Medals

Family Grouping:

PAIR: British War and Victory Medal, both correctly impressed to 6846 A-CPL (PTE ON VICTORY MEDAL) R. J. WATSON 2 BN AIF

 EMB: 8^th November 1916

 WIA/KIA: Initially classed as wounded 6^th November 1917, then reported wounded/missing before he was finally reported Killed in Action after a court of inquiry into his death.

Private Harris from his battalion gave the following statement in reference to Cpl Watson’s death; “Watson was buried by shell at Passchendaele on the 6^th November with McDonald, Sutcliffe and Cox. I helped to dig them out and buried them behind the trench which was just in rear of village.”

 Confirming Private Harris’s statement to be true and correct, Cpl Watson’s body was exhumed at the first possible opportunity and he now rests in the Passchendaele New British Cemetery (six and half miles N. E. from Ypres).

 Also comes with a British War and Victory Medal (pair) correctly impressed to 181003 GNR J. W. S. WATSON R. A. Medal roll confirms this to be the full entitlement to John William Stewart Watson who is believed to be Robert’s brother. Further research required

VF $775

Pair: 1914/15 Star and British War medal (missing Victory medal). Both correctly impressed to 2780 PTE F. W. BARKER 2/BN A.I.F. (CPL on War Medal)

Emb. 30th September 1915

Transferred to the 55th Bty 14th Brigade 16th March 1916

WIA. 20th October 1917 (Gassed)

Discharged 6th October 1919

VF $385 

Pair: British war medal and Victory medal impressed to 6983 PTE M. GRIFFIN 2 BN AIF

Previous service listed as "A.M.C."

Emb. 9^th November 1916

WIA 22^nd September 1917 "GSW L/Foot Severe"

RTA: 5^th April 1918 and subsequently discharged "medically unfit" as a result of his wounds

Near EF $400

Trio: 1914/15 star, British War and Victory Medal all correctly impressed to 769 DVR (PTE on star). C. A. HANDLEY 4/BN AIF.

EMB: 20th Oct 1914

Joined Battalion on Gallipoli 14th June 1915

Left Gallipoli on the 7th August 1915 "sick"

21st September 1917 appointed driver

Hospital France (influenza) 21st Dec 1916

RTA: 24th September 1918

Note: Private Cecil Albyn Handley appears to have WW2 home service as N70284 with the rank WO2

VF $975

 Pair: British War Medal and Victory medal (missing 1914/15 star). Both correctly   impressed to 1349 PTE W. J. THORP 5 BN A.I.F.

 Emb. 2nd February 1915 as regimental number 1426

 Proceeded to Gallipoli ex Egypt 3 April 1915

 Disembarked in Egypt ex Gallipoli 7th January 1916 (probably still on British ship)

 Transferred to 5th Pioneer Bn 16th May 1916

 WIA 29th September 1918 (G.S.W. Buttock & right arm)

 Discharged 14th May 1919

 A letter applying for the ANZAC Medallion (in his records) by Private Thorp himself   states that he was at the landing on the 25th April 1915 and was further wounded   at Gallipoli where he ended up on the Destroyer "Reindeer" and remained for   some time "to help the British".

 Total war service is recorded as "4 years and 185 days".

VF $650  

Four: 1914/15 star, British War, Victory Medal and War Medal 1939/45. WW1 trio correctly impressed to 647 T/SJT (PTE on star) C. L. WILLIAMS 6/BN AIF. War medal 1939/45 correctly impressed V83170 C. L. WILLIAMS (Full entitlement).

EMB: 19th October 1914

WIA: 4th May 1915 Gallipoli "G. S. W. neck"

2nd WIA: 3rd May 1916 Gallipoli "G. S. W. lower extremities"

Transferred to Ordnance Corps 8th August 1917

RTA: 23rd October 1918 "Special leave"

Returned to the UK and taken on strength at A.I.F. HDQRS with rank of Hon. SGT.

