Ask the average Australian to name just one - single battle of the First World War; undoubtably the name ‘Gallipoli’ will be amongst the top three answers. Ask for an example of a Second World War battle and I would suggest that possibly 8 out of 10 people will mention the ‘Kokoda Track’. But go one further and ask them to provide the name of a soldier who fought in either action - and the vast majority would be very hard pressed, to name just one. Unless of course they had a grandfather or other such relative who served during either conflict.

Put that same question (i.e. name a digger) to any Military Historian and they should be able to roll off a dozen names from the top of their head, without even thinking. BUT now ask them to name any ‘digger’ who served in Both the Gallipoli and Kokoda campaigns - and their knowledge may be exhausted. In fact, your average person would be totally astounded to learn that any Australians at all - could possibly have fought in both of these battles. Arguabley the two most defining battles in Australia’s short history.

Well - if ever there was a name to be associated with these two campaigns, then James (Jim) Picken COWEY is that name. If ever a man was to wear the mantle of ‘natural born soldier’, then James Picken COWEY is that man. And it is a very sad indictment on our society that this man’s name has been allowed to fade away - into the misty shadows of obscurity.

Yes - James Picken COWEY served in Two World Wars. Yes - he fought at both Gallipoli and Kokoda and like any other veteran who did ”his bit” for his country; he would shun the thought of being declared a hero. But what really is a hero?? Especially, when in this modern day and age - you only need to excel in sport and the crowd will declare you a hero.

Jim COWEY was born on the 23rd of February, 1890 at Brunswick in Victoria, Australia. By 1914, he was a strapping young man who stood 5 foot 10 inches tall and weighed in at 12 stone. He had previously served in the Militia for over 3 years but discharged with the rank of Lance Sergeant, prior to the outbreak of the Great War. So when the call went out in 1914 to help the mother country, Australians rushed to enlist and Jim was amongst them. In fact, too many men volunteered for service and the “Australian” Division was so quickly filled - that a fourth Brigade of Infantry was offered to Great Britain and this was accepted on the 03rd of September, 1914. With his prior military service and rank, Jim was a natural selection for ‘Non Commissioned Officer’ and he would quickly be appointed as a Sergeant in the fledgling AIF (Australian Imperial Force) as part of the 14th Infantry Battalion, 4th Brigade.         

                                                                               

               

 

It would be bad enough for any Mother, to bid her ’soldier son’ farewell just once; as he headed off to war. But little could Jim’s mother envisage that she would have to endure this pain twice over. The first time in 1914 and then again in 1941. With his Service Number of 426 and aged 24 years, the First World War Embarkation Roll has Jim leaving Australia on the 22nd of December, 1914 from port Melbourne aboard HMAT Ulysses.

After training in Egypt, the 14th Battalion landed ashore at Gallipoli on the first day (25th April, 1915) numbering 25 Officers and 915 other ranks. After the initial confusion of the first few days, the 14th Battalion was assigned to hold the position of COURTNEY’s POST, just south of QUINN’s POST. A most perilous position. Barely 9 days after the landing (03rd May, 1915), Jim received a Gun Shot Wound to his left forearm. It was so severe, that he required evacuation and was subsequently shipped to England. This may have proved fortuitous as he missed both the Turkish onslaught of the 19th May and the ill-fated August offensive. He returned to Gallipoli, only to be evacuated again to Lemnos due to influenza. By mid November, he was evacuated once and for all and disembarked at Alexandria from the Dardenelles on the 14th.

 

 During the great restructure and expansion of the AIF from 2 Divisions to 5 Divisions after Gallipoli, Jim found himself transferred to the 46th Infantry Battalion. Over the next few months, he rose through the ranks from C.S.M (Company Sergeant Major) to R.S.M (Regimental Sergeant Major) by July of 1916. By this time the 46th Battalion was mixed up in the turmoil, that was the Western Front. Obviously Jim’s experience and ability was recognised and he was Commissioned to the rank of 2nd Lieutenant in August of 1916 in London. By March of 1917, he would be promoted again to the rank of full Lieutenant whilst serving on secondment to the 13th Training Battalion.

On the 29th of September, 1917 Jim was wounded for the second time through a GSW (gun shot wound) to the forehead near the right eye. Again, the wound was severe enough to necessitate his evacuation to England. He was not fit enough to return to his unit, until Christmas Day of 1917.

 

                                                       

 

As Intelligence Officer during operations west of Bellenglise on the 18th to the 19th of September, 1918 his gallantry and devotion to duty was to earn him the Military Cross. It is recorded “When the line was held up by heavy machine-gun fire, he dashed forward, organised a party and pushed forward to a sunken road, where he established posts under intense machine-gun fire. It was owing to his fine work in assisting to organise the line that the position was held”. His award was promulgated in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette No. 10 - dated 29th of January, 1920.

