Clifford Sadlier Clifford William King Sadlier VC ( 1892 – 28 April 1964 ) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross , the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces . Early life and war service . Born in the Melbourne suburb of Camberwell Sadlier attended University High School before his family moved to Western Australia while he was still a youth . They settled at Subiaco , Western Australia from where Sadlier , then employed as a commercial traveller , enlisted on 26 May 1915 . Sadlier first embarked on board " HT Nestor " , posted to the Australian Army Medical Corps and allotted as a reinforcement to 1st Australian General Hospital , with which he served at Heliopolis . In February 1916 he returned to Australia on nursing duty , and on 9 November he re - embarked , on board " HMAT AT Argyllshire " then as a reinforcement to 51st Battalion . The 51st Battalion , Australian Imperial Force was raised at Tel - el - Kabir , Egypt , on 1 March 1916 from half of the 11th Battalion ( veterans of the Gallipoli landings ) and reinforcements of the 11th and 28th Battalions , all personnel being Western Australian volunteers . Sadlier joined the unit in France on 13 May 1917 , was promoted to corporal a few days later and on 14 July 1917 was gazetted to a first appointment as a 2nd - lieutenant . Promotion to lieutenant came on 1 April 1918 . Victoria Cross citation . He was 26 years old , and a Lieutenant in the 51st Battalion , Australian Imperial Force during the First World War when the following deed took place during the Second Battle of Villers - Bretonneux for which he was awarded the VC . " War Office , 11th July , 1918 . " " His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned Officers and Non - Commissioned Officer : — On 24 / 25 April 1918 at Villers - Bretonneux , France , Lieutenant Sadlier ' s platoon had to advance through a wood where a strong enemy machine - gun post was causing casualties and preventing the advance . Although he was himself wounded , Lieutenant Sadlier at once collected his bombing section and led them against the machine - guns , killing the crews and capturing two of the guns . By this time his party were all casualties and alone he attacked a third enemy machine - gun with his revolver , killing the crew and taking the gun . In doing so , he was again wounded . The very gallant conduct of this officer was the means of clearing the flank , and allowing the battalion to move forward , thereby saving a most critical situation . His coolness and utter disregard of danger inspired all . " Later life . Sadlier was invalided to Australia on 24 August 1918 and was discharged on 4 March 1919 . He returned to Western Australia living at Busselton and for some years was State Secretary of the Returned and Services League of Australia . He married Alice Edith Smart on 17 July 1936 . From then until 1949 he was a clerk in the Repatriation Department in Perth . He went to London in 1956 for the Victoria Cross Centenary celebrations . He died in Busselton on 28 April 1964 and his ashes were interred at Karrakatta Cemetery Perth . In 1980 , his widow donated his medals to St . George ' s Cathederal , and they are on display in the Soldiers ' Chapel . The Clifford Sadlier Ward at the former Repatriation General Hospital , Hollywood is named in his honour .