Caleb Shang Caleb James Shang , DCM and Bar , MM ( 4 August 1884 – 6 April 1953 ; born Duckbour Caleb James Shang ) was the most highly decorated Chinese Australian soldier who served in World War I , receiving the Distinguished Conduct Medal twice and the Military Medal . He served with distinction on the Western Front , primarily as a scout and sniper , until his wounds rendered him unfit for further duties . After returning to Australia , Shang married in Victoria and moved to Queensland , where he and his wife raised their three children . During World War II , he served on home defence duties in northern Queensland . Early life . Shang was born on 4 August 1884 in Fortitude Valley , a suburb of Brisbane , Queensland . His father was Lee Wah Shang from Guangdong , China . His mother was Jane Shang ( née Noon ) from Gayndah . He was the eldest of 13 children born into the family . The family moved to Cairns , and he left school at the age of 12 . Before World War I began , Shang was working as a clerk . He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force ( AIF ) on 5 June 1916 , aged 31 . His brother Sidney Waugh Shang had enlisted in January 1916 , and was in the 12th Battalion . It was unusual for men of Asian ancestry to join Australia ' s armed forces at this time in history , since only those of European ancestry were considered eligible for such service . World War I . Distinguished Conduct Medal . Shang joined the 47th Battalion on 7 March 1917 , in time for the battalion ' s action at Bullecourt , in Flanders , Belgium , in April 1917 . Shang served in the 47th Battalion throughout the heavy fighting around Passchendaele in July – November 1917 , including Menin Road , Polygon Wood , and Passchendaele Ridge . On 7 June 1917 , Shang served with distinction at Messines Ridge . Shang observed the German preparations for a counter attack on the 47th Battalion ' s newly won positions , and managed to signal to the rear for artillery support to catch the Germans advancing in the open , all the while exposed to the enemy . The Australian Official Historian , Charles Bean recorded Shang ' s conduct in his notebook , writing : ( He ) acted as a runner , signaller , scout , L [ ewis ] Gunner ( after 10 weeks of self tuition in signalling ) . He found a signal lamp in the cement cottage at Hun ' s Walk , set up the lamp on top of it , exposed to everything , worked it there by daylight and dark ( by daylight running messages ) . He went out on patrol after snipers & got through without a scratch . Every time he came to Bn HQ he carried some information , disc or paybook . Every time he went out he carried water , ammunition and sniped in the intervals . The CO roused on him with tongue in cheek , ' You don ' t appear to be doing much ' he said . ' Oh well I ' m a bit new to this ' he said , ' it ' s only my second stunt ' . For his actions , Shang was subsequently recommended for the Distinguished Conduct Medal on 18 June 1917 . < ref name = " AWM28 / 1 / 204P1 / 0094 " > Australian War Memorial : Army Form W . 3121 , 12th Australian Infantry Brigade , 4th Australian Division , 2nd ANZAC Corps , 18 June 1917 Retrieved on 22 April 2011 . < / ref > < ref name = " AWM28 / 1 / 204P1 / 0094 Note " > Australian War Memorial : Note on Army Form W . 3121 , 12th Australian Infantry Brigade , 4th Australian Division , 2nd ANZAC Corps , 18 June 1917 Retrieved on 22 April 2011 . < / ref > In his recommendation , the commanding officer of the 47th Battalion , Lieutenant Colonel A . P . Imlay , wrote : This soldier displayed a contempt for danger and exhibited wonderful endurance and coolness resource and initiative and his conduct certainly inspired everybody he came in contact with . . . His conduct throughout excited the admiration of officers and men . Shang received the DCM on 6 July 1917 , with the citation reading : For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty on numerous occasions . He acted as runner continuously for four days through barrages and fire swept areas , carrying water , food and ammunition to the front line . He attacked enemy snipers in broad daylight and accounted for them . In addition to this , he constantly volunteered for dangerous patrols into enemy country , where he gained valuable information as a scout , and also showed remarkable skill in improvising lamp signals in a very dangerous position whence he could send information to Battalion Headquarters . His conduct showed a never - failing example of fearlessness , resource and initiative . Bar to the Distinguished Conduct Medal . In March – April 1918 , Shang fought around Dernancourt on the Somme , France , where the 47th Battalion was engaged in the defence of Amiens . In the path of the " heaviest attack ever faced by Australians in this or any war , " the 12th Australian Brigade and 13th Australian Brigade faced two and a half divisions of German troops and suffered 1 , 230 casualties . Despite these losses , the fierce resistance of the 4th Australian Division at Dernancourt and the 3rd Australian Division at Villers - Bretonneux effectively halted the German Spring Offensive . For his actions around Dernancourt , Shang was recommended for a Bar to his DCM on 8 April 1918 . In his recommendation , the commander of the 12th Australian Brigade , Brigadier John Gellibrand , wrote : For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at DERNAECOURT on April 5th 1918 and previous occasions . This soldier ' s example has always been a source of pride in this Battalion , but on this occasion , he excelled himself by his wonderful powers of endurance , intrepidity and utter contempt for danger . He volunteered for an O . P . in an advanced position at the start of operations and maintained it throughout until attack started when he reaped a harvest with his rifles until his post was blown right out . He came back through enemy fire to get more rifles but was employed as runner and made several trips through enemy barrage which was intense . He continued carrying ammunition and running until company moved out when he volunteered to remain behind and cover retirement with a Lewis Gun which he did successfully . He showed an utter disregard for danger and is a gallant soldier . < ref name = " AWM28 / 1 / 224 / 0113 " > Australian War Memorial : Army Form W . 