THE VICTORIA CROSS GROUP AWARDED TO SERGEANT REGINALD INWOOD, 10TH BN, AUSTRALIAN IMPERIAL FORCE, HAS BEEN LOANED TO THE AUSTRALIAN WAR MEMORIAL IN CANBERRA.
10 March 2016


( select to enlarge )
Medal entitlement of Sergeant Reginald Inwood,
10th Bn, Australian Imperial Force

  • Victoria Cross
  • 1914-15 Star
  • British War Medal ( 1914-20 )
  • Victory Medal ( 1914-19 )
  • War Medal ( 1939-45 )
  • Australia Service Medal ( 1939-45 )
  • King George VI Coronation Medal ( 1937 )
  • Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal ( 1953)


Reginald Inwood left his Victoria Cross group to the 10th Battalion Club in his will and objected when the members suggested they would donate the VC to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra. In June 1971 the 10th Battalion Club decided, with Reginald Inwood's consent, to present the Victoria Cross to Adelaide City Council.

A decision has now been made by Adelaide City Council and the 10th Battalion Association to loan the Reginald Inwood Victoria Cross group to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra until next year ( 2017 ), after which it will be returned to Adelaide.


For the award of the Victoria Cross

[ London Gazette, 26 November 1917 ], Polygon Wood, Belgium, 19-22 September 1917, Private Reginald Roy Inwood, 10th Bn, Australian Imperial Force.

For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty during the advance to the second objective ( Polygon Wood, East of Ypres, Belgium ).

He moved forward through our barrage alone to an enemy strong post and captured it, together with nine prisoners, killing several of the enemy. During the evening he volunteered for a special all-night patrol, which went out six hundred yards in front of our line, and there, by his coolness and sound judgement, obtained and sent back very valuable information as to the Enemy's movements.

In the early morning of the 21st September, Private Inwood located a machine gun which was causing severe casualties. He went out alone and bombed the gun and team, killing all but one, whom he brought in as a prisoner with the gun.

Reginald Inwood was invested with his Victoria Cross by King George V at Buckingham Palace on the 19th December 1917.


Reginald Inwood died on the 23rd October 1971 and was buried in the West Terrace AIF Cemetery in Adelaide.

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Iain Stewart, 14 March 2016