Leigh Vial
Leigh Vial | |
|---|---|
 Flight Lieutenant Leigh Vial in 1942 | |
| Born | 28 February 1909 Camberwell, Victoria |
| Died | 30 April 1943 (aged 34) Benabena, Papua New Guinea |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | Australia |
| Service | Royal Australian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1942–1943 |
| Rank | Flight Lieutenant |
| Service number | 253939 |
| Unit | Coastwatchers |
| Battles / wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Cross (United States) |
Leigh Grant Vial (28 February 1909 – 30 April 1943) was an Australian patrol officer and coastwatcher in Papua New Guinea during the Second World War. While a patrol officer he became the first white person to climb Mount Wilhelm, the highest mountain in Papua New Guinea. Vial was killed in a plane crash in 1943, the year after he had been awarded the American Distinguished Service Cross for his "extraordinary heroism" in New Guinea.[1] He is buried in Lae War Cemetery.[2]
References
- ^ Gammage, Bill (2002). "Vial, Leigh Grant (1909–1943)". Australian Dictionary of Biography. Vol. 16. Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University. ISBN 978-0-522-84459-7. ISSN 1833-7538. OCLC 70677943. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
- ^ "Vial, Leigh Grant". Casualty Details. Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 23 July 2017.
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Categories:
- 1909 births
- 1943 deaths
- Australian explorers
- Australian military personnel killed in World War II
- Explorers of Papua New Guinea
- Papua New Guinea in World War II
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- Recipients of the Distinguished Service Cross (United States)
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- Royal Australian Air Force personnel of World War II
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