Lives of the First World War

Reginald Roy Inwood VC. Photograph from The Australian War Memorial. This item is in the Public Domain.

Private Reginald Roy Inwood VC. Unit: 10th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force. Death: 23 October 1971. | Pte Inwood was awarded the Victoria Cross, aged 27, for the following action: "During the period 19 September - 22 September 1917 in an attack at Polygon Wood, near Ypres, Belgium, Private Inwood moved forward alone through the allied barrage, capturing an enemy strong-point, killing several and taking nine prisoners. During the evening, he volunteered for a special all-night patrol which went out 600 yards in front of the allied line, and succeeded in bringing back valuable information. In the early morning of 21 September he again went out in company with another man and they located a machine-gun which was causing much trouble. They bombed it so effectively that only one gunner survived and he was brought in as a prisoner, with the gun." Pte Inwood was born in 1890 in Broken Hill, Australia. He was one of three brothers who volunteered for military service on outbreak of war in 1914. He served in Gallipoli in 1915, during which time he was promoted to Lance Corporal but after transferring to the Western Front, was demoted to private in 1916 for being absent without leave. After the VC action, he was promoted again and ended the war with the rank of sergeant. After returning to Australia, he moved to Adelaide where he worked as an attendant to the City Council. Pte Inwood died in 1971.