[Editor: This announcement, regarding the awarding of a Victoria Cross to Tom Derrick (1914-1945), was published in The London Gazette (London, UK), 23 March 1944.]
23rd March 1944.
Australian Military Forces.
The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the VICTORIA CROSS to:—
Sergeant Thomas Currie Derrick, D.C.M., Australian Military Forces.
For most conspicuous courage, outstanding leadership and devotion to duty during the final assault on Satelberg in November, 1943.
On 24th November, 1943, a company of an Australian Infantry Battalion was ordered to outflank a strong enemy position sited on a precipitous cliff-face and then to attack a feature 150 yards from the township of Sattelberg. Sergeant Derrick was in command of his platoon of the company. Due to the nature of the country, the only possible approach to the town lay through an open kunai patch situated directly beneath the top of the cliffs. Over a period of two hours many attempts were made by our troops to clamber up the slopes to their objective, but on each occasion the enemy prevented success with intense machine-gun fire and grenades.
Shortly before last light it appeared that it would be impossible to reach the objective or even to hold the ground already occupied and the company was ordered to retire. On receipt of this order, Sergeant Derrick, displaying dogged tenacity, requested one last attempt to reach the objective. His request was granted.
Moving ahead of his forward section he personally destroyed, with grenades, an enemy post which had been holding up this section. He then ordered his second section around on the right flank. This section came under heavy fire from light machine-guns and grenades from six enemy posts. Without regard for personal safety he clambered forward well ahead of the leading men of the section and hurled grenade after grenade, so completely demoralising the enemy that they fled leaving weapons and grenades.
By this action alone the company was able to gain its first foothold on the precipitous ground.
Not content with the work already done, he returned to the first section, and together with the third section of his platoon advanced to deal with the three remaining posts in the area. On four separate occasions he dashed forward and threw grenades at a range of six to eight yards until these positions were finally silenced.
In all, Sergeant Derrick had reduced ten enemy posts. From the vital ground he had captured the remainder of the Battalion moved on to capture Satelberg the following morning.
Undoubtedly Sergeant Derrick’s fine leadership and refusal to admit defeat, in the face of a seemingly impossible situation, resulted in the capture of Satelberg. His outstanding gallantry, thoroughness and devotion to duty were an inspiration not only to his platoon and company but to the whole Battalion.
Source:
The London Gazette (London, UK), 23 March 1944, p. 1361 (Supplement)
Editor’s notes:
D.C.M. = Distinguished Conduct Medal: a medal awarded for “distinguished, gallant and good conduct in the field” (the medal was awarded to soldiers below commissioned rank in the military forces of the British Commonwealth)
See: “Distinguished Conduct Medal”, Wikipedia
kunai = a species of long grass, Imperata cylindrica, native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia, and southern Europe
See: “Imperata cylindrica”, Wikipedia
Satelberg = (also spelt: Sattelberg) [see: Sattelberg]
Sattelberg = a village on the Huon Peninsula (Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea); the area was the site of the Battle of Sattelberg (November 1943) during World War Two (1939-1945)
See: 1) “Sattelberg”, Wikipedia
2) “Battle of Sattelberg”, Wikipedia
section = a small army unit or military unit; an infantry section typically consists of 8-20 soldiers (depending on the type of unit, the country of origin, and the era), commanded by a non-commissioned officer
See: “Section (military unit)”, Wikipedia
Tom Derrick = Thomas Currie Derrick (1914-1945), commonly known as “Tom” or “Diver”, a vineyard worker and soldier; he fought in Egypt and New Guinea during World War Two (1939-1945), was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions at Sattelberg (New Guinea) in 1943, was badly wounded in the fighting around a hill code-named Freda (in 1945) on the island of Tarakan (in the Dutch East Indies, now part of Indonesia), and shortly afterwards died of his wounds; he was born in Medindie (Adelaide, SA) in 1914, and died at Tarakan in 1945
See: 1) Bill Gammage, “Thomas Currie (Tom) Derrick (1914–1945)”, Australian Dictionary of Biography
2) “Tom Derrick”, Wikipedia
3) Dr Peter Stanley, “Borneo 1942-1945”, Anzac Portal, Department of Veterans’ Affairs
4) “File:Tarakan Island map marked with locations relevant to the 1945 Battle of Tarakan.png”, Wikipedia [includes the location of Freda]
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