VC recipient poised to throw a grenade
Faithe JonesA life-size bronze statue commemorates Sergeant Reginald Rattey who was awarded the Victoria Cross during World War Two. The statue depicts Sergeant Rattey in action, with a Bren gun on his hip and poised to throw a grenade. Created by Dubbo artist Brett “Mon” Garling, the statue freezes in time Sergeant Rattey’s heroic attack on Japanese forces in South Bougainville on March 22, 1945. Rattey was a corporal in the 25th Battalion, a Militia unit in the Australian Army during the Second World War when he was awarded the Victoria Cross (V.C.). The battalion was part of Australian II Corps, during the Bougainville campaign. On 22 March 1945, during the Battle of Slater's Knoll, an attack by a company of Australian infantry on a strongly held Japanese position on the main road to Buin was met by extremely heavy fire. Corporal Rattey, realizing that any advance would be halted by this fire and heavy casualties inflicted, dashed forward firing his Bren gun from the hip and completely neutralised the enemy fire from three forward bunkers. Then, having silenced a bunker with one grenade, he fetched two more with which he silenced the other two bunkers. The company was then able to continue its advance. Later Corporal Rattey captured another machine-gun and 2,000 rounds of ammunition. He later achieved the rank of sergeant.