On the 21st of September, 1918 Jim was granted ‘Special Leave’ to Australia (due to his early enlistment) and he embarked at Taranto on the 08th of October, 1918. Subsequently, his overseas service was officially recorded as commencing on the 22nd of December 1914 and concluding on the 02nd of December, 1918. His appointment as ‘Officer’ was terminated on the 31st of January, 1919 owing to the war’s end.

A letter written by COWEY to a “Mrs Gunn”, in late 1938 has been retained in his service record. There is evidence in this letter to suggest that Jim may have been serving as an Officer in the Militia (between World War 1 & World War 2) as well as the fact that he may have ‘handed in’ his war medals as an act of protest. As a result of this letter, Mrs Gunn expressed her opinion to the Deputy Commissioner (Dept. of Repatriation) with regards to Jim’s alleged state of mind. As with any veteran, the stresses of combat may have had an influence on one’s point of view.

However there is absolutely NO doubting Jim’s state of mind and mental clarity when one reads of his actions and demeanour during the Kokoda campaign.

When World War 2 began, James Picken COWEY was motivated to sign up for a second time in service of his country. The World War Two Nominal Roll indicates that he joined the Militia (CMF) on the 22nd of August, 1940 at the age of 50 years. Just over twelve months later, the 39th Militia Battalion was formed (September 1941) and Jim’s relatives witnessed him sailing off to a World War with a nightmarish sense of deja vu. The battalion set sail for New Guinea on the 29th of December, 1941 aboard the Aquitania. By July of 1942, James COWEY would find himself marching across some of the most rugged terrain in the world with ‘A’ Company of the 39th Militia Battalion….poorly trained and poorly equipped….to take on an enemy, regarded as the best jungle fighters in the world.

After having walked across the Kokoda Track - ‘A’ Company of the 39th Battalion found themselves advancing towards Kokoda Village on the 8th of August, 1942. The village had already been fought for……and lost……to the Japanese over one week earlier. Upon reaching the Kokoda Plateau, Sergeant Jim COWEY fired a flare into the air as a signal to his C.O. Major Alan CAMERON that they had “re-taken” the village. This signal went unnoticed and subsequently, no reinforcements would be sent. ‘A’ Company was on it’s own.

 

The second battle for Kokoda is well documented (www.kokodahistorical.com) and by 7pm on the 10th of August, the Australians were forced again to withdraw and surrender the village. But an account, written by J.D. McCay of the 39th Battalion, is well worth recounting:-

“Just on dusk there was a nice little shower of rain and the first assault wave came in and we stopped ‘em. My Bren gun group, Bill Drummand and Bill Spriggs, were firing and I can see the gun firing now - no kidding, you could see the bullets going up the barrel and it ran red-hot. Vern Scattergood had a Bren too and he was firing wildly. We stopped ‘em again. Then there was a bit of a pause before the next wave came in and overran us. So we said, “We’d better get out because they’ve gone past us” Well old Scattergood (or should I say young Scattergood? - he was younger than me) he got excited. He was standing up firing the Bren from the hip and that was the last I saw of young Scattergood. He must have been hit. We couldn’t find him in the dark and we moved back. After we came out of the rubber, we found Johnnie Stormont in the Company Headquarters dug-out. We tried to put a shell dressing on him but the wound was too big and he was dying. We had to leave him. We only moved a few yards and we were challenged! It was old Jim Cowey …….the coolest, bravest man I have ever known. There he was, in the kneeling position, with his rifle pointing at us. Jim’s motto was “if you were a digger, he had to get you out”. The rest of the company had gone, but he’s stayed to get us out because he knew we’d been left behind. 

Old Jim had picked up about three of four of us by now and he said, “Just stay quietly” and then he dispersed us a bit. And then he got Roy Neal and Larry Downes, and I think that was about all of us. You know most were dead then. There was no wounded in our group. Then Jim said, “Good, we’ll walk out”. I was all for running out but there were Japs everywhere. They were throwing grenades into weapon-pits, they were searching under huts, and Jim said, “We’ll walk out, they don’t know who we are”. And if you don’t mind, casually got up, put us into single file and walked us out over the bloody bridge”. We walked across the airstrip into the dense scrub and then Jim said, “Good! We’ll rest here till daylight”. So he puts us down and then ‘clunk’, being a youth - and mentally and physically exhausted, I fell straight asleep. But I suppose old Jim Cowey, being the amazing soldier that he was, stayed awake all night. “

 

After hiding out for the night, Jim COWEY’s party attempted to return to their own lines. The story is best told by author Lex McCaulay (Arrow Books) in his superb account of the Kokoda Campaign, titled BLOOD AND IRON:-

“Staff Sergeant Cowey’s party found the main Kokoda/Deniki track and began to follow it. They came to the Japanese base area with supplies piled at the base of tree and realised just what size force “C” Company had come up against when they tried to advance up the track to Kokoda on the 08th of August. Cowey continued along the track, to the dismay of some of the others. Suddenly they met Privated Drummond and Spriggs, also alone, with their Bren. The gun had seized, but they had only one magazine with three rounds left. Cowey called a halt. There were 10 in the group, with Tommy guns, rifles and a few grenades, but little ammunition. Cowey led the men, but a Japanese machine-gun opened fire, narrowly missing his head with the first burst. Cowey then demonstrated coolness under fire to the other Aussies. He leaned against the tree nearby. Brought up his .303 rifle, aimed and shot dead the Japanese gunner - who was pushed aside by his partner, so Cowey reloaded at the shoulder and shot dead this man also, then continued to kill every Japanese who climbed behind the gun. Of course, a hornet’s nest had been aroused and the Japanese were swarming.”

