operation.

He was educated at North Adelaide Public School and the Broken Hill Model School, and at the outbreak of the Great War was employed on the Broken Hill mines. He enlisted in the AIF at Railway Town, Broken Hill on 24 August 1914, and shortly after proceeded to Morphettville Training Camp with the 10th Battalion quota from the city.

His regimental number was “506”, and he was drafted to original H Company. He embarked as a Private with the original 10th Battalion per HMAT A11 Ascanius at Outer Harbour, Port Adelaide, South Australia on 20 October 1914 and proceeded to Egypt. At Mena, Egypt in January 1915 when his company merged with original B Company and became the new C Company, he was transferred to same.

He subsequently re-embarked with the Battalion on the Ionian for the Dardanelles, and landed with his company from the Prince of Wales at the historic landing at Anzac on 25 April 1915 and whilst on the Peninsula was promoted to the rank of Lance-Corporal.

He subsequently served with the Battalion in France, and for his exceptionally gallant and good work in the Polygon Wood operation on 20-21 September 1917 was awarded Victoria Cross (VC), which was promulgated in the London Gazette on 26 November 1917. He was the second member of the Battalion to win this coveted distinction, and after winning his decoration was congratulated by letter from General Sir W R Birdwood. Shortly after the Polygon Wood action he was promoted to the rank of Corporal and subsequently attained the rank of Sergeant.

He remained with the Battalion until 30 May 1918, when in a minor operation carried out in the Merris Sector he finally left the Battalion and subsequently returned to South Australia, being discharged from the AIF on 21 December 1918.

In 1927 he married Evelyn, daughter of John Owens, there being no children from this union. In 1935 he was employed by the Adelaide City Council, and was residing at No.6 Argyle Street, Prospect.

Dr C E W Bean in the “Official History of Australia in the War, 1914-18, Vol IV, AIF in France 1917”, p. 786 and 787, says in reference to him in the Battle of Menin Road: “Patrols went deep into Polygon Wood. Lance-Corporal R R Inwood of the 10th went 600 yards and found that there were Germans in the shelters near the Butte…. During the morning of the 21st some movement 200-300 yards ahead of the line in Polygon Wood suggested that the enemy was trying to establish his front there. In this wood in the morning a German machine gun was detected by Lance-Corporal Inwood and some soldier of the 7th. Creeping behind the gun they bombed it and made a surviving German gunner carry it in to the Australian lines for them. For this and for his scouting operations Inwood received the Victoria Cross.