Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lindsay was an original officer of the 2/4th Battalion; embarked as a Lieutenant. Served with 'C' Company, 2/4th Battalion at Bardia, Tobruk, Derna, Benghazi, Greece and Crete. He won a Military Cross for bravery during Greece and Crete and a Mention in Despatches at Wadi Derna. He then went on to serve as the Adjutant of the Battalion and as a Staff Officer at 7th Division on the Atherton Tableland. He was promoted to Captain in November 1941 and then Major in October 1944. From February 1945, he went to England as a Liaison Officer with the AIF Reception Group in England and as a Senior Liaison Officer with SHAEF. After the war, he came into a position of authority within the New South Wales Bank. He retired at 55, constantly troubled by his health from his war service.

His Military Cross citation reads..
"This officer whilst a platoon commander in C Company led a patrol on two occasions, succeeding in determining the position of the enemy wire and returned with valuable information which enabled the Commanding Officer to take a line of action with certainty regarding the enemy dispositions. Later, when this officer became Adjutant of the 2/4th Bn he carried out his duties with tireless energy and high ability. As an instance of this on 11 Apr 1941, during a period when B Company was being strongly attacked on the Veve front in Greece, with the aid of a line from B Company he interpreted B Company Commander’s wishes in regard to supporting fire, translated them into terms of map references and then on another line to the Artillery succeeded in procuring such accurate defensive fire that the enemy attack was frustrated. This action on Capt. Lindsay’s part demanded quick and accurate thinking in order to obtain effective Artillery support in sufficient time. Had the front given way in B Company area it is highly probable that the Veve position would have broken 24 hours before it did. This action was followed by further invaluable work on the part of this officer. During the withdrawal on 12 Apr 1941, the Commanding Officer received an order to take up a delaying position in the vicinity of Soter and it was due to Capt. Lindsay’s efforts and movements between Coys in the face of heavy enemy fire that the Battalion was reassembled and disposed on the ground enabling it to hold the position until 0900 hours the following day, as ordered. Later, on Crete, after a severe aerial bombardment, Capt. Lindsay, during the height of a determined and intensive parachute attack on the Battalion area obtained and collated information from all Company fronts thus enabling the Commanding Officer to take adequate steps to successfully deal with the position. This action on Capt. Lindsay’s part was performed during a period when a high state of confusion and excitement existed and under conditions when accurate information was hard to obtain because of the intensive activities of the enemy parachute troops."