On page 94 to 95 of Lex McCaulay’s book, he concludes COWEY’s ordeal:-

“When the men of ‘A’ Company began arriving at the Isurava Rest House, it was then that the soldiers with Jim Cowey realised just what the previous days had taken from that brave man. He was so exhausted that the physical effort of eating was almost beyond him. He had stayed behind to make sure that as far as possible, no Australian was left behind. He had taken command of those he did find - had led them and continued to teach them while bringing them out from the midst of numerous Japanese. He had set a high standard of personal coolness and courage in action, had endured hunger - cold and rain, at 52 years of age. Jim Cowey received no medals for his service and the Kokoda Track, but is well remembered by the unit survivors.”

As pointed out by Lex McCaulay, the whole Kokoda Track campaign took it out of this man. So much so that the World War Two Nominal Roll has him discharging from the army on the 29th of October, 1943. Well before the end of the Second World War. But nobody would disagree, Jim COWEY had certainly done more than his fair share.

I have no idea if Jim COWEY actually wore his service ribbons on his uniform, prior to his embarkation to New Guinea. However, one can only speculate that any AIF man would be forced to refrain from the usual “Choco” comments when they saw the colours of a “Military Cross” alongside a 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal on a Militia Sergeant’s chest.

Add to these, the campaign medals of a man who had served in Papua New Guinea - and we have a very impressive set of decorations. And if he wore these war medals every Anzac Day - and marched under the banner of the 39th Battalion - he certainly would have been held in the very highest regard.

 

                                                   

                                                                     James Picken COWEY

                                                            14th Battalion - AIF (1914 - 1916)

                                                            46th Battalion - AIF (1916 - 1919)

                                                              39th Battalion - CMF (1940-43)

                                                                  A true AUSTRALIAN legend.

 

 

 

Recommended Reading: BLOOD AND IRON by Lex McAuley (Arrow Books)….. Thoroughly researched and a wealth of facts…..without a doubt, one of the best books on the subject of the Kokoda Track - I cannot recommend it enough.

First World War Embarkation Roll.

World War Two Nominal Roll

Archives of Australia

Often, the hardest part about conducting research on any particular subject - is knowing where to start.  For the novice researcher, the World Wide Web is daunting enough - but the in’s and out’s of Military Record keeping can be both baffling and confusing.  Especially if the ‘researcher’ has never even served in the Armed Services of their respective nation.

Every serviceman or servicewoman had a Service Number (colloquially known as a “Serial Number” in the old war films i.e. Name, rank and serial number !!!)  So from the very start, the questions are posed -  1.  How do I find out what my ancestor’s Service Number was?   2.  Is it possible that other soldiers/sailors or airmen had the same Service Number and   3.  Once I find out his or her Service Number, what do I do with it to access further information.

Let’s look at finding an Australian veteran of the Second World War.

It is logically assumed that you at least know the name and place of birth of your relative or the ‘Person of Interest’ that you are researching.  Or regarding a family tree - the names of their parents or whom their “Next of Kin” would have been.   From there, in the case of an Australian serviceman or woman, the first step will be to engage the World Wide Web on any computer that has internet access. 

If you simply Google the words WORLD WAR TWO NOMINAL ROLL, it will take you directly to the front page of the World War 2 Nominal Roll.  Alternatively, you can click on this link www.ww2roll.gov.au   From here, you can make a selection to begin your search.  Simply typing in  the surname of your ‘Person of Interest’ will bring up the record sought.  However, even if your name is not “SMITH” - the list could be a long one, so the first name - or even initials - will be sufficient to cut down the possibilities somewhat.  From there, you will find the bare details which should be sufficient enough for you to identify your relative’s details. 

In the case of a WW2 Army record, sometimes you will find that the Serviceman has two Service Numbers attached to their name.  In the case of my father - Clifford Henry Traynor, his service numbers were NX179966 and N479846.   This will be an indicator that your relative had served in both the 2nd AIF (Australian Imperial Force) and the Militia (CMF -also referred to as the AMF) during the Second World War.  The “NX” number is his AIF number and will generally take precedence - when using these numbers for research into Military Records.  Just in explanation; the “X” in the number distinguished him from the Militia.  The first letter refers to the specific state of origin i.e.   A number beginning with ”SX” meant that the soldier was from South Australia…..VX from Victoria and NX from New South Wales etc. 

