358:, moved forward and assaulted each position in turn, killing five Japanese soldiers and causing the remainder of the machine guns' crews to retreat. Later that day, when the company was again held up by two machine gun positions, Starcevich adopted similar tactics and single-handedly captured both positions, killing seven members of their crews. For his actions, Starcevich was awarded the
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The advance progressed until the section came under fire from two more machine gun posts which halted the section temporarily. Private
Starcevich again advanced fearlessly firing his Bren Gun from the hip and ignoring the hostile fire captured both posts singlehanded, disposing of seven enemy in this
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When the leading section came under fire from two enemy machine gun posts and suffered casualties, Private
Starcevich, who was Bren gunner, moved forward and assaulted each post in turn. He rushed each post, firing his Bren gun from the hip, killed five enemy and put the remaining occupants of the
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throughout his military service and was discharged on 12 February 1946, as part of the prolonged demobilisation process that followed the end of hostilities. He reportedly wanted to re-enlist in the
Australian Army during the
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in 1945 partly because he was hospitalised, after breaking his hip when a tunnel collapsed in a coalmine. A doctor who was also a prisoner of war set
Starcevich's leg without anesthetic or antibiotics, and using the only
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The outstanding gallantry of
Private Starcevich in carrying out these attacks singlehanded with complete disregard of his own personal safety resulted in the decisive success of the action.
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During the approach along a thickly wooded spur, the enemy was encountered at a position where movement off the single track leading into the enemy defences was difficult and hazardous.
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The 9th
Division landed in Brunei Bay on 10 June 1945 with the 2/43rd Battalion landing at Labuan Island. Nine days later the battalion moved to the mainland and, on 28 June, during the
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These daring efforts enabled the
Company to increase the momentum of its attack and so relieve pressure on another Company which was attacking from another direction.
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following the surrender of
Singapore on 15 February 1942. He endured harsh conditions in captivity, including forced labour at Japanese prisoner of war camps at
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WX.11519 Private L. Starcevich was a member of the 2nd /43rd
Australian Infantry Battalion during the capture of Beaufort, North Borneo.
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The track in Borneo on which
Starcevich's celebrated action occurred was later renamed Victoria Cross Road. He is also commemorated by
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of Starcevich's company came under fire from two Japanese machine-gun positions and suffered casualties. Starcevich, a
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For most conspicuous gallantry and extreme devotion to duty at Beaufort, North Borneo, 28th June, 1945.
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461:. In 1981, Tom Starcevich moved back to Grass Patch, where he had bought a small farm. He died at
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Starcevich spent the first four years after the war as a motor vehicle sales representative in
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Parliamentary Library [Commonwealth of Australia], 2012, "Leslie Thomas Starcevich"
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From 1951, Tom and Joe Starcevich obtained and jointly worked a 4,300-acre (1,700 ha)
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Australian War Memorial (n.d.), "People profiles: Private Leslie Thomas Starcevich VC"
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and was wounded in the thigh on 17 July 1942 at Ruin Ridge, Egypt during the
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Starcevich was presented with the ribbon of the Victoria Cross by Brigadier
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on 19 December 1947. The couple had three children but divorced in 1969.
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World War Two Nominal Roll, 2002, "Starcevich, Joseph Frederick"
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Joseph Frederick "Joe" Starcevich (20 August 1915 – 27 May 2007)
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on 12 November 1945. He was presented with the actual medal at
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Leslie Thomas "Tom" Starcevich was born on 5 September 1918 at
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World War Two Nominal Roll, 2002, "Starcevich, Leslie Thomas"
300:: Joe on 23 October 1940, after which he was assigned to the
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Australian World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross
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Tom Starcevich served with the 2/43rd Battalion in the
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armed forces. He received the award as member of the
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200:(5 September 1918 – 17 November 1989) was an
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594:(Supplement). 6 November 1945. p. 5431.
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27:Australian soldier, Victoria Cross recipient
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728:Australian Army personnel of World War II
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268:). The couple were married in 1915 at
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480:Starcevich's VC is on display at the
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559:Australian Dictionary of Biography
440:. He married Kathleen Betty Warr (
284:. Tom and Joe had eight siblings.
48:Leslie Starcevich in November 1945
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648:(Perth), 19 December 1947, pg 1.
604:Caption to AWM photograph 124957
482:Army Museum of Western Australia
465:, on 17 November 1989, aged 71.
298:Second Australian Imperial Force
111:Second Australian Imperial Force
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532:Joe Starcevich avoided the
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664:peoplesvoice.gov.au (2001)
534:atomic bombing of Nagasaki
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152:First Battle of El Alamein
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662:"The Mallee's First VC"
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202:Australian recipient
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636:(24 January 2013).
591:The London Gazette
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86:(1989-11-17)
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688:1989 deaths
683:1918 births
586:"No. 37340"
356:Bren gunner
350:, the lead
280:, north of
278:Grass Patch
258: 1892
247: 1897
677:Categories
543:Peter Foss
496:References
426:Korean War
228:Early life
97:Allegiance
68:1918-09-05
54:Birth name
539:metal pin
486:Fremantle
469:Memorials
386:assault.
282:Esperance
120:1941–1946
100:Australia
617:, 2000,
459:Carnamah
322:Nagasaki
105:Service/
421:private
352:section
220:of the
204:of the
129:Private
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316:, the
182:Awards
107:branch
484:, in
438:Perth
402:Papar
619:ISBN
320:and
125:Rank
81:Died
62:Born
443:née
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577:^
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255:c.
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198:VC
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66:(
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