Reg Rattey

Reginald Roy Rattey
Reg Rattey, c. 1945
Born	(1918-03-28)28 March 1918 Barmedman, New South Wales
Died	10 January 1986(1986-01-10) (aged 67) West Wyalong, New South Wales
Buried	West Wyalong Lawn Cemetery
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Second Australian Imperial Force
Years of service	1941–46
Rank	Sergeant
Unit	25th Battalion
Battles/wars	Second World War New Guinea Campaign Bougainville campaign
Awards	Victoria Cross

Second World War

Reginald Roy Rattey, VC (28 March 1918 – 10 January 1986) was an Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry "in the face of the enemy" that can be awarded to members of the British or Commonwealth armed forces. He was one of 20 Australians to receive the award for their actions during the Second World War, doing so while serving with the 25th Battalion during the Bougainville Campaign in 1945. After the war, Rattey ran a farm near West Wyalong, New South Wales. He died in 1986 at the age of 67.

Born on 28 March 1918, at Barmedman, in New South Wales, Reg Rattey was one of seven children born to a Lutheran family living in rural New South Wales. His father, Johannes Albert Rattey, who was originally from Springton, South Australia had married his mother, Anna Elisabeth (née Damschke), at Pleasant Hills on 26 February 1914. Reginald was the couple's third child and when he was born, his father was working a share farm. Three years later he purchased his own property near Wargin, and after he bought another property called "Bon Accord", he expanded the family's holdings to 1,672 acres (677 ha).

In his formative years, Reg was schooled at Bellarwi, travelling by horse 6.5 kilometres (4.0 mi) each way, and was a keen sportsman playing cricket, football and tennis. After leaving school, he helped out on the family farm, and found work as a miner; he also joined the Militia, serving as a part-time soldier in the 21st Light Horse Regiment. When the war broke out, he was working at the Gibsonvale Open Cut Tin Mine at Kikoira and was parading with the 21st Light Horse Regiment at Wagga Wagga.