In the First World War; Service Numbers were allocated to men within their respective Battalions or Regiments.  So it is certainly possible that many servicemen shared the same number.  By checking the records within the First World War Embarkation Roll (a starting point for searching Australian World War 1 records) this can be confirmed simply by typing in the number 888 - and then hitting search.   You will see that the number of men with this as their personal service number is quite staggering.  This was NOT  the same with Australian Service Numbers during the Second World War.  So the likelihood of two men having identical numbers in the World War Two Nominal Roll is virtually nil.

For records of servicemen and women of the United Kingdom, you can start by making inquiries with the following Government Officer:-

Ministry of Defence
Record Office
Bourne Avenue
Hayes
Middlesex UB3 1RF
UNITED KINGDOM

But what you will also find is that other Corps Specific Units (such as the Coldstream Guards for example) maintained their own records.  For futher information regarding other units, you will need to contact their Regimental Headquarters. 

So with Government authored sites - such as the World War Two Nominal Roll, you are well on the way to filling those “gaps of knowledge” in your Family History.   If you need to know more or require some help on which direction to take, please feel free to contact the Administrator of Medals Gone Missing and we will be glad to assist you.

A piece of Militaria surfaced on ebay a little while ago - but nobody seems to know exactly what it is…..Can you help?

Ebayer Cynthia Kelly; who hails from Seattle in Washington State U.S.A - found this badge at a thrift shop in Bellevue, Washington. She listed the item on ebay; item #230266164867 and at auction’s end - David Daly was the successful bidder. The only problem being - he was not quite sure exactly what it was - that he had purchased. Subsequently, he contacted the medalsgonemissing administrator in a bid to ascertain it’s origin, but we had never seen anything else like it.

At a first glance, it appears to be some type of a “broach” or “sweetheart badge”. It measures about 1 3/4″ long and has a pin type arrangement on the back. It also has a ‘loop’ to the rear, near the top of the badge. It is reasonable to assume that this is to facilitate a chain or ribbon for hanging?

Essentially, the design features a crown (Queen’s Crown) above a wreath with the ‘St Johns Cross’ (also known as a Maltese Cross - amongst other names) evident underneath a shield. The shield is red in colour and it appears to be enameled.

The shield is of an English “knight” design and there appears to be a ‘knight’s head/helmet’ above the shield itself. There is also a splay of eight pearls in a circular fashion around the badge, and in the case of this particular piece - two pearls are missing from the right hand side.

Medalsgonemissing contacted an Australian Medal expert - Andrew Monkhouse who is a wealth of knowledge on Military Medals of the world. He in turn, contacted an associate - however neither of them could identify the item. The one thing we did agree upon, is that the piece of Militaria was ‘British’ in appearance and was possibly a sweetheart badge because of the pearls. What was certain, is that the item is not a Campaign medal of any description.

Whatever it is, this piece of militaria has certainly invoked a degree of interest amongst the numerous “collectors” that I have shown. When I questioned Cynthia (the seller) about her original purchase of the broach - she told medalsgonemissing, “It caught my eye and I listed it in hopes of seeing if anyone would know anything more about it.”

Well Cynthia and David, you have certainly created a point for discussion. If anybody out there recognises this piece of militaria - or can offer any insight as to exactly what it is……please share your knowledge with us and solve this mystery. Medalsgonemissing will offer a free “5 year listing” for any person who can shed some light to this question.

This short story is a classic example of how items of ‘kit’ were issued, and then re-issued within the Australian Army before and during the Second World War. In the modern era, this ‘kit is now classed as MILITARIA and is collected world wide by keen enthusiasts.

The story evolves around an 03 Pattern Waterbottle. This style of military equipment was patented in 1903, hence the number allocated to the leather waterbottle carrier that was designed to carry the blue enamelled steel - Mk IV and Mark V waterbottles. Colloquially known amoungst modern collectors as a “Lighthorse” Waterbottle carrier, it was in fact used by all mounted troops, drivers and artillerymen who generally were issued with other 03 pattern equipment - such as the leather ammuntion bandolier etc. However, if you look very closely at photographs of the First World War, it is not uncommon to see infantrymen and soldiers from other Corps also utilising this piece of equipment. The advantage, as compared to the 08 Pattern of waterbottle carrier - is that it was a separate piece of kit that could easily be removed from the person in one piece. The 08 carrier which formed part of the Infantryman’s webbing was generally attached to the other parts of the rig and not as easily or quickly removed.

In fact, the 03 Pattern Waterbottle Carrier had a very long and successful service life and I have even seen items stamped with the manufacture date of 1944. Not bad for an item designed at the turn of the century.

