| Service number | VX5172 |
|---|---|
| Ranks Held | Acting Major, Lieutenant Colonel, Temporary Lieutenant Colonel |
| Birth Date | 1914-01-05 |
| Birth Place | Australia: Victoria, Melbourne |
| Final Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Service | Australian Army |
| Units |
|
| Place | Melbourne |
| Conflict/Operation | Second World War, 1939-1945 |
| Gazettes |
Published in London Gazette in 1946-02-14 Published in London Gazette in 1943-10-07 Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1946-02-21 Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1943-09-09 |
Lieutenant Colonel Walter Roadknight Dexter
Rolls
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- 2/6th Australian Infantry Battalion
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
- Rank
- Acting Major
- London Gazette
- 07 October 1943 on page 4437 at position 1
- Commonwealth Gazette
- 09 September 1943 on page 2027 at position 1
-
Honours and Awards:
- Unit
- 61st Australian Infantry Battalion
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
- Rank
- Temporary Lieutenant Colonel
- London Gazette
- 14 February 1946 on page 943 at position 84
- Commonwealth Gazette
- 21 February 1946 on page 409 at position 58
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
-
Honours and Awards (Recommendation):
- Conflict
- Second World War, 1939-1945
Timeline
| Date of birth | 05 January 1914 | |
|---|---|---|
| Date and unit at enlinstment (ORs) | 26 January 1939 | |
| Interwar Service 1 | 26 January 1939 | 23/21st battalion |
| Career summary 1 | 12 November 1939 | 2/6th battalion |
| Career summary 2 | 13 November 1939 | enlisted 2AIF |
| Career summary 3 | 13 November 1939 | temporary sergeant |
| Career summary 4 | 13 November 1939 | lieutenant 22 Jan 40 (bd |
| Date commissioned | 13 November 1939 | |
| Career summary 5 | 18 May 1940 | arrived Middle East |
| Career summary 6 | 22 July 1940 | attached Headquarters 6Division13 |
| Career summary 7 | 25 July 1940 | Platoon command course Middle East Tactical School 22 |
| Career summary 8 | 22 March 1941 | wounded in action 1 Jan 41 (returned to unit |
| Career summary 10 | 1941-05 | arrived Middle East ex Greece |
| Career summary 11 | 1941-06-06 - 1941-07-04 | seconded 17 Australian infantry training battalion as adj |
| Career summary 12 | 16 March 1942 | captain |
| Career summary 13 | 24 March 1942 | arrived Ceylon |
| Career summary 14 | 04 August 1942 | Returned to Australia (Melbourne) |
| Career summary 15 | 11 August 1942 | Married |
| Career summary 16 | 20 October 1942 | arrived New Guinea |
| Career summary 17 | 15 May 1943 | temporary major |
| Citations 2 | 22 June 1943 | For inspiring leadership and gallanrty in action on LABABIA RIDGE in the MUBO area during 20 to |
| Career summary 18 | 29 July 1943 | Returned to Australia (Townsville ) |
| Career summary 20 | 1943-11-16 - 1943-12-12 | Malaria benign tertian (a type of malaria) hosp |
| Career summary 21 | 01 April 1944 | temporary lieutenant colonel, commanding officer 61st battalion |
| Career summary 26 | 01 April 1944 | lieutenant colonel 19 Jul 45 (bd |
| Appointment | 1944-04-01 - 1945-05-13 | Battalion: 61st; Rank on appointment: major, temporary lieutenant colonel ; Appointed from: 2iC 2/6th battalion ; Reason for end of appointment: deemed medically unfit for duty: neuritis |
| Career summary 22 | 24 July 1944 | arrived Madang |
| Career summary 23 | 13 November 1944 | arrived Bougainville |
| Career summary 24 | 08 May 1945 | Neuritis-neck hosp 8 Apr 45 (requires Returned to Australia cervical neuritis ancylostomiasis (on |
| Career summary 25 | 13 May 1945 | relinquished command 61st battalion |
| Career summary 27 | 27 July 1945 | Reserve of Officers |
| Career summary 28 | 21 February 1946 | Mention in Despatches |
| Career summary 9 | c 1941-04-01 | arrived Greece |
| Career summary 19 | Land Headquarters Tactical School (senior Offr) 16 Aug-26 Sep 43 (hung around at Tactical School for a while admitted to hospital with malria from there in Nov, was on leave b'n 28 Sep and 24 Oct) | |
| Citations 3 | On taking over command of the Coy defensive area on the LABABIA RIDGE, he completely redesigned and reconstructed the defences. On 20 Jun 43 his position was heavily attacked but the enemy was driven off with heavy casualties. | |
| Citations 4 | On 21 Jun the enemy made three determined attacks in force and again on the 22nd a further large scale attack was made against Major DEXTER's Company by an enemy infantry battalion supported by artillery. By skilful manoeuvring of his small reserve, complete disregard of personal danger and his continual close contact with all threatened points, all attacks were repulsed with heavy loss to the enemy who were finally driven back to their original positions. | |
| Citations 5 | Throughout these five attacks Major DEXTER's personal courage and leadership were at all time an inspiration to his command and carried them through a most vital and dangerous period. the loss of our positions on the LABABIA RIDGE would most seriously have prejudiced the success of the operations for clearing the enemy from the MUBO area. | |
| WW2 Service 1 | Bougainville | |
| WW2 Service 2 | Bardia-Benghazi | |
| WW2 Service 5 | New Guinea |