Sir Roden Cutler VC Rest Area
Prestons, NSW
Hume Motorway (M31)
At a Glance
About
The Sir Roden Cutler VC Rest Area marks the beginning of the Remembrance Driveway, sitting at stop 1 of 20 along this significant memorial route that stretches between Sydney and Canberra. Located at Prestons on the Hume Motorway (M31), it is accessible to travellers heading in both directions and serves as an appropriate first point of reflection before the journey unfolds through the towns and landscapes of New South Wales. The rest area honours Lieutenant Arthur Roden Cutler of the 2/5th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery — one of Australia's most decorated servicemen. Born in Manly, Sydney, on 24 May 1916, Cutler studied economics at the University of Sydney before enlisting in the Second Australian Imperial Force in May 1940. He deployed to the Middle East as part of the 7th Divisional Artillery and saw action during the Syria–Lebanon campaign against Vichy French forces in mid-1941. Between 19 June and 6 July 1941, in the Merdjayoun–Damour area, Cutler performed a sustained series of acts of extraordinary gallantry. At Merdjayoun on 19 June, with an infantry advance checked by an enemy counter-attack involving tanks, he moved forward under intense machine-gun fire, repaired a severed telephone line, and directed artillery fire that silenced enemy posts and a battery. His conduct across those weeks of fighting ultimately earned him the Victoria Cross. He later lost a leg to wounds sustained during the campaign. Cutler went on to serve as Governor of New South Wales from 1966 to 1981, and passed away in Sydney on 21 February 2002. Facilities at the rest area are practical and well-suited to those on a longer drive: toilets, picnic tables, and dedicated truck parking are available. The site operates around the clock and accommodates heavy vehicles and caravans. The next stop on the Remembrance Driveway heading south is the Partridge VC Rest Area.
Victoria Cross Recipient
Lieutenant Sir Arthur Roden Cutler VC
2/5th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery
Arthur Roden Cutler was born at Manly, Sydney, on 24 May 1916. He studied economics at the University of Sydney before enlisting in the Second Australian Imperial Force in May 1940. Commissioned as a lieutenant in the 2/5th Field Regiment of the 7th Divisional Artillery, he deployed to the Middle East and took part in the Syria–Lebanon campaign against Vichy French forces in mid-1941.
Between 19 June and 6 July 1941 in the Merdjayoun–Damour area, Cutler performed a series of extraordinary feats of gallantry. At Merdjayoun on 19 June, when an infantry attack was checked by an enemy counter-attack with tanks, he pushed forward under heavy machine-gun fire, repaired a severed telephone line, and directed artillery fire that silenced enemy posts and a battery. Over the following days he repeatedly exposed himself to withering fire to establish observation posts, engage enemy positions, and rally retreating troops. During the Battle of Damour on 6 July he was seriously wounded and lay in the open for twenty-six hours before being rescued; his right leg was subsequently amputated.
After being medically discharged in 1942, Cutler embarked on a distinguished diplomatic career, serving as High Commissioner to New Zealand, Ceylon, and Pakistan, and as Consul-General in New York. In 1966 he was appointed Governor of New South Wales, a post he held for a record fifteen years. He was the most highly decorated Australian of the Second World War and remains the only Australian artilleryman to have received the Victoria Cross. He died in Sydney on 21 February 2002.
Born 24 May 1916, Manly, NSW. Died 21 February 2002, Sydney, NSW.
References
Remembrance Driveway →
Stop 1 of 20 along the Remembrance Driveway
Start of 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
Facilities
Location
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Nearby
Campsites(5)
Trails(3)
Attractions(5)
Toilets(3)
Groceries(5)
Fuel(5)
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