After the outbreak of the First World War, Napier-born Percy Storkey (1893-1969) put his University of Sydney law studies aside and enlisted, joining the Australian forces. By 1918 he was a battle-scarred (twice wounded) and respected platoon commander in the 19th Australian Infantry Battalion.

On 7 April 1918, Storkey earned a Victoria Cross during an attack at Hangard Wood in France. In an important but ill-fated attack beyond Villers-Bretonneux, Storkey led a small group in bayonet assaults against enemy machine-gun positions, capturing around 50 survivors. The initial success obtained in the battle was largely due to these efforts.

This oil portrait of Captain Percy Valentine Storkey, VC, AIF, was painted by Duncan Max Meldrum around 1920. It comes from the National Collection of War Art held by Archives New Zealand, but the painting itself is on permanent loan to the Australian War Memorial.

Archives Reference: AAAC 898 NCWA 492 archway.archives.govt.nz/ViewFullItem.do?code=22498109

For updates on our On This Day series and news from Archives New Zealand, follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/ArchivesNZ

Material from Archives New Zealand