Cowal, near West Wyalong, which he was granted under a special lease. In March 1946, he returned to the Army, being granted the rank of sergeant to attend the Victory Parade in London, where he was presented his Victoria Cross by King George VI at Buckingham Palace. He was discharged from the Army again in September 1946 and returning to Lake Cowal. In 1948, Rattey married Emily Café, with whom he had one daughter. Emily died in 1954 and the following year he remarried, exchanging nuptials with Aileen Delaney at St Mary's Catholic Church, in West Wyalong; the couple would later have four children. Rattey expanded his property at Lake Cowal by an extra , and eventually worked the land with sheep, cattle, pigs and wheat. Later, he also farmed tiger snakes for their serum. In his later life, Rattey's health deteriorated and he had to give up the land. He died on 10 January 1986 as a result of emphysema and was given a full military funeral at St Mary's Catholic Church, before being interred at the West Wyalong Lawn Cemetery. He was survived by his second wife and his five children. Honours and awards In addition to the Victoria Cross, Rattey also received the 1939–1945 Star, the Pacific Star, the War Medal 1939–1945, the Australia Service Medal 1939–1945, the Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal and the Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal. He is also commemorated by the following memorials: A plaque in the Strand, London, which was one of 12 unveiled during Victory in the Pacific Day celebrations on 29 August 1995; A memorial cairn in Lions Park, West Wyalong, which was unveiled on 13 November 1992; Reg Rattey Drive, which was opened in West Wyalong, in March 1999; A memorial park in Canberra (part of the national Remembrance Driveway); and A soldiers' club at Larrakeyah Barracks. References Footnotes Citations Further reading External links 1918 births 1986 deaths Military personnel from New South Wales Australian Army soldiers Australian World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross People from the Central West (New South Wales) Deaths from emphysema Australian farmers Australian Army personnel of World War II