Defence Medal : Corporal E A Redgrave, 2/31 Battalion

Defence Medal. Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

Defence Medal issued 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 the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his indifference to his personal safety, initiative, quick grasp of the situation and inspiring leadership.

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.