Apart from the C.G.H.F. (a Government run factory producing leather items for Military use during World War One) there were a number of private manufacturers - commissioned to make leather equipment for the Australian Imperial Force. One such company, BECKERS of Brisbane made the actual waterbottle carrier, that is subject of this tale. Where it went after leaving the factory in 1916 is not known, but on the body of this particular carrier and the strap near the canvas shoulder piece - is stamped the regimental number “21 L H” which we know to be the 21st Australian Lighthorse Regiment.

The 21st Lighthorse Regiment; prior to 1921 - was known as the 28th (Illawarra) Lighthorse Regiment. When the Militia re-organised in 1921 - it was redesignated from the 28th to the 21st (Illawarra) Lighthorse Regiment and encompassed the localities bounded by Arncliffe near Sydney, Milton on the south coast and Moss Vale in the Southern Highlands of N.S.W. With further changes and re-structuring taking place within the Australian Army prior to the outbreak of World War 2, the 21st L/H was reformed from the 1st/21st L/H (NSW Lancers) as a seperate unit and became known as the 21st Lighthorse Regiment “Riverina Horse”. Its Headquarters was based at Wagga Wagga and it included localities such as Cootamundra, Stockingbingal, Narranderra, Griffith, Holbrook, Urana, Culcairn, Tumbarumba, Gundagai, Tarcutta and Lockhart in N.S.W.

So now we have a waterbottle carrier, made in 1916 and possibly issued to a digger during the First World War (OWNER No. 1 ??) - then placed in stores at war’s end. This bottle was subsequently drawn from Army Stores and allocated to the 21st Lighthorse Regiment sometime between 1921 and 1939. Being an ‘inter war’ Militia unit, one can only speculate exactly how many troopers utilised this bottle - but there are two names on one side of the canvas shoulder strap. Both of these names are crossed out using indelible pencil and heavily faded, but one is almost certainly “K. KRAKE”. The second name starts with the letter “B” and consists of approximately 8 or 9 letters of which the last four are either “bell” or “bolt”. In the absence of service numbers next to these names, we can reasonably attribute these names to either WW1 or Militia service. Either way, they certainly account to being OWNER’s No. 2 and No. 3.

Now here is where it really starts to get interesting.

On the reverse side of the canvas shoulder strap are three service numbers attributable to New South Welshmen in the 2nd A.I.F. - the name “B.FLETCHER and the initials “D.B.W.”

A check of the World War Two nominal role shows a number of men with the name “B.FLETCHER”. As the style of handwriting is different to any other on the waterbottle carrier and does not match any particular service number, it is either a WW1 naming or Militia Lighthorse naming. This makes him possibly OWNER No. 4.

In very neat writing is the start of the service number “NX3″. I would suggest that some soldier has started to write his service number and simply did not finish it. Less likely - is that this bottle was once issued to the man of which this number is attributable to; that of NX3 Kenneth William EATHER. This distinguished soldier enlisted on the 16th of October, 1939 and discharged on the 17th of September, 1946 at the rank of Colonel. He was born in Sydney on the 6th of June, 1901 and whilst possible, I consider this issue to be unlikely. Still, we may class this marking on the bottle as being OWNER No. 5.

There are the initials “D.B.W” and a service number above this, but these have both been heavily crossed out and the service number is totally illegible. Again, this style of handwriting is different to other samples on the carrier, so this may be considered to be OWNER No. 6.

One number which is very legible, is NX23506 with the name “R.L. HARDEN” immediately below it. Records reveal this man to be Ralph Lindsay HARDEN of Murwillumbah NSW. Ralph was born on the 26th of April, 1910 and he enlisted into the 2nd AIF on the 31st of May, 1940. He rose to the rank of Sergeant, before discharging from the AIF on the 15th of October, 1945. The World War Two Nominal Role records his unit on discharge as being the 2/4 Light Anti Aircraft Regiment. His name and number have been crossed out, so quite clearly he was not the last person to be issued with this waterbottle. But we may be safe in assuming that he is OWNER No. 7.

The last service number scribed onto the carrier is that of NX20112 Frederick James STAGG. Born in Marlborough England on the 12th of September, 1909 - he enlisted into the Australian Army on the 04th of June, 1940 from Paddington and discharged on the 29th of July, 1944. The WW2 Nominal Role has his unit on discharge as being the 2/3 Australian Light Anti Aircraft Battery.

As Sgt HARDEN was in the 2/4 Light Anti Aircraft Regiment - and Frederick STAGG was in the 2/3 Light Anti Aircraft Battery, it is possible that these two units shared the same “store” and that the bottle was re-issued from one man to the other.

If all of the possibilities mentioned above, happen to be correct - and the markings which are evident suggest it to be true; then this makes Private Frederick James STAGG to be OWNER No. 8.

Now that’s not a bad service life for one little waterbottle.

HMAS SYDNEY - what was considered to be one of Australia’s greatest mysteries of World War Two - has been found and is a mystery no longer.  But what of her ship’s company and their missing war medals? 

