Brighton General Cemetery

Victoria, Australia

^Picture with permission of Australian War Memorial

Walter Peeler, VC, BEM

Walter Peeler (VC, BEM) 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 30 years old, and a Lance-Corporal in the 3rd Pioneer Bn., Australian
Imperial Force during the First World War when the following deed took place
for which he was awarded the VC:

On 20 September 1917, east of Ypres, Belgium, during the first wave of an
attack, Lance-Corporal Peeler encountered an enemy party sniping the
advancing troops. He immediately rushed their position and accounted for
nine of them, clearing the way for the advance. He repeated this action on
two subsequent occasions, and each time accounted for a number of the enemy.
During the operations he was directed to an enemy machine-gun which was
firing on our troops. He located and killed the gunner and then bombed out
the remainder from a dug-out where they had taken shelter.
Peeler later achieved the rank of Sergeant.

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

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