Richard Kelliher

Richard Kelliher
Richard Kelliher, 1946
Born	(1910-09-01)1 September 1910 Ballybeggan, Ireland
Died	28 January 1963(1963-01-28) (aged 52) Melbourne, Australia
Allegiance	Australia
Service/branch	Second Australian Imperial Force
Years of service	1941–1946
Rank	Private
Unit	2/25th Battalion
Battles/wars	Second World War Syria-Lebanon campaign New Guinea campaign
Awards	Victoria Cross

Second World War

Richard Kelliher, VC (1 September 1910 – 28 January 1963) was an Irish-born Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Kelliher received his VC while serving with the Second Australian Imperial Force in New Guinea during the Second World War.

Kelliher was born in Ballybeggan, Tralee, County Kerry in Ireland, then part of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and emigrated to Queensland, Australia in 1929 with his sister Norah. Due to lack of work during the Great Depression his sister moved to Sydney while Kelliher became a swagman, working a variety of jobs.

Kelliher enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force on 21 February 1941, and was sent to the Middle East. He was assigned to the 2/25th Battalion, which was on garrison duty in Syria. The battalion returned to Australia in March 1942 and was sent to New Guinea, where it took part in the Battle of Buna–Gona later that year. During this battle Kelliher was arrested after allegedly running from the front. He was later court martialled for cowardice in the face of the enemy where he claimed his platoon commander had sent him back for information. The commander had been killed in the battle and Kelliher had no witnesses to his version. He was acquitted and after rejoining his unit stated he would prove he was no coward.