It is well documented that 645 men died when H.M.A.S Sydney was sunk off the Western Australian Coast on the 19th of November, 1941. Officially, the World War 2 Nominal role lists the date of death of virtually all of the ships company as being the 20th of November, 1941. Either way, not one crew member survived the encounter with the German Raider Kormoran - to claim his medal entitlement after 1945. So this could lead us to think that any war medals awarded to a crew member - may in this day and age, be virtually devoid of any of the wear and tear associated with 40 odd years of Anzac Day and Remembrance Day services.

But in my many years as a collector of Australian Military History, I consider it quite fortunate that I have not come across many “medal sets” which had been posthumously awarded to sailors from the HMAS Sydney. My hope in this - is that they are still in the hands of family and descendants - never to be bought, sold or traded.

However, when you search on the Australian War Memorial Website, the solitary 1939-45 Star awarded to Able Seaman Ronald Matthew VOGT comes to light. This medal, along with a small collection of miscellaneous items is perhaps all that remains of one man’s service to his nation. What of the rest?

Ronald Matthew VOGT was born on the 25th of September, 1919 at Blyth in South Australia. He served at Cerberus before being taken on strength of HMAS Sydney. An inspection of his Service Card on the Australian Archives does not reveal a great deal, however at the very least - his medal entitlement extends for eligibility for the 1939-45 War Medal and the WW2 Australian Service Medal.

The majority of sailors, those at least who had served on HMAS Sydney in the Mediterranean during 1940 - were certainly entitled to receive the Africa Star. However when she returned to Fremantle - Australia on the 5th of February, 1941 and then Sydney Harbour only four days later; some men were re-assigned other duties. Replacements were taken on board and for those new arrivals, a different medal entitlement would result.

One medal group, awarded to Petty Officer F.V.W. PRICE who served on the Sydney prior to 1941(not on HMAS Sydney at the time that she was lost) holds a very interesting set consisting of the 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Burma Star, 1939-45 War Medal and the Australian Service Medal. What is of interest is the “Pacific” Bar that hangs from the Burma Star ribbon. This signifies that the bearer was also entitled to the Pacific Star, but as medal protocols do not allow these two medals to be worn together in the same set - the bar is issued instead.

Certainly, her duties prior to the engagement with the Kormoran - places the ship’s crew in the geographic area that forms the entitlement for the Pacific Star.

So the question is asked, where is the rest of the entitlement belonging to Able Seaman VOGT? I only hope, that if these missing war medals are out there - somewhere - they can be reunited with the 39-45 Star that takes pride of place at the Australian War Memorial. Perhaps the rest of this broken set is amongst your collection??

If a ship, laying in the depths of the Indian ocean can be located at a depth of approximately 2,500 metres, then I can only hope that the missing medals of HMAS Sydney can be found and re-united with their respective families. It is the least that we can do to complete the mystery.

Are you a descendant of one of the 645 souls aboard the HMAS SYDNEY???? Do you have your family’s war medals??? If so - I would love to hear from you. Please tell us about them.

Or - if you are a descendant of a sailor from HMAS Sydney and your family’s war medals are missing - then I am offering FREE lifetime listing of your wanted medals on the website: medalsgonemissing.com

Just contact us for further details.

Perhaps the most significant and shameful theft within the Militaria world - of all time has occurred in New Zealand. The Army Museum in Waiouru on the North Island has fallen victim to what can only be described as a “target specific” and “professional” operation which saw these unscrupulous thieves escape with 9 Victoria Crosses and other valuable War Medals which belonged to the people of New Zealand.

When a high profile collection such as this is stolen - the average “back yard” collector may well ask the question - “If a museum of this standard is not safe, what chance do I have of protecting my collection??”

The sad fact is, for every person who holds a valuable object in their possession, there is another person out there who is prepared to steal it. Insurance alone is no protection as money - in most cases - is insignificant to the value which a family would place on their own heritage.

Your medals DO NOT need to be ‘Victoria Crosses’ or ‘Military Crosses’ to be of any monetary value. Your average 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal are now becoming attractive enough to incur a small fortune.

So here are a few steps that you can follow to protect your War Medals, or at the very least - give the Police and other authorities a ‘fighting chance’ of recovering your stolen valuables. This not only relates to War Medals, but can be extended to other items of Militaria.

1. Extensively photograph your medals and militaria. Specifically - any stampings (recipent’s name and Serial Number, Unit markings etc).

2. You should also photograph any markings, such as scratches or damage. This should include any information that you may have - as to how that damage was caused. For example; if the Police were to recover ten sets of World War 2 war medals which are not stamped with a name and serial number, how can you tell which set is actually yours? If on one occasion, your grandfather ‘accidentally dropped’ his medals causing an indentation or a mark in the metal, then this information will go a long way to helping prove your “ownership”.

