Leonard Keysor Leonard Maurice Keysor VC ( also known as " Keyzor " or " Kyezor " ) ( 3 November 1885 – 12 October 1951 ) was a British - born Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross , the highest award for gallantry " in the face of the enemy " that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces . Born in England , Keysor emigrated to Australia shortly before the outbreak of the First World War . He enlisted in the First Australian Imperial Force in August 1914 and served in Egypt before landing at Gallipoli , Turkey at the beginning of the campaign . On 7 August 1915 at Lone Pine , while serving as an acting lance - corporal , 29 year - old Keysor performed an act of bravery for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross . Later in the war he took part in the fighting in France , serving in the trenches along the Western Front . He would later achieve the rank of lieutenant before being discharged from the army on medical grounds at the end of the war . Keysor remained in Australia in 1920 , working as a clerk in Sydney , New South Wales before returning to England where he began a career in business . On the outbreak of the Second World War he attempted to rejoin the military but was deemed medically unfit and was rejected . He died in 1951 suffering from cancer . Early life . Leonard Maurice Keysor was born on 3 November 1885 in at Maida Vale , London . The son of Benjamin Keysor , a clock importer of Jewish descent , Keysor was educated at Tonnleigh Castle in Ramsgate . After completing his studies , Keysor travelled to Canada in 1904 where he remained for a period of ten years before emigrating to Australia in 1914 where he undertook clerical work in Sydney , New South Wales . He was the uncle of British actress and comedienne , Rita Webb . Military career . Keysor had only been in Australia for about three months when the First World War broke out . He enlisted in the First Australian Imperial Force on 18 August 1914 as a private and was assigned to the 1st Battalion , which was forming at Randwick . On 18 October 1914 he embarked for overseas service among the first contingent . Initially he served in Egypt where the Australians were involved in the defence of the Suez Canal against the Turks , but on 25 April 1915 , he landed at Gallipoli where he took part in the subsequent fighting on the peninsula . On 20 June 1915 he was promoted to lance corporal , before taking part in the Battle of Lone Pine in August . It was during the course of this battle that Keysor performed the actions that led to him receiving the Victoria Cross . Early in the morning on 6 August 1915 the 1st Battalion carried out a diversionary attack at Lone Pine and after heavy fighting that lasted almost the entire day they managed to capture the Turkish trenches . After this more fighting would continue around the position for the next three days as the Turks attempted to regain the position . The fighting was carried out at close range , using bayonets and improvised grenades and bombs . Over the course of about 50 hours on 7 – 8 August , Keysor continually risked his life to pick up the Turkish grenades as they were thrown into the trenches and throw them back . Later , despite being wounded and ordered to seek medical attention , Keysor continued to remain in the line , volunteering to throw bombs for another company . After the battle was over Keysor was evacuated from Gallipoli suffering enteric fever . He eventually rejoined the 1st Battalion after they had been transferred to France in early 1916 . In March 1916 Keysor took part in the Battle of Pozieres . In November 1916 he was transferred to the 42nd Battalion and promoted to the rank of sergeant on 1 December . On 13 January 1917 he was commissioned and promoted to the rank of second lieutenant . Six months later he was promoted to lieutenant . On 28 March 1918 Keysor was wounded and was evacuated from the line before returning to take part in the fighting at Villers - Bretonneux , where he was gassed on 26 May 1918 . In October 1918 when manpower levels in the AIF reached critical level , Keysor returned to Australia to head up a recruiting campaign . He was discharged from the army on medical grounds on 12 December 1918 . Later life . Following the end of the war , Keysor resided in Sydney from 1918 until 1920 , during which time he worked as a clerk when he returned to England . On 8 July 1920 he married Gladys Benjamin . After this he went into the family business importing clocks . In 1927 Keysor re - enacted his exploits at Gallipoli in the film " For Valour " , during which he was injured . He remained on the Australian Military Forces list of inactive reserve officers , however , in 1939 when the Second World War began Keysor attempted to rejoin the military , but was rejected on medical grounds . He died of cancer on 12 October 1951 . He was survived by his wife and their daughter . In 1977 Keysor ' s Victoria Cross was purchased by the Returned Services League . It is now displayed at the Australian War Memorial , Canberra , Australia .