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WITH COURAGE AND HUMANITY
Peter Badcoe Victoria Cross
Yandruwandha Burke and Wills Breastplate
Regional Tour: March - June 2009

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History Trust of South Australia Chief Executive, Margaret Anderson introduces the tour in the video below.

In May 2008 the South Australian Government and businessman and philanthropist Mr Kerry Stokes AC jointly purchased at public auction the Victoria Cross awarded to South Australian soldier, Major Peter Badcoe (1934-67).

Mr Stokes also purchased a breastplate presented to the Yandruwandha people of North-Eastern South Australia, for humanity shown to members of the ill-fated Burke and Wills expedition of 1861. Mr Stokes then gave the breastplate to the people of South Australia. The medal and breastplate have been on display at the South Australian Museum since July 2008.

To honour its promise to give all South Australians the opportunity to see the medal and breastplate, the State Government has funded a tour to 17 regional towns. This tour is being coordinated by the History Trust of South Australia.

The tour involves a number of State Government agencies:
• Office of the Hon. Michael Atkinson, Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
• History Trust of South Australia
• South Australian Museum
• Artlab Australia
• South Australia Police
And also:
• Local councils
• Returned & Services League (SA Branch and sub-branches)
• Australian War Memorial, Canberra

The medal will then go on display in the Hall of Valour at the Australian War Memorial alongside other Victoria Crosses awarded to Australians during times of war. The breastplate will return to the collection of the South Australian Museum.

In the video below Renita Ryan from Artlab Australia talks about the preparation of the Peter Badcoe Victoria Cross and the Yandruwandha Burke and Wills Breastplate for travel. Renita shows how the objects are protected, and what considerations need to be made while the objects are on display.