Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Lot 5174    Session 19 (4:30pm Friday)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Estimate $8,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au

GROUP OF FOUR: King's Police Medal (GVR type 1) first issue; Egypt Medal 1882-89 (undated reverse), - clasp - Suakin 1885; Imperial Service Medal (GVR coinage head); Khedive's Star 1884-6. John Joseph Wallace, Insp., Sydney Water Police on first medal, 1220, Gun: J.Wallace, N.S.W.Arty. on second medal, John Joseph Wallace on third medal, last medal unnamed as issued. All named medals engraved. Court mounted, toned very fine - extremely fine.

Together with prize and other medals as follows,
1) National Rifle Association of New South Wales Teams Rifle Match N.R.A.Council & U.S.A.Navy, Sydney, Aug.26/08, competition medal in bronze (39mm), edge inscribed, 'J.J.Wallace'. Wallace was one of the 20-member NRA Council Team and scored 77 out of a possible 100.
2) Shooting fob in 12ct gold (approx 7.7g), unnamed but inscribed, 'Presented by Andy Flanagan'.
3) Shooting fob in 9ct gold (approx 5.7g), unnamed.
4) Shooting fob in 9ct gold (approx 7g) for NSW Rifle Clubs Union, reverse inscribed, 'Police Rifle Club/1903.4/Won By/J.J.Wallace.'
5) Shooting fob in silver inscribed to 'J.J.Wallace', and on reverse inscribed, 'N.S.W.Rifle Clubs' Union/A. Grade./2nd/Police R.C./1902.3.'
6) Prize fob in silver, obverse shield with inscribed initials, 'JW', reverse inscribed, 'Tug of War/27/3/97.'
7) St John Ambulance Association Member's medal in bronze, reverse inscribed, '89190/John J.Wallace'.

John Joseph Wallace, born 17Oct1859 at Whitegate, Cork, Ireland, the son of a coast guard. Served with Royal Navy before joining the NSW Police Force as a Probationary Constable on 18Apr1882. Throughout his career he was attached to the Water Police with promotions as follows - Ordinary Constable 01Aug1882; Constable 1st Class 01May1886; Senior Constable 01Mar1889; Sergeant 2nd Class 01Jan1902; Sergeant 1st Class 01Jan1911; Acting Inspector 01May1915; Inspector 3rd Class 01Aug1915; Inspector 2nd Class 01Oct1917. He retired 17Oct1919.

Wallace at age 25 enlisted on 21Feb1885 as a Gunner in NSW Artillery for service in the Sudan War. He embarked on 03Mar1885 and RTA 23Jun1885. He was rejected for service in the Boer War and as he was a qualified Physical Education Instructor, spent his spare time training troops at Victoria Barracks in Sydney before they embarked for South Africa.

He was a member of the Executive Council of the National Rifle Association and organised a Police Firearms Carnival. He was also Captain of the Waverley Tug-of-War Team and in June 1897 was presented with an address and a present by the team after several successes.

He was awarded the King's Police Medal in 1919 for good work as Officer-in-Charge of the Water Police. John Wallace died on 12Nov1930 and is buried at Waverley Cemetery, Sydney, NSW.

With research including copies of newspaper reports of the Teams Rifle Match between N.R.A.Council and the U.S.A.Navy.