Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Samuel and Elinor Una McCaughey, of Jerilderie, New South Wales.

HIS DUTY NOBLY DONE

Michael was born in Melbourne on 2 October 1921 to a wealthy family who were amongst the pioneers of irrigation in Australia. His father, Samuel, served as an officer in the First World War before returning to Australia where he purchased the family's pastoral property, Coree, in southern New South Wales.
Michael left the family property to attend Geelong Grammar, and it was intended he would take over ownership of the family pastoral business at Coree Station when he completed his schooling.

However, with the outbreak of the Second World War he enlisted in the Australian Army as an NCO at the age of 19 before being given a commission as a Lieutenant and sent for service in New Guinea in September 1943.

From October 1943 Australian troops were involved in one of the most gruelling battles of the Second World War at a place known as Shaggy Ridge, a razorback ridge in the Finisterre Mountains in north-eastern New Guinea. The Japanese had consolidated their defences on the high ground at the top of the ridge, and Australian troops were involved in fighting on the near vertical cliffs in an attempt to drive back the enemy.

In November 1943, Lieutenant McCaughey led his platoon in an assault on Shaggy Ridge during which all enemy positions were captured except for the highest point of the ridge, a small knoll at the peak.

Lieutenant McCaughey and his men then captured the knoll in some of the most arduous fighting of the New Guinea campaign.
Sadly, on 29 December Lieutenant McCaughey was killed by a sniper on top of the knoll he and his men had spent two months trying to capture. The knoll was subsequently named McCaughey’s Knoll in his honour.