In February 1945, Private Michael Paice was serving in the jungle of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands when his patrol came under sudden fire from Japanese forces. Amidst the attack, Paice bravely attempted to retrieve the body of the patrol's first scout, helped his wounded commander back to safety, and neutralized a nearby Japanese post.
For these acts of gallantry, Paice was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, the second highest decoration after the Victoria Cross for British and Commonwealth forces. Despite this, upon returning to Australia, he never spoke about his wartime experiences or the medal.
Paice’s medal is believed to be the only Distinguished Conduct Medal in the Griffith area, making it a significant local military honor. Griffith War Museum president Michael Borg expressed astonishment upon seeing the medal among the collection when Paice’s daughter, Ms. Corner, approached the museum.
Ms. Corner described the moment of sharing her father's story as emotional and said, "I was very proud; that day was very emotional." She also noted that Paice was a quiet man who never discussed his service, even with family.
Ms. Hyles reflected on the difficulty civilians face in understanding the trauma of war, saying, "There's the feeling that families or civilians who haven't been in a war just can't understand what it's like with all the terrible sounds and sights and the trauma, and they find that very hard to explain."
The Distinguished Conduct Medal is now considered equivalent in significance to the Medal for Gallantry in the current Australian honors system.
Private Michael Paice’s story of extraordinary bravery, long untold, is finally being shared and honored.
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