Thomas Leslie Axford VC, MM (1894–1983), also known as Jack Axford, was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.

Early life

Thomas Leslie Axford was born on 18 June 1894 at Carrieton , South Australia. He moved to Coolgardie , Western Australia with his family at the age of two, and worked at the Boulder Brewery after leaving school.

Military service

Axford enlisted in the Australian military forces in 1912. He served in the 84th Infantry Regiment until July 1915, when he was allocated to the 11th Reinforcements of the 16th Battalion (S.A. and W.A.), Australian Imperial Force (AIF). He left for the front on board the HMAT Benalla in November.

Axford was wounded in August 1916, and in August 1917 was so badly wounded that he did not rejoin his battalion until January 1918. In February 1918 he was promoted to Lance-Corporal.

On 4 July 1918, the following deed took place for which Axford was awarded the VC:

On 4 July 1918 during the attack at Vaire and Hamel Woods , France, when the advance of the adjoining platoon was being delayed in uncut wire and machine-gun fire, and his company commander had become a casualty, Lance-Corporal Axford charged and threw bombs amongst the enemy gun crews. He then jumped into the trench, and charging with his bayonet, killed 10 of the enemy and took six prisoners. He threw the machine-guns over the parapet and the delayed platoon was able to advance. He then rejoined his own platoon and fought with it during the remainder of the operations.

In addition to the VC, Axford was also that month awarded the Military Medal and promoted to Corporal.

Axford returned to Western Australia in October 1918, and was discharged on 2 February 1919.

Later life

In November 1919 Axford was working as a miner in Kalgoorlie. In June 1941, during World War II, he re-enlisted and served with the Western Australian Echelon and Records Office. He was discharged with the rank of Sergeant in April 1947. In later life he lived for many years in Perth in the suburb of Mount Hawthorn . He died on 11 October 1983 and was cremated at the Karrakatta Crematorium in Perth. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra. Axford Park in Mount Hawthorn is named in his honour.

References

• Monuments To Courage (David Harvey, 1999)
• The Register of the Victoria Cross (This England, 1997)
• VCs of the First World War - Spring Offensive 1918 (Gerald Gliddon, 1997)

This page incorporates text that has been migrated from the Victoria Cross Reference with permission.