3. Verbally record the full details of your medals or militaria to corroborate your photographs.

4. Register your medals on a medal register. The website Medalsgonemissing is an international register which will record your medal details and keep them on record. YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS IS NOT ON DISPLAY, NOR IS THIS INFORMATION AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. All you are doing is providing peace of mind for yourself - that the medals which you have in your possession, are actually recorded as belonging to you. This will prove ownership and the records could be subject of subpoena - if in the event “disputed ownership” is debated in a court of law. Information such as this will prove beyond any reasonable doubt - that the medals or militaria were subject of theft.

5. Regardless of how attractive or desirable to your collection a particular medal or piece of militaria may seem, do not purchase the object if you are in doubt as to it’s legitimacy. If there is no market for stolen militaria, then there would be little reason for it to be stolen in the first place.

For those of you who pour over the ebay auction site - searching for War Medals;  you may have noticed at least TWO recent instances where the seller has mentioned in their listing - that the medals on sale in fact belong to their deceased relative.  On one occasion, the medals were said to have been issued to the seller’s father and sold for well over $1,000 AUD.  These two sales took place in the month of October, 2007 and I am sure, there are many other similar cases in years gone by.

This leads me to ask the questions.          1.  Was the rest of the family consulted on this???  

                                                              2.  If not, then why not???

                                                              3.  And what chance has the future generations of that  particular family (who would never put a price on their heritage) got of recuperating the said medals???

I would also wonder - what would the old veteran would think if he knew that his medals had been hocked by his own flesh and blood to ‘make a quid’.

I can thankfully report that in the instance of 95 year old Aussie digger QX4019 David Gulbrandson, at least his medals will not meet such a fate.  Fourteen medals to be exact.  This Queenslander fought in many campaigns, including the defence of Crete and so it is only fitting that he had a hand in deciding where his medals would end up.

Mr Gulbrandson had told ‘the daily’ newspaper on the Sunshine Coast that the matter of what to do with his medals had concerned him for some time.  He said, “I decided if I wanted to do the right thing by the family, I should not give them to just one person, I should give them to something like this”.   He was referring to the donation of the valuable medals to the Maroochy R.S.L Sub-Branch’s museum.  One museum representative stating that this donation was the most momentous thing that they had ever received.  Thankfully, many of Mr Gulbrandson’s family members attended the small hand-over of the medals and in the future,  all of his descendant’s will know exactly where to go to view their heritage. 

If a person is fortunate to inherit service medals which belonged to a relative, I can only hope that they value them for what they really are.  Not just pieces of metal and ribbon to be bought and sold, but symbols of sacrifice made by our ancestors.  We do not OWN these medals - but rather, we should regard ourselves as mere ‘custodians’.   The memory of our veterans is worth far more than any price paid in on-line auction sites. 

And your family’s heritage will not join the long and growing list of “missing medals”.

                            If you have a broken set of medals that you have lost hope of “re-uniting” -  then do not dispair.  Miracles do happen!!!

It is not uncommon for an ancestor’s medals to be split up.  If you have read my previous entry titled “Why War Medals Go Missing” you might recall that I mentioned the common practice of many families - in that a medal set is split up amongst a veteran’s children.  The veteran passes away, his children grow up and as the years pass - the grand children inherit the medals.  Unless this family recognises the value of keeping these medals together as a set, they are generally seperated forever.

Well, this was the case with one such family in Canada.  Thankfully for them however, this story has a happy ending!! 

The British War Medal (colloquially known as ‘Squeak’) and The Victory Medal (known as ‘Wilfred’ after a popular comic strip of the early 1920’s containing the characters “Pip, Squeak & Wilfred”) belonging to Canadian War Veteran Pte. Robert James CLEMENTS became a “split set” in 1979 when the old soldier passed away.  One medal was given to each of his two sons and they were packed away - only to be forgotten. 

Many years later, the son who was the custodian of the “Victory Medal” passed away and somehow, this medal ended up on the ebay auction site.  The family was notified by a member of the Chatham-Kent Museum and it was agreed that a bid should be placed on the medal.  It was won by on-line auction for $110

The family subsequently located the “British War Medal” in a family tree file and it was donated to the Museum, to be re-united as a set again after nearly 30 years apart.  As the medals were originally on the eastern side of Canada near Ontario, the missing “Victory Medal” somehow travelled cross country and ended up on the west coast at Vancouver.   A journey which is a mystery to the descendants of Pte. CLEMENTS. 

This just proves that miracles can happen and that hope should never be lost. 

But if you can’t afford to  spend 12 hours a day, 365 days a year - pouring over the ebay auction site or other on-line auction houses, then you will need the help of a web-based International Medal Registry to keep an eye out for you.  Medalsgonemissing - the up and coming militaria website is one such source and will reach to all corners of the globe, where other similar sites have never gone before.

Who knows?  One day I might be sending that surprise email to you and we can re-unite your Squeak with your Wilfred - like lost lovers.

Even in this day and age, there are still many War Medals from various past conflicts - which, for one reason or another - have not been claimed by War Veterans or their respective family.

Some even going back as far as the First World War.

