Soldier profiles
Name : EGAN, PATRICK KENNETH
Service Number : NX81212
Date of Birth : 02/09/1920
Place of Birth : WEST WYALONG, NSW
Known as :
Occupation on Enlistment : CARPENTER
Date of Enlistment : 31/12/1941
Locality on Enlistment : WAKEFIELD, NSW
Place of Enlistment : PADDINGTON, NSW
Next of Kin : EGAN, LEON
Rank (at time of discharge / death) : CORPORAL
Service : ARMY
Final Posting : 2/2 PIONEER BATTALION
Position / Platoon / Company (as 2/2 Pioneer) (date / details) : A COMPANY (NEW GUINEA)
Unit Transfers / Promotions (date / details) :
Theatres of War : NEW GUINEA
Actions : HEATH'S PLANTATION (NEW GUINEA), LAE (NEW GUINEA), RAMU VALLEY (NEW GUINEA)
Wounded (date / details) :
Discharged : 12/12/1945
Date Died : N/A
Community Roll of Honour : N/A
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : N/A
K.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
D.O.W. (date / details) : N/A
M.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
P.O.W. (location/s) : NO
Died P.O.W. (date / details) : N/A
P.O.W. Camps (details) : N/A
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : N/A
Honours and Gallantry : Military Medal for cool courage & audacity at Lae on 13/09/1943 presented by registered post on 12/03/1947. London Gazette 20/01/1944 page 391 position 37. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 02/12/1943 page 2611 position 54
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : Australian War Memorial Awards Circular
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 4620238 [NOT EXAMINED]), WW2 Nominal Roll, Australian War Memorial, Past article (size 287kB)
Background : Attended Telopea Park School and Canberra High School in the A.C.T. Award for Military Medal was for Heath's Plantation (not Lae as on citation) on 13th September, whilst holding a small perimeter in a recently captured enemy position in daylight, Lance Corporal Egan posted himself in the fork of a tree in full view of the enemy, who were surrounding the position on three sides. Even when an enemy party approached to within 50 yards of his position, he remained at his post and returned the enemy's fire, killing one and forcing the other two to take cover. His report to his platoon commander was responsible for routing the enemy in the vicinity.
