Victoria Cross : Private John Carroll, 33 Battalion, AIF

Victoria Cross. Engraved reverse suspender with recipient's details and reverse cross with date of action.

John ‘Jack’ Carroll was born in Brisbane on 16 August 1891 to John and Catherine (nee Wallace) Carroll. The family moved to Western Australia when he was still an infant. Carroll was working as a railway guard at Kurrawang near Kalgoorlie when he enlisted in the AIF on 27 April 1916. He was allotted to the 2nd reinforcements of 44 Battalion on 1 July as a private (service number 1804). On 9 August Carroll embarked at Fremantle on HMAT A28 Miltiades, arriving at Plymouth, England on 25 September.

In late November, he was transferred to 33 Battalion (33Bn) under Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Morshead, and proceeded with the battalion to France. Originally billeted in the ‘quiet’ Armentieres sector, the battalion was moved across the border into Belgium in May 1917. In June, the 3rd Australian Division under Major General John Monash, including 33Bn, took part in the Battle of Messines Ridge, a strategic and well fortified position which had been held by the Germans since 1914.

Preparations for the Messines offensive had begun over a year earlier with the development of deep tunnels under the German lines which, by the time of the attack, housed over 930,000 pounds of high explosive in over 20 enormous mines. The Australian division was charged with the capture of the southern shoulder of Messines Ridge, the far right of the Allied push.

At 03.10 am on the morning of 7 June, nineteen of the mines were detonated, virtually destroying the ridge and much of the German front line. This was accompanied by a creeping barrage of heavy artillery followed closely by the Australian infantry troops. Historian Charles Bean wrote that following the detonation of the mines ‘...the only point at which resistance worthy of the name had been felt was...on the extreme right.’

Unlike other units in the Allied offensive pushing through an initially shocked and demoralised German front line, sections of 33Bn met spirited resistance as it moved forward on the extreme right flank. Carroll immediately rushed the enemy trenches and bayoneted four Germans before killing another that was threatening a comrade. Moving forward he then rushed an enemy machine gun post, killing the three Germans manning the post and capturing the gun. The battalion was on the line continuously for four days and Carroll’s determination was evident throughout. By the time the battalion was relieved on 11 June it had suffered almost 370 casualties. For his actions during the Battle of Messines Ridge, Carroll was awarded the Victoria Cross (VC). The recommendation for the award reads:

For most conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. In the Battle of Messines Ridge on June 7th Private John CARROLL acted as a mopper-up. Immediately the barrage lifted he rushed the enemy's trench and bayoneted four Germans. He then noticed a comrade in difficulties with one of the enemy and he at once proceeded to his comrade's assistance and killed the German. He continued working ahead with grim determination and wonderful fearlessness, and came across a machine gun and team of four men in a shell hole; they offered resistance but single-handed he attacked the entire team, killed them all and captured the gun. Later two of his comrades were buried by a shell, and in spite of very heavy shelling and machine gun fire he extricated them. During the 96 hours the Battalion was in the line Pte Carroll displayed most wonderful courage and fearlessness. Each night he went out wiring in front of the new line and did excellent work. On two occasions he brought wounded men back to our line. His magnificent example inspired the whole battalion.'

Carroll was wounded in the chest on 9 July while part of a working party in the forward areas after 33Bn had relieved 35Bn on Messines Ridge. He was evacuated to Boulogne and, following hospitalisation, rejoined his unit on 19 August. A month later he was promoted to lance corporal. Carroll was again wounded in action during the disastrous First Battle of Passchendaele on 12 October. This wound effectively spelt the end of his active service, though he rejoined his unit in France briefly in June 1918.

He was invested with his VC at Buckingham Palace by King George V on 23 March 1918. In August, Carroll was one of ten VC recipients who returned to Australia on HMAT D21 Medic to assist with recruitment following the failure of the conscription referenda. In early November, Carroll, with fellow VC winner Lieutenant Clifford William King Sadlier, arrived in Perth to a rousing reception. His enlistment in the AIF was terminated on 1 January 1919. Following the war he returned to his occupation at Kurrawang and on 23 April 1923 married Mary Brown in Perth. They had no children.

On Anzac Day 1927, Carroll was one of twenty three VC recipients at the Anzac Commemoration Service in Melbourne which was attended by HRH Duke of York (later George VI). Later that year, following a rail accident at a timber mill at Yarloop, south of Perth, his right foot was amputated. In 1956, he was a member of the Australian contingent for the VC Centenary celebrations in London. John Carroll died on 4 October 1971 and was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth with full military honours. His VC and medals came into the Memorial’s collection in 1989. His brother, Martin, also served in the AIF, as a sapper with 3 Light Railway Company.