Whose Name We Share

131 Mrs. Denise Maureen Badcoe was the wife of esteemed Victoria Cross Recipient and ex BK of 103 Battery Major Peter Badcoe, who was killed in action during the Vietnam War. She married Peter on the 26 th May 1956 in Manly of New South Wales during his posting at Puckapunyal where he trained national servicemen. She followed him through every step of his military career, even going as far as to stay in Camp Terendak, Malaya to be close to him. They had three daughters, Carey, Kim and Susanne. In 1962, during her stay in Malaya, she became the only woman to participate in the Singapore Inter-Club Open Pistol Championships. Denise was the only person Peter confided in and it is of no doubt that her support as a spouse directly supported his exemplary service. On the 7 th April 1967 Peter wrote his last letter to Denise, the day he died. In 1968 she would, alongside their three children receive her husband’s posthumous Victoria Cross in Government House. She was employed by the Australian National University and following her husband’s death she sought a life in Canberra to facilitate their family’s educational prospects. She selflessly presented his decorations to the Australian War Memorial, an action which she had every right not to do would have directly impacted howwe remember him today. Figure 1 Kim 8, Susanne 7 and Kerry 10 look proudly at the VC won by their father Major Peter Badcoe. Their Mother, Mrs Denise Badcoe received it in Government House. Credit: Trove. Similarly, Sir Joseph John Talbot Hobbs,whocommandedthe AIF’s Artillery in the1 st Division in1914, was survivedbyhiswifeEdithAnn andhis children. Sir Hobbsandhis wifeEdithwerebothhardworkers who contributedgreatly to the developmentofWesternAustralia, sought proper recognitionof soldier’s serviceandwereroutinely involvedwith the 103 rd Battery’s monthly gatheringsthroughout the 1930’s. As an avid Figure 1 Major Badcoe's medals presented to the Australian War Memorial in 2016 Figure 2 GNR Hladyszew conducts a live fire range practice..