Minister for Defence - Battle of Lone Pine Victoria Cross recipients honoured on centenary

Seven Australians were awarded the highest military honour, the Victoria Cross, for their bravery at the Battle of Lone Pine.

In commemorating the centenary of this battle, those seven men are recognised again at the new Defence Housing Australia community development, Crimson Hill.

Each of Crimson Hill’s five precincts, the nature trail and the community cottage has been named in honour of a Lone Pine Victoria Cross recipient.

To mark to centenary and commemorate the Australians who served at the Battle of Lone Pine, the Crimson Hill community today honoured the lives of two Victoria Cross recipients in particular, Lieutenant William Dunstan and Lieutenant Leonard Keyser.

Keira Quinn Lockyer, the great niece of Leonard Keysor VC, helped to unveil a plaque naming the development’s community cottage in his honour.

Keysor Community Cottage has undertaken an impressive redevelopment, now providing residents a wonderful space to meet and socialise.

Biographical posters of all seven VC recipients from the Battle of Lone Pine will feature permanently in the cottage, serving as a reminder to future generations of the sacrifices made by those brave soldiers for our nation.

Crimson Hill is a new DHA master planned community adjoining Lane Cove National Park on Sydney’s North Shore. It is one of DHA’s signature residential developments.

The community will feature 345 dwellings in total, with approximately 40 per cent retained for Australia Defence Force (ADF) members. Its name reflects the colour of the Victoria Cross ribbon.

The Australian Government is committed to providing suitable, community standard accommodation for ADF members and ensuring that their families are safe at home when they are deployed in military operations. That is what communities such as Crimson Hill are all about.

Media contacts:

Brad Rowswell (Minister Andrews’ Office) 0417 917 796

Defence Media Operations (02) 6127 1999