Sergeant Percy Statton VC

Date of birth: 19 October 1890
Place of birth: Beaconsfield, TAS
Date of death: 5 December 1959
Place of death: Hobart, TAS
Unit: 40th Battalion, 10th Brigade, 3rd Division
Date of Action: 12 August 1918
Place of Action: Proyart, France

Percy Statton was born on 21 October 1890 in Beaconsfield Tasmania and attended Zeehan State School. When Statton enlisted on 1 March 1916, he was already married and was working as a farmer at Tyenna.

Statton was posted to the 40th Battalion. In November 1916 his battalion was posted to France with its first major action occurring in June 1917 at Messines. During this battle, Statton completed actions under heavy artillery and machine gun fire for which he was awarded the Military Medal. In October he was wounded and in June 1918, Statton was gassed.

On 12 August 1918 Statton's battalion advanced until stopped by an enemy barrage, near Proyart, France. Over the next few hours Statton performed a number of brave actions, at one point rushing four enemy machine-gun positions armed only with a revolver. He disposed of two of the posts and killed five of the enemy. Later he went out under heavy fire and brought in two badly wounded men. For this he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Statton came home in November 1919 to a hero's welcome; however, his wife was unhappy about his long absence, and they divorced. He remarried twice more, and worked as a farmer and in the timber industry. In 1934, Statton performed notable rescue work during the Derwent Valley bush fires. He went on to serve with the Volunteer Defence Corp during World War II.

In later life, Statton lived at Ouse, where he was a local councillor. He died on 7 December 1959 in Hobart and was accorded a full military funeral.