RTA: 22nd October 1919

WW2 home service was recorded as HQ3 DIST DETAILS CAMP from 14th March 1940 until 20th July 1941 (16 months). The requirement for the Australian Service Medal at the time being 18 months makes this group his full entitlement

Note: An early entry in May 1915 at Gallipoli of a soldier being wounded is often due to wounds caused during the landing. Battalion musters were not able to be performed on the beach until the 2nd of May and records and information was filled in as a result of those initial musters.

National Archives records have Charles Latham Williams file incorrectly numbered as 649 when researching

VF $1300

Trio: 1914/15 star, British War and Victory Medal all correctly impressed to 3274 PTE. T. M. COLE 8/BN AIF.

EMB: 11^th Oct 1915

WIA: 18^th April 1917 (concussion, head) France

RTA: 27^th Sept 1917

Discharged: 3^rd M.D (medically unfit) 26^th Dec 1917

GOOD VF $995

Three: Private G. L. F. Butcher, 8th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, who was killed in action on the Western Front on 26 July 1916

1914-15 Star (262 Pte. G. L. F. Butcher. 8/Bn. A.I.F.); British War and Victory Medals (262 Pte. G. L. F. Butcher. 8-Bn. A.I.F.) 

 Gordon Leslie Fleuret Butcher attested for the Australian Imperial Force and served initially with the 8th Battalion during the Great War, before transferring to the 58th Battalion. He was killed in action on the Western Front on 26 July 1916, while serving with the latter unit, and is buried at Rue-de-Bois Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix, France.

Light traces of verdigris, very fine $1200

Pair: British War Medal and Victory Medal impressed to 4456 Pte. T. Clough 8 Bn. AIF

emb. 28 Jan 1916  RTA 5 Jan 1919

 1)WIA 16 July 1916 58 Bn.  2)  1. Nov 1918  3)   recorded GSW 4.Dec 1918

A nice multi wounded pair.

 Near VF $525

Pair: British war medal and Victory medal impressed to 484 PTE W. JONES 8 - BN AIF

Emb. 27th May 1916

Transferred to 8th Bn from the 39th (hence the low service number) 9th September 1916

WIA 20th September 1917 "GSW Rt Buttock Severe" and also shows as "Shrapnel Wound Neck"

Discharged "medically unfit" as a result of the wounding on the 8th May 1918

VF $425

Pair: 1914/15 Star and Victory medal (missing BWM). Both correctly impressed to 1361 PTE W. N. HAMILTON 8 BN AIF

 Pte. Hamilton also appears as number 1348

 Emb. 2 Feb. 1915

 WIA. 8 May 1915 (G. S. W. left leg)

 RTA. 12 December 1915 Medically unfit.

 Pte. Hamilton is recorded as being wounded on the 8th of May 1915 which is where the 8th Battalion was involved in Krithia. An extremely important yet tragic early battle in the Gallipoli campaign.

VF $650

Pair: 1914/15 Star and Victory medal (missing BWM). Both correctly impressed to 2781 PTE D. BAMBRIDGE 8 BN AIF

 Emb. 15 Sept. 1915

 WIA. 26 July 1916 (shell shock)

 2nd WIA 9 August 1918 (G.S.W. right arm)

 Disch. 8 April 1919

 Pte Bambridge also served in the short lived 69th Bn AIF

VF $450

Family grouping of two brothers who tragically died in France

Group 1; Pair: 1914/15 Star and Victory medal (missing British war medal). Both correctly impressed to 1384 PTE H. MORRIS 8/BN A.I.F. (1314 CPL H. MORRIS 8 BN A.I.F. on victory)

Emb. 2^nd February 1915

Admitted to hospital Gallipoli sick 9^th September 1915

Transferred to 4^th Light Mortar Battery 14^th August 1916

Died of injuries on the 31st August 1918 caused by a motor accident (fractured skull). This was whilst on active service behind the lines in France and he was taken to the 4^th Field Ambulance and then to the 53^rd Casualty Clearing Station where he died.

