Behind the lines: Why police officer Michael Pratt rammed his Mazda into a Clifton Hill bank

Herald Sun (Melbourne) ^ | 2nd October 2020 | Geoff Wilkinson

[naturalman1975]

.....

Pratt is the only surviving Australian winner of the George Cross — the country’s highest civilian award for bravery. The equivalent award in the newer Australian honours system is the Cross of Valour, an award that has been made to only five Australians.

Pratt, a 21-year-old policeman and married just three months, was on his way to have a haircut when he earned his medal.

He drove his own car, on a day off and unarmed, into the front door of a Clifton Hill bank when he saw three armed and masked bandits enter the bank on June 4, 1976

.....

“The only thing I had going for me was the element of surprise. I reckon the three crooks must have been well and truly surprised when my Mazda came through the intersection, up and over the gutter, crashed into the door of the bank and blocked the entrance.”

Pratt was not to know that the bandits — all wearing balaclavas and armed with handguns — were among the most prolific and dangerous armed bandits in the country. But the barrel-chested policeman, who had been captain of the Preston Tech footy team not so long ago, was ready to take them on.

At least, he thought he was ready, until he went to the boot of his car expecting to arm himself with a long-handled shovel he’d been using the previous day at a bush block he owned with a mate.

“You can do some serious damage with a shovel, particularly if it’s got a sharp edge, and it gives you a bit of room to manoeuvre. But when I opened the boot it wasn’t there, so the only tool I could lay my hands on was the jack handle. Then I just watched and waited.

[naturalman1975]

I wish I could share the entire article because I know it is behind a paywall. But men like this deserve to be remembered.

The George Cross is not as well known as the Victoria Cross, but is considered its equivalent as an honour - the level of courage required for both is the same - the difference is the Victoria Cross is for valour in the face of an enemy in a war situation - the George Cross is for equivalent valour in war or peace when no enemy is present. In the unlikely event anybody ever received both (this has never happened) the Victoria Cross would be worn first only because it is older. Award of the George Cross are actually rarer than awards of the Victoria Cross, largely because opportunities for the type of extreme bravery required are more common in war than in peace.

[MinuteGal]

The full story is blocked...so tell us what happened.

Was he shot or something after he rammed his car into the bank?

Leni

[\/\/ayne]

Here's the medal description:

On the morning of 4th June 1976, three armed men entered the Clifton Hill Bank. One of the men ordered the staff to lie on the floor, another jumped over the counter and removed money from the tills, while the third remained in the public area and fired a shot in the direction of the manager and a customer when they ran towards the rear of the bank. Constable Pratt was off duty and unarmed.

He was driving past the bank and saw the men entering the bank. He could see that they were masked and carrying a firearm. He immediately turned his car, switched on the lights and, sounding the horn, mounted the kerb, blocking the entrance. He instructed a passer-by to call for police assistance. The raiders were taken by surprise, but one of them threatened Pratt with a gun, signalling to him to move the car. He refused, removed the key from the ignition and armed himself with the handle of the car jack. The men then attempted to leave by kicking in the lower section of the glass door and climbing over the bonnet of the car.

As the first man straddled the front of the car Pratt grabbed him firmly, and during the struggle the robber was knocked unconscious. By this time a second gunman had left the bank and climbed over the car; he now aimed his weapon and threatened to shoot Pratt from close range.

The first man had by now recovered consciousness and was getting to his feet, so the officer grabbed him again; as he did so, the man called to the gunman to shoot the officer. A shot was fired, and Pratt was seriously wounded. The men then fled the scene.

[naturalman1975]

His citation:

The QUEEN has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the George Cross to the undermentioned:-

GEORGE CROSS

Michael Kenneth PRATT, Constable, Victoria Police Force.

On the morning of 4th June 1976 three masked men entered a bank and carried out an armed robbery. One of the men ordered the staff to lie on the floor, another jumped over the counter and removed money from the tills while the third remained in the public area and fired a shot in the direction of the manager and a customer when they ran towards the rear of the bank.

Constable Pratt, who was off-duty and unarmed, was driving past the bank in his private car and saw the men entering the bank ; he noticed that each man was masked and carrying a firearm and realised that they were about to commit an armed robbery. He immediately turned his car, switched up the lights and, sounding his horn, mounted the kerb and blocked the bank entrance. He instructed a passer-by to call for police assistance.

The raiders were taken by surprise, but one of them threatened the Constable with a gun and signalled to him to remove the car, whereupon the officer refused, removed the ignition key, and armed himself with the handle of a car jack. The men then attempted to leave the bank by kicking in the lower section of the glass door and climbing over the bonnet of the car. As the first man straddled the front of the car Constable Pratt grabbed him firmly and during the violent struggle which ensued the robber was knocked unconscious. By this time a second gunman had left the bank and climbed over the car, aimed his weapon and threatened to shoot the officer at close range ; the man had his arms extended at shoulder height and pointed a revolver directly at Constable Pratt. The first man had by now recovered consciousness and was getting to his feet, so the officer grabbed him again and the man called to the gunman to shoot the Constable. A shot was then fired and Constable Pratt who was in the process of trying to protect his back and at the same time retain his hold on his captive, was seriously wounded.

Constable Pratt displayed outstanding bravery, devotion to duty and a complete disregard for his own safety when, unarmed and single handed, he faced and attempted to arrest these dangerous armed criminals.

[naturalman1975]

He was seriously wounded - quite nearly died - but luckily surgeons were able to save him. While still in critical condition after his surgery he was able to confirm to the Armed Robbery Squad an identification of one of the armed robbers which lead to their arrest, and imprisonment.

[DesertRhino]

Badass of the week. THAT’S the kind of Aussies the world enjoys!

[MinuteGal]

Thanks for the "rest of the story".

Leni