b. 09/03/1948 Brisbane, Queensland.
DATE OF CV ACTION: 13/09/1993 Bray Park, Brisbane, Queensland.
Victor Alan Boscoe (1948-) was born in Brisbane, Queensland on 9th March 1948, the son of Victor Francis and Betty Boscoe. The family lived at Narangba, Queensland, on a sawmill property owned by Victor’s grandfather. The family later moved to a double block at Bald Hills, north of Brisbane. His mother was devoutly religious and a strict disciplinarian.
Victor A Boscoe CV
Boscoe’s father was a panel beater who had served with the 101st Independent Brigade Group Workshop during the Battle of Milne Bay in 1942. He was medically discharged in 1943. Victor was told his father had broken his back in the war, and had four vertebrae wired together and wore a steel brace. Boscoe, as the only son of four children, helped his father provide for the family where he could.
Boscoe was educated at Bald Hills State School and Aspley High School. At 16 he left to work as an apprentice in his father’s panel beating shop. In 1969, he married and over the next few years worked as a panel beater and spray painter in Wagga Wagga, Rockhampton, Brisbane and Canberra.
In Canberra, he began working in the building trade and fulfilled his dream of becoming a carpenter. By 1978, he was back in Brisbane working odd jobs while building his own house. In 1982, he secured a position as an aviation rescue firefighter.
After the robbery that changed his life in September 1993, he was warned by police that associates of the charged men were planning a home invasion. He was threatened at the committal hearing. His family relocated four times because of fears of reprisals. Sadly, his marriage broke down and the relationship with his children was badly affected. During this difficult time, he sold his Cross of Valour, a decision he regrets. He then turned his life around taking up bodybuilding and Hapkido, a Korean martial art.
In 2010, he retired from the fire service, but this was short-lived. He worked in private security, drove airport transfers and worked as a fly-in-fly-out mine worker. With his new partner, Cheryl Parker, he started a property investment business. He finally retired fully in 2020, and now enjoys driving around Australia in his large motorhome.
CV CITATION:
On the morning of 13 September 1993 in the northern suburbs of Brisbane Mr Victor Boscoe witnessed an armed hold-up and repeatedly placed his life in danger by pursuing two armed men fleeing from the scene with the proceeds of the robbery.
Although he had heard a shot fired, Mr Boscoe followed the offenders to the car park and identified their ‘getaway’ vehicle. He pursued the vehicle in his own car through difficult traffic conditions and maintained visual contact. The offenders changed cars, observing Mr Boscoe in the process. Mr Boscoe continued his pursuit at high speed.
Unable to elude their pursuer, the offenders stopped their car and threatened Mr Boscoe with a shotgun and a handgun. Mr Boscoe immediately rammed their car. Several shots were fired at him.
Despite his wounds from the shotgun and glass and metal fragments Mr Boscoe was able to manoeuvre his vehicle free and to continue his pursuit of the offenders, through another change of vehicle, until forced to stop because of the damage caused to his car by the act of ramming.
Mr Boscoe suffered injuries to his shoulder, arm and hand.
As a result of his courageous efforts and presence of mind Mr Boscoe was able to provide Police with a useful description of the armed robbers, which assisted in the subsequent conviction of the principal offender.
By his actions Mr Boscoe displayed most conspicuous courage.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: MARYBOROUGH COLONIAL MUSEUM, MARYBOROUGH, QUEENSLAND.
