Distinguished Conduct Medal : Private E A Redgrave, 2/31 Battalion

Distinguished Conduct Medal. (Geo VI). Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) awarded to QX12408 Private Ernest Albert Redgrave, 2/31 Battalion, 25th Brigade, born 26 September 1918 at Balmain, NSW. Redgrave enlisted at Rockhampton, Queensland on 21 July 1940. He was assigned to 2/31 Battalion and after training, joined his battalion in England, where it had recently been formed. They disembarked in Egypt on 9 March 1941, and after further training moved to participate in the invasion of Syria and Lebanon which saw vicious fighting against the Vichy French. The 2/31st remained in Lebanon as part of the Allied garrison until 13 January 1942 when they were returned to Australia, disembarking at Adelaide on 10 March 1942.

Training for jungle warfare ensued until they moved in August to the Kokoda Track in New Guinea. The battalion arrived at Ioribaiwa on 15 September at a point when the Japanese offensive along the track was faltering and a retreat was organised.

On 1 November the battalion was the first to re-enter Kokoda, and played a key role in smashing the last Japanese defensive position on the trail at Vardu and Gorari between 7 and 11 November. Here, Private Redgrave was prominent in the breaking of Japanese defences, and was awarded a DCM for his efforts.

The citation for his DCM reads: 'Private Redgrave is a member of B Coy and during the Battalion's attack on VARDU on 10 November 1942 his platoon encountered heavy fire from two Machine Gun posts - as a result of which three of his section became casualties. Pte Redgrave ran forward over open ground and silenced each enemy post with his Thomson Sub Machine Gun, thus allowing his platoon to go forward. In a further attack in morning of 11 November 1942 his section leader became a casualty, and he took over control of the section.

'Shortly afterwards the Bren gunner was killed and Pte Redgrave ran over and operated the Light Machine Gun directing his fire on an area strongly held by the enemy, thus interfering with their fire and enabling his platoon to move forward. Later that afternoon the Battalion attacked enemy positions at GORARI with support of two Companies of 2/1 Battalion. The latter and also HQ Coy of this Battalion were pinned down by very heavy enemy fire from many enemy positions on the right flank. Pte Redgrave charged on these positions with his TSMG, killed four enemy, wounded others, disorganised the defence and enabled the attack to proceed to a successful conclusion. By his complete indifference to his own personal safety, his initiative, and quick grasp of the situation, he has been a source of inspiring leadership to his fellow men.'

The battle of Gorari was the last major engagement on the Kokoda Trail. Redgrave's battalion was then briefly involved in the operations at Gona between 23 November and 4 December, before returning to Port Moresby by air on 15 December and eventually sailing back to Australia in early January 1943. Redgrave was promoted to Corporal soon after this action.

The battalion's next operation was the advance on the Japanese base at Lae, in New Guinea. The 2/31st flew into Nadzab on 12 September 1943 and, after a hurried advance, joined the fighting east of Lae, which fell on 16 September. On 29 September the battalion was flown from Nadzab to Kaipit and spent the rest of the year principally engaged in patrol actions in the Ramu Valley. It returned to Australia on 16 February 1944. Corporal Redgrave was discharged from service on 28 August 1944, thus missing the battalion's costly operations at Balikpapan in Borneo in July 1945.