Distinguished Conduct Medal : Lance Sergeant H Killalea, 1 Australian Corps Signals

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

Henry Killalea was born in Exton, Tasmania, probably in 1896, and was an eighteen year old labourer when he enlisted in the AIF on 12 September 1914. He joined the 3rd Light Horse Regiment (LHR) which was composed of South Australians and Tasmanians. After initial training in Hobart and in Egypt Killalea and 3LHR were deployed to Gallipoli from 12 May 1915.

After four months Killalea succumbed to enteritis and dysentery and had to be evacuated to England to recover. He rejoined his unit in Egypt in late January 1916 and from then until May was deployed to protect the Nile valley from bands of pro-Turkish Senussi Arabs. On 18 May, as part of the 1st Light Horse Brigade, 3 LHR joined the forces defending the Suez Canal.

Killalea became ill with gastroenteritis and pyrexia in mid June. After five days in hospital he had returned to his unit only to be bitten by a dog which resulted in a septic hand. He arrived back to his unit on 3 August, in time to take part in the Battle of Romani the following day in which the Turks were stopped in their advance to the Suez Canal.

From mid June to the end September 1917 Killalea attended Lewis and Hotchkiss machine gun courses in Egypt and both times qualified as a first class gunner. He was also promoted to lance corporal. At the Battle of Beersheba on 31 October 1917 Killalea was awarded the Military Medal. The citation for the award reads: 'For conspicuous personal gallantry and skill in handling his Hotchkiss Gun'. Killalea was wounded in the hand in this action and was invalided back to Australia were he arrived at the end of January 1918. He was discharged medically unfit on 25 May 1918. He lived most of the inter-war period in Victoria. A talented athlete, he competed in several Stawell Gift race meetings.

Killialea was a cable jointer (plumber) when the Second World War broke out and he enlisted for his second war on 5 June 1940, claiming to have been born on 22 July 1900. He was first posted to 7 Divisional Signals then he was transferred to the Australian Corps of Signals on the 12 June. Two weeks later he was promoted to corporal and in early October embarked for Egypt. He was promoted to lance sergeant there on 26 December 1940.

On 18 April 1941 Killalea and his unit joined the Allied forces opposing the invasion of Greece by the German army. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) for his actions two days later at a railway siding near Levadia, Greece. The citation for the award reads: 'At Rail Siding near Levadia, Greece, on 20 Apr 41 three trains loaded with petrol, gun ammunition and anti-tank mines were set alight as the result of heavy bombing and machine-gunning by enemy aircraft. Amn was exploding and it was considered by senior officers present too dangerous to attempt salvage.

L/Sgt Killalea M.M. with Driver McDonald (NZ Divisional Supply Column) on their own initiative managed to drive a locomotive without having any knowledge thereof and as a result saved 28 trucks of petrol and amn by shunting down the line to a safe distance. They then again on their own initiative proceeded to load oil on supply vehicles and salvage 25 pounder amn, A/Tank mines, etc., which were stacked no more than 20 feet from blazing trucks where 25 and 60 pounder shells were exploding at frequent intervals.

But for the courage and initiative of L/Sgt H. Killalea, M.M., and Dvr McDonald considerable valuable supplies of amn and petrol (of which at that time a serious shortage existed) would have been lost.'

Killalea was subsequently safely evacuated from Greece in the face of the German advance and was posted to signals training units in both the Middle East and Australia while being promoted to full sergeant. He was discharged from the army in late 1943.

• Military Medal : Lance Corporal H Killalea, 3 Light Horse Regiment, AIF
• 1914-15 Star : Lance Corporal H Killalea, 3 Light Horse Regiment, AIF
• British War Medal 1914-20 : Lance Corporal H Killalea, 3 Light Horse Regiment, AIF
• Victory Medal : Lance Corporal H Killalea, 3 Light Horse Regiment, AIF
• 1939-45 Star : Sergeant H Killalea, 1 Australian Corps Signals
• Africa Star : Sergeant H Killalea, 1 Australian Corps Signals
• Defence Medal : Sergeant H Killalea, 1 Australian Corps Signals
• British War Medal 1939-45 : Sergeant H Killalea, 1 Australia Corps Signals
• Australia Service Medal : Sergeant H Killalea, 1 Australian Corps Signals