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Location:
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241 Hogan Street, Tatura, GREATER SHEPPARTON CITY, 3616
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Local Government Area:
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GREATER SHEPPARTON CITY
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Heritage Type:
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Memorial Artwork, Window
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Description:
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Subject
St. Michael
Text
Saint Michael
Inscription
In affectionate memory of our father, Robert Mactier, died 6th April 1939 aged 92 years, and our mother Christina, died 20th October 1945 aged 88 years, also our brother Private Robert Mactier V.C., killed in action 1st September 1918. "Lest We Forget"
Description & History
Although Private Robert Mactier was killed in action on 1 September 1918, the window to the Mactier family was not installed until after the death of his parents, Robert on 6 April 1939 and Christina, 20 October 1945. A order was placed with Brooks, Robinson & Co. by Mr. W Mactier, in June 1954 for a window measuring approximately 95 x 24 inches. The subject, St. Michael, was very appropriate for a soldier memorial and this aspect of the memorial was emphasised with the representation of the Victoria Cross filling the base panel above the inscription.
Private Robert Mactier was a 26 year-old farmer at Tatura when he enlisted on 12 April 1917. After training at Broadmeadows he embarked at Melbourne for England and finally to France on 14 November 1917 where he was part of reinforcements that joined 23 Battalion later that month. 6 Brigade was an integral part of the battle to take the village of Mont St. Quentin and it was here that Private Mactier was awarded the Victoria Cross 'for most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty'. Enemy fire was stalling the battalion's forward movement, so alone and in daylight, '...he jumped out of the trench, rushed past the block, closed with and killed the machine-gun garrison of eight men ... and threw the machine gun over the parapet. Then, rushing forward about 20 yards, he jumped into another strong point held by a garrison of six men, who instantly surrendered. Continuing to the next block through the trench, he disposed of an enemy machine-gun which had been infilading our flank advancing troops, and was then killed by another machine-gun at close range.' As the citation in the London Gazette noted: 'It was entirely due to this exceptional valour and determination of Private Mactier that the Battalion was able to move on to the "Jumping-off" trench and carry out the successful operation of capturing the village of Mt. St. Quentin a few hours later.' He was buried at Clery British Cemetery a few miles north of Peronne but later removed to Hem Farm Military Cemetery, Hem-Monacu, France.
References & Acknowledgements
AWM Roll of Honour; NAA: B2455, Mactier R; Royal Historical Society of Victoria 'Victorian Memorials Project'.
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Year Construction Ended:
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1954
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Conflicts Commemorated:
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First World War 1914-18
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Designers/Architects:
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Kerr-Morgan, William (attributed)
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Brooks, Robinson & Co
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