Brighton General Cemetery

Victoria, Australia

The cemetery has 108 identified burials

The pictures in this section are of the graves of Victoria Cross winners, these men survived the war and were buried within this cemetery. Thanks to Travis Sellers of www.brightoncemetorians.org for his assistance and taking the photographs.

Maurice Buckley, VC, D.C.M

^Picture with permission of Australian War Memorial

He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on 18 September 1918, at
Le Verguier near St. Quentin. His unit was advancing under cover of a
creeping barrage but was held up by German machine gun posts. Buckley
attacked them with his Lewis gun section and captured 30 German prisoners of
war. When the advance was again held up by machine-gun fire, Sergeant
Buckley, supported by another platoon, put the enemy guns out of action.
Later, he again showed conspicuous initiative in capturing hostile posts and
machine-guns. According to the citation, he was "to the fore dealing with
enemy machine-guns, rushing enemy posts, and performing great feats of
bravery and endurance without faltering or for a moment taking cover".

Buckley was born at Upper Hawthorn, Melbourne, Australia and was educated at
the Christian Brothers' School in Abbotsford. He joined the 13th Light Horse
Regiment on 18 December 1914 shortly after the outbreak of the First World
War at Warrnambool, Victoria. He was sent to Egypt but was subsequently
returned to Australia in September 1915 where he deserted on 21 January 1916
from Langwarrin Camp.

On 6 May 1916 he enlisted again, using the name 'Gerald Sexton' - his
brother's first name and his mother's maiden name. He was sent to France in
early 1917 where he fought on the Western front. Following the award of the
Distinguished Conduct Medal he was promoted to sergeant in August 1918 and
involved in the advance on the Hindenburg Line.

The award of the VC was originally gazetted under the name Gerald Sexton,
but he had disclosed his real identity by the time that it was given to him
by King George V at a ceremony at Buckingham Palace on 29 May 1919. He
returned to Australia in September and was discharged in December 1919.

He was severely injured in a riding accident at Boolarra in Gippsland on 15
January 1921, and died on 27 January. Ten Victoria Cross winners were
pallbearers at his funeral, and is buried at Brighton Cemetery in Melbourne.

The medal
His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Australian War Memorial (Canberra,
Australia).
 

Lieutenant Colonel J. E. Newland VC, Captain 12th Bn. AIF. 1914-1918.

John Ernest Newland (VC, MSM) 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.

He was 35 years old, and a Captain in the 12th Bn. (S.A., W.A. & Tasmania),
Australian Imperial Force during the First World War when the following deed
took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 7/9 April 1917 at Bapaume, France, Captain Newland organized an attack by
his company on an important objective and personally led a bombing attack
under heavy fire, rallying his men who had suffered heavy casualties. The
following night his company, holding the captured position, was heavily
counter-attacked, but Captain Newland succeeded in regaining it. Later, on
15 April, north-east of Langnicourt, when one company was overpowered and
his own was attacked from the rear, Captain Newland drove off several
combined attacks and it was his tenacity and disregard for his own safety
that encouraged his men to hold out.

He later achieved the rank of Major.

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Australian War Memorial (Canberra,
Australia).
 

Lieutenant Donovan Joynt, VC.

^Picture with permission of Australian War Memorial

William Donovan Joynt 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.

He was 29 years old, and a Lieutenant in the 8th Bn., (Victoria), Australian
Imperial Force during the First World War when the following deed took place
for which he was awarded the VC.

On 23 August 1918 at Herleville Wood, near Chuignes, Peronne, France,
Lieutenant Joynt took charge when his company commander had been killed.
When the leading battalion had been demoralized by heavy casualties, he
rushed forward and reorganized the remnants of the battalion. Having
discovered that heavy fire on the flanks was causing delay and casualties,
he led a frontal bayonet attack on the wood, thus saving a critical
situation. Later, at Plateau Wood, after severe hand-to-hand fighting, he
turned a stubborn defence into an abject surrender. He was subsequently
badly wounded by a shell.

He later achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
 

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