Clifford William King Sadlier, VC (1892 – 28 April 1964) was an Australian recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

forces.

Early life

Born in the Melbourne suburb of

Camberwell Camberwell ( ) is an List of areas of London, area of South London, England, in the London Borough of Southwark, southeast of Charing Cross. Camberwell was first a village associated with the church of St Giles' Church, Camberwell, St Giles ...

, Sadlier attended

University High School University High School may refer to: Australia * University High School, Melbourne, Victoria Canada * University Hill Secondary School, Vancouver, British Columbia United States Arizona * University High School (Tolleson) * University High Sc ...

before his family moved to Western Australia while he was still a youth. They settled at

Subiaco, Western Australia Subiaco (known colloquially as Subi) is an inner-Western suburbs (Perth), western suburb of Perth, the capital of Western Australia. It is approximately west of Perth's central business district, in the City of Subiaco local government area. H ...

from where Sadlier, then employed as a commercial traveller, enlisted on 26 May 1915.

First World War

Sadlier first embarked on board HT ''Nestor'', posted to the

Australian Army Medical Corps The Royal Australian Army Medical Corps (RAAMC) is the branch of the Australian Army responsible for providing medical care to Army personnel. The AAMC was formed in 1902 through the amalgamation of medical units of the various Australian colon ...

and allotted as a reinforcement to

1st Australian General Hospital The following is a list of Australian Army medical units in World War I. Field Ambulance 1st Division (Australia) * 1st Australian Field Ambulance (New South Wales) * 2nd Australian Field Ambulance (Victoria) * 3rd Australian Field Am ...

, with which he served at Heliopolis. In February 1916 he returned to Australia on nursing duty, and on 9 November he re-embarked, aboard HMAT then as a reinforcement to 51st Battalion. The 51st Battalion, Australian Imperial Force was raised at

Tel-el-Kebir Tell El Kebir ( lit."the great mound") is 110 km north-north-east of Cairo and 75 kilometres south of Port Said on the edge of the Egyptian desert at the altitude of 29 m. Administratively, it is a part of the Ismailia Governorate. In the ...

, Egypt, on 1 March 1916 from half of the 11th Battalion (veterans of the Gallipoli landings) and reinforcements of the 11th and 28th Battalions, all personnel being Western Australian volunteers. Sadlier joined the unit in France on 13 May 1917, was promoted to corporal a few days later and on 14 July 1917 was gazetted to a first appointment as a second lieutenant. Promotion to lieutenant came on 1 April 1918.

Victoria Cross

He was 26 years old, and a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

in the 51st Battalion, Australian Imperial Force during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

when the following deed took place during the

Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux The Second Battle of Villers-Bretonneux (also Actions of Villers-Bretonneux, after the First Battles of the Somme, 1918) took place from 24 to 27 April 1918, during the German spring offensive to the east of Amiens. It is notable for being the f ...

for which he was awarded the VC.

Later life

Sadlier was invalided to Australia on 24 August 1918 and was discharged on 4 March 1919. He returned to Western Australia living at

Busselton Busselton is a city in the South West (Western Australia), South West region of the States and territories of Australia, state of Western Australia approximately south-west of Perth. Busselton has a long history as a popular holiday destin ...

and for some years was State Secretary of the

Returned and Services League of Australia The Returned and Services League of Australia, also known as RSL, RSL Australia and the RSLA, is an independent support organisation for people who have served or are serving in the Australian Defence Force. History The League was formed in ...

. From 1926 to 1929, Sadlier was on the Claremont Road Board (

City of Nedlands The City of Nedlands is a local government area in the inner western suburbs of the Western Australian capital city of Perth, about west of Perth's central business district. The city is situated within the western suburbs of the metropolit ...

), including as

chairman The chair, also chairman, chairwoman, or chairperson, is the presiding officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office, who is typically elected or appointed by members of the gro ...

in 1928 and 1929. He married Alice Edith Smart on 17 July 1936. From then until 1949 he was a clerk in the Repatriation Department in Perth. He went to London in 1956 for the Victoria Cross Centenary celebrations. He died in Busselton on 28 April 1964 and was cremated at

Karrakatta Cemetery Karrakatta Cemetery is a metropolitan cemetery in the suburb of Karrakatta in Perth, Western Australia. Karrakatta Cemetery first opened for burials in 1899, the first being that of wheelwright Robert Creighton. Managed by the Metropolitan Ce ...

, Perth. His ashes were taken from there by the funeral director. In 1980, his widow donated his medals to St. George's Cathedral, and they are held in a safe there, with replicas on display in the Soldiers' Chapel. The Clifford Sadlier Ward at the former

Repatriation General Hospital, Hollywood Hollywood Private Hospital (Hollywood) is an acute care hospital located in Nedlands, Western Australia. Hollywood is Western Australia's largest private hospital, with more than 900 licensed beds. The hospital is part of Ramsay Health Care Gro ...

is named in his honour, and Cliff Sadlier VC Memorial Park in

Daglish, Western Australia Daglish is a small Western suburbs (Perth), western suburb of Perth, the capital of Western Australia. It is approximately west of the Perth central business district, and within the City of Subiaco local government area. It was named after He ...

, near Subiaco, is named in his honour.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sadlier, Clifford William King 1892 births 1964 deaths Australian World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross Australian Army officers Burials at Karrakatta Cemetery Military personnel from Melbourne People educated at University High School, Melbourne Military personnel from Sydney Military personnel from Western Australia People from Camberwell, Victoria