3121 , 12th Australian Infantry Brigade , 4th Australian Division , Australian Corps , 8 April 1918 Retrieved on 22 April 2011 . < / ref > < ref name = " AWM28 / 1 / 224 / 0113 Note " > Australian War Memorial : Note on Army Form W . 3121 , 12th Australian Infantry Brigade , 4th Australian Division , Australian Corps , 8 April 1918 Retrieved on 22 April 2011 . < / ref > Shang was awarded a Bar to the DCM on 25 August 1918 , with the citation reading : For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty . He volunteered for an O . P . at start of operations , and reaped a harvest with his rifle till his post was blown up . He then made several trips as runner through the enemy ' s barrage , and continued to carry ammunition until the withdrawal , which he covered with a Lewis gun . Military Medal . In further fighting around Amiens at Villers - Bretonneux on 1 May 1918 , Shang was recommended for the Military Medal , which was awarded on 13 September 1918 . In his recommendation , the commander of the 12th Australian Brigade , Colonel Raymond Leane , wrote : At VILLERS BRETONNEUX on 1st May , 1918 , he displayed remarkable bravery and initiative in making a daylight reconnaissance of the Sector under heavy Machine Gun fire and snipers ' activities and which proved of considerable value to us . He established an O . P . at which he was continually sniped at and succeeded in conveying back valuable information of enemy movement and directed our artillery fire on to the enemy formations causing them many casualties . He maintained this Post during tour in line without relief . < ref name = " AWM28 / 1 / 230 / 0020 " > Australian War Memorial : Army Form W . 3121 , 12th Australian Infantry Brigade , 4th Australian Division , Australian Corps , 6 May 1918 Retrieved on 22 April 2011 . < / ref > < ref name = " AWM28 / 1 / 230 / 0020 Note " > Australian War Memorial : Note on Army Form W . 3121 , 12th Australian Infantry Brigade , 4th Australian Division , Australian Corps , 6 May 1918 Retrieved on 22 April 2011 . < / ref > The 47th Battalion was disbanded on 31 May 1918 due to severe casualties , a lack of reinforcements from Australia , and command and disciplinary problems . The survivors of the battalion were transferred to other units , and Shang was posted to the 45th Battalion . He also served for a fortnight with the 48th Battalion in June 1918 . Shang served in the 45th Battalion at the Battle of Amiens during the Hundred Days Offensive which began on 8 August 1918 . He was wounded in action on 16 August 1918 and evacuated to the United Kingdom . The war ended while Shang was convalescing in the UK , and he was returned to Australia on 10 December 1918 . He was discharged from the AIF on 9 April 1919 , and returned home as one of the most decorated Australian soldiers of the war . Described as ' the greatest of Cairns soldiers ' , he received a hero ' s welcome upon his arrival at Cairns , and was greeted by the Mayor of Cairns , the ' Returned Soldier ' s League ' and an estimated three thousand people at the wharf . In March 1919 , the " Cairns Post " newspaper raised a public subscription fund in order to provide Shang with a start in civilian life . Over £45 was collected over a period of one week from both the European and Chinese communities of Cairns . Interwar period . Shang resumed civilian life working as a herbalist in Victoria during the interwar years . He married Anna Louise Kassene on 28 April 1923 in Hamilton , Victoria . The couple then moved to Queensland , where Shang worked as a clerk , taxi driver , and bookmaker , mostly in the Cairns area . He and his wife had a son and two daughters . According to Shang ' s sister , Alma Fang Yuen , he never talked about the war . Through the early 1930s , Shang was frequently in hospital . From the mid - 1930s , he continued to suffer from poor health . In 1934 , he was granted a 100 % war service pension . Shang was an active member of the Cairns sub - branch of the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League of Australia . World War II . During World War II , Shang enlisted in the 17th Battalion Volunteer Defence Corps ( VDC ) in Cairns on 21 April 1942 , aged 57 . The VDC was a part time volunteer force modelled on the British Home Guard , consisting of World War I veterans , men in reserved occupation s and men aged 16 – 18 , too young to enlist in the armed forces . The role of the VDC was to conduct guerilla warfare , collect intelligence and provide static defence in the event of a Japanese invasion . As the threat of an invasion of Australia diminished , Shang was placed on reserve on 18 December 1944 . He was discharged on 21 October 1945 , following the disbandment of the Corps . In the 1940s , few were aware of Shang ' s distinguished AIF war record and continuing VDC service . Consequently , he suffered the occasional racial slur as a result of the heightened anti - Asian sentiment during the war . Shang marched in the ANZAC Day parade , complete with decorations , in April 1943 . Despite many years of active membership with the Returned Sailors and Soldiers Imperial League , this was the only ANZAC Day parade that he ever marched in . Shang ' s daughter , Delta Shang , stated that her normally modest father participated in the march largely as a response to the racism felt during World War II . Death and legacy . Due to a chronic chest complaint , Shang died on 6 April 1953 in Cairns , and was buried in the Methodist section of the town cemetery . He was survived by his wife and children . His photograph and medals hang on display in the Cairns Regional Gallery . Shang Street in Mooroobool , a suburb of Cairns , is named after him .