In the case of the 1914 - 18 war, there are virtually no Veterans left to make a claim. But sixty years on, there are still veterans of the Second World War who - through one means or another - are discovering that they have not yet received their full entitlement.

One case at hand is that of 90 year old British War Veteran, Tommy HALL. As reported by the Newbury Weekly News on the 31st of October, 2007 - Tommy had two War Medals from his service with the Ulster Rifles. When Tommy moved house, these medals went missing and he sought the assistance of the Newbury Branch of the ‘Royal British Legion’ to help him acquire “replacement” medals.

It was then ascertained that Tommy was actaully entitled to four more service medals, bringing his tally to that of six medals in total. As the Ulster Rifles were part of the British 6th Airborne Division, Tommy no doubt found himself in the thick of it - during the Normandy Landings and the subsequent Ardennes offensive.

And now, 62 years later, the medals from these campaigns are finally finding their way back to their rightful owner.

Which brings us in modern days, to ask the question “Where did my relative serve? And did he or she receive everything that he was entitled to?”

As our servicemen and women of yesteryear fade away, many families go through the process of recording their heritage and “family tree” research often leads to a search for war medals. When these medals cannot be found, we just assume that either “someone else has been given the medals” or “they are lost; never to be recovered”.

After what has just happened to old Tommy HALL, perhaps you should start to dig a little deeper and find out as to whether or not; your relative’s war medals have actually been issued and claimed???

Every Commonwealth Country has a Government Agency that can assist you - and at least enlighten you as to whether or not - your relative’s medals have in fact been claimed.

In your search for missing war medals, at least it is somewhere to start.

You only have to watch the National Australian News on television - from time to time or read the newspapers to see the occasional story of a theft involving War Medals. It is an unfortunate fact of life that our elderly - who should be respected and treasured for their past contributions to this country - are regular and easy targets of crime. It is even more sickening when the victim is an actual Veteran or War Widow.

One such case is the story published by the ABC News of an 86 year old War Veteran who returned to his home in Sydney shortly after Anzac Day to find an intruder in his house. The Digger was seriously assaulted and his medals stolen. Subsequently, the victim has pleaded for the return of his medals; perhaps at his stage in life - the most valuable and irreplacable of all his possessions. For these medals are more than just recognition of service……..each medal is a reminder to the veteran of a tumultuous youth and mateships forged in war. Just like his lost friends and comrades, they can never be replaced. Sure - anyone can obtain ‘copies’ and lookalikes, but the original war medals represent “memory” and in many cases, have been an integral part of Anzac Day for each and every Veteran.

The digger is quoted as saying “They’re no value to you mate, just pass it back to it’s rightful owner. That’s all I’d say to them”. The unfortunate thing is - it is a very good chance that these medals may be sold to some unscrupulous collector who knows or cares little for the history of the sacrifice made by the individual who earned these awards.

What is fortunate - is that for every unscrupulous collector or Military Medals out there - the number of decent and conscientious collectors of Militaria is ten fold. One can only hope that if these stolen war medals are sold on the open market, the purchaser will commit to researching the history of the recipient and find that the medals were subject of a theft. In turn - the medals will find their way back to the rightful owner.

In the particular case mentioned above, the investigating Police have warned local pawnbrokers and collectors to keep a look out for the medals which have the recipient’s name stamped into them (generally on the reverse side for stars - such as the Pacific Star or the African Star……and on the edge for medals of a round shape such as the Defence Medal or the Victory Medal awarded to troops of the Commonwealth) For more information on this particular theft, please refer to the ABC News Online Website article posted on the 4th May, 2007.

Our website, gives ALL victims of crime - the oppertunity to list stolen war medals - totally free of charge. The aim of websites such as MEDALSGONEMISSING is to reunite lost/stolen or missing medals with their rightful owners.

It would be easy to ignore such a story. After all - days such as Anzac Day or Remembrance Day only come around once a year. And the demands of modern society for most people, generally engulf our thoughts and minds to the point that we do not think of the sacrifice made by generations before us in times of war on a daily basis.

But for the digger from Sydney and veterans all over the world - who have lost family and mates in war…….every day is Remembrance Day to a wandering mind……sitting in a chair in some lonely Retirement Village.

I regret to say that the above example is not an isolated incident. Again, the ABC News published a report on Friday 15th June, 2007 of a Veteran whose War Medals were stolen in Griffith, New South Wales. The 89 year old digger - an easy target.

Or the 100 year old Perth man whose Redcliffe home was violated and his valuable medals stolen, as reported by The Australian newspaper on September 14th, 2007. The same story was run by the Brisbane Times.

For further information, go to the website of the Returned and Services League of Australia or search the website MEDALSGONEMISSING (in the Advanced Search field) to ascertain if your medals - that may have been stolen in the past - have since sold on the open market. 

These Servicemen and Women helped win the war……help us to win the battle against crime and get these stolen medals back to their family.

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