Cemetery details: Daours Communal Cemetery Extension, Picardie, France

Group 2; Pair: 1914/15 Star and Victory medal (missing British war medal). Both correctly impressed to 3419 PTE C. MORRIS 14/BN A.I.F.

Emb. 11^th October 1915

KIA: 11^th April 1917 (No body was found of Private Morris after the attack on Villers-Bretonneux)

Memorial details: Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Picardie, France

Note: Includes the badges pictured and a beautiful gold fob with “HONOUR AND FREEDOM, AIF” encircling a soldier with the reverse inscribed “To William Morris, A grateful tribute from his friends of Weewin. In the memory of his son C. Morris”

Near EF $1425

PAIR: British War and Victory Medal, both correctly impressed to 1576 L/CPL T. KELLEHER 9 BN AIF.

EMB: 13^th February 1915 with the 9^th Battalion

RTA: 4^th May 1915 for reasons unknown (due to this part of the file missing). The 9^th Battalion was in the initial waves at the landing at Gallipoli and by the 4^th May it is possible that slightly wounded or stable wounded could have been sent home to recover (depending on the wound). There is no reference to a charge appearing later on in his service and a wound or injury seems the only likely event that once recovered would carry no prejudice on re-enlistment.

EMB: Now as number 2487 with the 8^th BN on the 16^th July 1915

Absent without Leave on the 16^th August until apprehended by the Military Police. Also for using threatening language to a superior and attempting to escape. Sentenced 28 days detention as of the 13 September 1915

Taken on strength at Lemnos on the 31^st October 1915 heading for Gallipoli. We can only assume he reached Gallipoli with nearly two months left of fighting before the evacuation and the next entry in his records show him disembarking at Alexandria on the 7^th of January 1916 with the rest of Gallipoli’s evacuated force.

Transferred to the 57^th BN on the 22^nd March 1916

KIA: 25^th October 1917 Belgium. Unfortunately no body was recovered for Thomas Keleher and he is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial.

Note: A letter on file from his mother alerts us to the sad fact that his brother number 2696 Private James Martin Keleher 3^rd BN AIF was also killed in action the year before on the 25^th of July 1916 at Villers-Bretonneux

When searching records for Thomas Kelleher he may appear under his second number 2487 and the family surname is spelt with one “L”. Missing 1914/15 star based on previous enlistment. On the surface he was a very interesting man and hopefully with good research his full story will be discovered.

VF $625

Pair: British war medal and Victory medal impressed to 3052 PTE T. McCAULEY 10 BN AIF

Emb. 14^th September 1915

Transferred to the 50^th Bn (26^th February 1916)

Transferred to the Australian Army Medical Corps officially the 6^th March 1919 but parading with unit from the 2^nd November 1918

Discharged 4^th military district 13^th August 1919 Medically unfit 

Note: Entitled to 1914/15 star, however the pair was re-united recently (2018) giving hope that the 1914/15 Star will eventually turn up. A note that came with medal indicates he died in 1930 with the official records stating “died after discharge”.

VF+ $375

Pair: British war medal and Victory medal impressed to 5236 PTE E. WALLIS 10 BN AIF

Emb. 25^th March 1916

Sprained Left Ankle (Severe) 16^th October 1916 "In the field"

Transferred to the 70^th Bn (23^rd March 1917)

RTA: For home service on the 27^th August 1917 due to age.

VF+ $375

Trio: 1914/15 Star, British War and Victory Medal all correctly impressed to 2417 PTE. C. McCARTHY 11/BN AIF.

Charles McCarthy enlisted on the 10^th May 1915 in to the 11^th Bn A.I.F.

Taken on strength 7^th Reinforcements 11 Battalion at the Dardanelles on the 4^th August 1915

11^th November 1915 leaves Gallipoli Peninsula due to Dysentery

18^th November 1916 whilst meant to be recovering in London Charles is arrested for AWOL and being out of uniform. He is awarded 12 months in prison hard labour.

