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| PERSONALIA |
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| Name: |
Kelliher, Richard |
| Date of birth: | September 1st, 1910 (Ballybeggan, Tralee, Ireland)
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| Date of death: |
January 28th, 1963 (Melbourne, Australia)
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| Nationality: |
Australian |
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VICTORIA CROSS (VC)
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Rank:
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Private
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Unit:
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2/25 th. Battalion, Australian Army Forces
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Awarded on:
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July 9th, 1946
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Action:
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During an action on 13 September 1943 in New Guinea Private Kelliher’s platoon came under heavy enemy machine-gun fire, killing many allied soldiers and stopping their advance. On his own initiative Private Kelliher suddenly stormed forwards in the direction of the enemy position and managed to put it out of action with the use of two fragmentation grenades. During this action some occupants of the enemy position were killed. Private Kelliher returned to his own lines, picked up a Bren gun and managed to put the surviving enemy occupants of the position out of action. Finally he managed to evacuate a wounded officer from the battlefield and brought him back to their own lines.
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Details:
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Private Kelliher’s Victoria Cross is publicly displayed at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australia.
Richard Kelliher is buried at the Springvale Cemetery, Melbourne, Australia.
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