Lost plaque to war hero reinstalled

A TASMANIAN family is thrilled that a Victoria Cross plaque honouring their late forebear has been returned to its rightful home

Sergeant Percy Statton was presented his Victoria Cross at Buckingham Palace by King George V after his actions on the battlefield in August 1918.

He was later honoured on a plaque at The Statton Building at Hobart’s Repatriation Centre in Davey St during the 1980s. During a tour of the site earlier this year, his greatgranddaughter Kerri Morley was upset to learn the monument had been removed.

However, a social media campaign attracted the attention of politicians and yester- day the plaque was returned to the site, officially unveiled by Minister for Veterans’ Affairs Guy Barnett.

Mr Barnett said the plaque was removed during renovation works but he felt privileged to reinstall it and help to ensure the memory of this Tasmanian was honoured.

Mrs Morley, of Glendevie, recently returned from a tour of the European battlefields where she laid a wreath in honour of all 14 of Tasmania’s Victoria Cross recipients.

She said it was a humbling and emotional experience to walk in the footsteps of her great-grandfather overseas, and having the plaque returned brought great joy to four generations of her family.

Born at Beaconsfield and educated at Zeehan, Percy Statton moved to the Derwent Valley to work as a farm labourer before enlisting for World War I in 1916. He was awarded his Victoria Cross — the highest award for acts of bravery in wartime in the British and Commonwealth armed forces — after leading his men across 75 metres of open ground to enemy trenches, storming a number of machine gun positions.

He later recovered one dead and one wounded member of his party under cover of darkness. After the war he returned to the Derwent Valley, working in the timber industry and becoming a councillor at Ouse. He also served during World War II. He died in 1959, aged 69.