Chowne VC Rest Area
Towrang, NSW
Hume Highway (A31)
At a Glance
Victoria Cross Recipient
Lieutenant Albert Edward Chowne VC
2/2nd Australian Infantry Battalion
Albert Edward 'Bert' Chowne was born in Sydney on 19 July 1920. Before the war he had already earned a Military Medal for bravery during earlier service. He was posted to the 2/2nd Infantry Battalion in October 1944, and the battalion was sent to the Aitape–Wewak campaign in New Guinea two months later as part of the 6th Division's advance on Wewak.
On 25 March 1945, near Dagua in New Guinea, the leading platoon in Chowne's company's attack on Japanese positions ran into devastating fire and suffered heavy casualties. Seeing the situation deteriorating, Lieutenant Chowne left cover and charged forward, knocking out two light machine-gun positions with grenades. Calling on his men to follow and firing his sub-machine gun from the hip, he continued his charge up the position. Although he was twice wounded in the chest, the impetus of his assault carried him forward fifty yards under intense machine-gun and rifle fire. He accounted for two more of the enemy before he was killed.
Chowne was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. His fearless action broke the Japanese resistance and paved the way for the 6th Division's advance on Wewak. He was twenty-four years old. He is buried in Lae War Cemetery, New Guinea.
Born 19 July 1920, Sydney, NSW. Died 25 March 1945, Dagua, New Guinea.
References
Remembrance Driveway
Stop 8 of 20 along the Remembrance Driveway
View all 20 stops
- Sir Roden Cutler VC Rest Area
- Partridge VC Rest Area Southbound
- Kenna VC Rest Area
- Keith Payne VC Rest Area
- Gordon VC Rest Area
- Mackey VC Rest Area
- Kingsbury VC Rest Area
- Chowne VC Rest Area
- Derrick VC Rest Area
- French VC Rest Area
- Kibby VC Rest Area
- Edmondson VC Rest Area
- Gratwick VC Rest Area
- Gurney VC Rest Area
- Badcoe VC Rest Area
- Wheatley VC Rest Area
- Anderson VC Rest Area
- Middleton VC Rest Area
- Newton VC Rest Area
- Edwards VC Rest Area
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Campsites(5)
Trails(3)
Attractions(3)
Toilets(3)
Groceries(4)
Fuel(5)
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Dump Points(3)
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