Sentence reduced to 6 months and in June 1917 Charles was back on the frontline with the 11^th Battalion where he stayed until the end of the war.

RTA: 27^th April 1919 Discharging 5:M.D in June that year.

VF+ $785

Pair: British War Medal and Victory Medal impressed to 6347 R. G. Turner 11 Bn. AIF

emb. 18 Sept 1916  RTA 1.6.1919

WIA GSW both arms and head 23 April 1917

VF $475

Pair: British War Medal and Victory Medal impressed to 5435 Pte. R. D. Moore. 11 Bn. AIF

Emb. 17 April 1916  RTA 13 May 1918

Records show " fractured leg -both bones".

VF $425

Trio: 1914/15 star, British War and Victory Medal all correctly impressed to 1764 L/CPL. (PTE on Star) W. W. GILBERT 11/BN AIF.

Previous Service 2 years W.A.I.R

EMB: 19^th April 1915

Taken on strength 4^th reinforcements, Gallipoli 10^th July 1915

WIA: 6^th May 1915 (remained on duty)

RTA: 21^st March 1919

NEAR EF $995

Trio: 1914/15 Star, British War and Victory Medal all correctly impressed to 3922 PTE. G. M. PESCOD 11/BN AIF.

George Marshall Pescod aged 43 enlisted on the 27^th August 1915 in the 11^th Bn A.I.F.

Taken on strength with the 12^th Reinforcements 11 Battalion he proceeded overseas to Alexandria.

After service in the Middle East, George proceeded with Charlie Company 11^th Battalion to France disembarking on the 5^th April 1916.

Wounded in action “Gun Shot Wound Abdomen (penetrating)” France 20^th August 1916

Sadly, he succumbed to his wounds and died three days later at the 3^rd Casualty Clearing Station on the 23^rd August 1916.

George is buried Plot 2. Row F. Grave 10. Puchevillers Cemetery, France

The medals come in their boxes of issue along with the outer postal packaging addressed to Mrs R. B. Pescod (wife). Hillcroft, Sheriff Hill, Gateshead on Tyne. Also with the group are two beautiful sweetheart badges made from a single collar rising sun badge and an “Australia” shoulder title on each.

EF+ $1125

Trio: British War Medal, Victory Medal and War Medal 1939/45 first two correctly impressed to 7726 A-CPL. G. T. HETTICH 11 BN AIF. War Medal 1939/45 correctly named W237627 G. T. HETTICK

EMB: 29^th June 1917 11 BN AIF

No further information is given as his WW1 record is not digitalised?

WW2 home service with in Head Quarters Western Command as a staff Sergeant

Note: As the Australian Service Medal was not issued until 1952, this could be his full issue. Further research required.

 VF $375

Trio: 1914/15 star, British War and Victory Medal all correctly impressed to 2780 PTE. (SGT on BWM & VM) J. R. NEILSON 11/BN AIF.

Previous service stated as “five years Bendigo Cadets”

Promoted corporal 11^th August 1915 11bn & then again promoted Sergeant 11^th September 1915

EMB: 5th October 1915 reverts back to rank

Promoted Cpl 18^th April 1916

Transferred to 24^th How. Bde. In the 112^th Bty 16^th June 1916

Granted 12 months leave agricultural purposes to America 31^st July 1919 “The purpose of instruction in agriculture and pig raising methods”

RTA 15^th September 1920 from Vancouver to Perth Western Australia (address stated as Salvado St Cottesloe Beach)

Note: Records show John Roy Neilson medals were returned to sender and then sent back to him

VF $775

Trio: 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.1914/15 Star and Victory Medal impressed to 1981 DVR L. WRIGHT 12 BN AIF

Emb. 26 April 1915

Evacuated Gallipoli sick 14th August 1915 (returned to active duty 1916)

RTA 21 March 1919 (earliest discharge for 1915 enlistments who saw the whole war).

A nice group to a soldier who served continuously through WW1.

VF $925