Frank John PARTRIDGE VC

Frank John PARTRIDGE VC Update Details

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PARTRIDGE, Frank John

Service Number:	NX700426
Enlisted:	21 December 1942
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	8 Infantry Battalion AMF
Born:	Grafton, New South Wales, Australia, 29 November 1924
Home Town:	Newee Creek, Nambucca Shire, New South Wales
Schooling:	Tewinga Public School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation:	Farmer
Died:	Car Accident, Near Belligen, New South Wales, Australia, 23 March 1964, aged 39 years
Cemetery:	Macksville General Cemetery, New South Wales Buried with full military honours
Memorials:	Keith Payne VC Memorial Park, Menangle Private Frank Partridge V.C. Memorial Rest Area, North Bondi War Memorial

World War 2 Service

21 Dec 1942:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private
21 Dec 1942:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, NX700426
17 Oct 1946:	Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, NX700426, 8 Infantry Battalion AMF

Help us honour Frank John Partridge's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

Partridge, Frank John (1924–1964)
by Barry O. Jones

Frank John Partridge, soldier, farmer and quiz-champion, was born on 29 November 1924 at Grafton, New South Wales, third of five children of Patrick (Paddy) James Partridge, an Australian-born farmer, and his wife Mary, née Saggs, who came from England. Frank left Tewinga Public School at the age of 13 and worked on the family farm—dairying and growing bananas at Upper Newee Creek, near Macksville. While serving in the Volunteer Defence Corps, he was called up for full-time duty in the Australian Military Forces on 26 March 1943. He was posted to the 8th Battalion, a Militia unit which moved to Lae, New Guinea, in May 1944 and to Emirau Island in September.

From June 1945 the 8th Battalion operated in northern Bougainville, containing Japanese forces on the Bonis Peninsula. On 24 July Partridge was a member of a patrol ordered to destroy an enemy post, known as Base 5, near Ratsua. The Australians came under heavy machine-gun fire. Despite wounds to his arm and thigh, Partridge rushed the nearest bunker, killing its occupants with grenade and knife, then began to attack a second bunker until loss of blood forced him to stop. He was awarded the Victoria Cross. Of the Australians who won the V.C. in World War II, he was the youngest and the last, and the only militiaman. After visiting London in 1946 for the Victory march, he was discharged from the A.M.F. on 17 October in New South Wales; he was again to travel to England in 1953 for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II and in 1956 for the Victoria Cross centenary celebrations.

Read more open link below in New Tab

https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/partridge-frank-john-11346 (adb.anu.edu.au)

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