DASHER, The Kevin Wheatley VC Story
DASHER - The Kevin Wheatley VC Story
‘Dasher’ Wheatley VC is one of the most extraordinary characters in Australian history. Dasher was a husband, father, champion footballer and one of the finest soldiers this country has ever produced. The story of his sacrifice is used by the ADF as a perfect example of valour and mateship to this day.
Although he is one of the most famous Victoria Cross recipients of all time, his story has never been fully told. Until now.
Dasher, The Kevin Wheatley VC Story was written with first-hand accounts from Dasher’s family and the men who served and fought alongside him. It tells not only the story of an unlikely lad from the mean streets of Sydney, but that of a soldier whose death devastated the ranks of three armies and changed the way Australia dealt with the overseas loss of service people forever.
Everyone who met the man has a Dasher Wheatley story of larrikin behaviour, outstanding soldiering, stunning valour, or all three.
Praise for Dasher, The Kevin Wheatley VC Story:
‘The Dasher Wheatley story is one that all Australians should know and be proud of. No one has given us a better example of how we should treat our fellow man. He played hard and he fought hard. A brilliant mate and a perfect soldier. Wheatley’s Victoria Cross action was an act of valour and self-sacrifice that surprised none who knew him.’ His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd General), Governor-General of Australia
'I never met Dasher Wheatley VC, but I would have liked to share a beer with a man whose decision to stay with a dying mate, cost him his life. His compelling courage, that choice, characterise the values that make Australia. It has been an honour to support the family that was left behind. Mrs Wheatley, widowed at age 26 with four young children, has been a tower of strength on the battlefield of life. I salute them both'. Kerry Stokes AC Chairman Australian War Memorial, donated Dasher Wheatley’s Victoria Cross to the AWM
‘Dasher loved as hard as he fought and was tactically sound in everything he did. A loyal friend and a dependable leader. Dasher’s sacrifice and death affected us all deeply.’ Warrant Officer (retd) Keith Payne VC. AM. KSJ (AATTV Vietnam)
‘The Dasher Wheatley story is one all Australians should know and be proud of. His is an example of valour and friendship we should all aspire to.’ Captain (retd)Rambahadur Limbu VC. MVO (British Army Gurkha from Nepal)
‘Dasher Wheatley’s Victoria Cross action is a perfect example of mateship and tenacity. His actions should be understood and held up as an example of what mates do for each other. Not just in the military, but in all walks of life.’ Senior Sergeant Tim Britten CV (Private 1RAR retd)
‘There are rare people who have an aura about them, a fundamental moral and ethical decency that inspires trust, love and a willingness to follow their lead; they exude the very definition of leadership by example. I defy anyone to read Dasher's story in this marvellous book and not shake their head in awe at his selflessness. He earned the VC for one astonishing act of bravery in 1965, but the story I have always found most moving, also told within, was how, early in his tour, he ran through cross-fire to rescue a young Vietnamese girl, using his own body to shield her amidst a hail of fire. The circumstances of his death during the VC action, choosing to stay with a wounded comrade rather than abandon him, are equally astounding. Dasher Wheatley was a warrior who loved.’ Ross Coulthart (Logie winning Investigative Journalist, 5-time Walkley winner, Prime Minister’s Literary Award winner)
The Victoria Cross, Australia Remembers
The Victoria Cross - Australia Remembers
Since 1856 when the award was created by Queen Victoria, 100 Australian servicemen have been recognised with the Cross. This book, however, is not a traditional history book; it takes a different approach to recognising these remarkable Australians. Through 100 individual profiles of each Australian VC recipient, this book has been written as a way for families and friends to give their perspective on the men they knew, how the Victoria Cross has affected them and how families coped after the fighting had ended. The profiles reveal just how much these men came from every walk of life and the rich colour of the families and communities they came from.
The author, supported by volunteers from the Totally & Permanently Incapacitated Ex-Servicemen & Women's Association of Victoria Inc. (TPI Victoria), has travelled across Australia and around the world to interview families, peers and friends about these 100 remarkable Australians. All these strands have been brought together to tell the story of the creation of the Victoria Cross, how it has evolved to find its place in modern Australia, and to illuminate the lives of these Australians with an incredible array of photographs taken on these travels, but also from official sources and the families.
