Australian Historical Medals

Lot 966    Session 4 (4:30pm Tuesday 31 July)    Australian Historical Medals

Estimate $300
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $260

N.S.W. Railways & Tramways Ambulance Corps, Efficiency Medal in gold (tested as 14ct; 10.56g) with reverse inscribed, 'H.E.Coath' and die struck '1914'. Missing suspension and ribbon, enamel faded, otherwise fine.

Ex Dr Gordon C.Shortland Collection.

At the 1914 annual meeting of the Railway and Tramway Ambulance Corps the Chief Commissioner presented certificates instead of gold medals and other awards notifying recipients that the presentation of these would be deferred to a later date in view of the war and the condition of the finances. This later date arrived on Tuesday night 2 March 1915 when a special awards presentation night was held at the Railway and Tramway Institute, the Chief Commissioner presiding. Herman Coath was one of the recipients for the year 1914 examinations for an efficiency gold medal.

Herman Ernest Coath was born at Mumbil, NSW. At age 27 he enlisted in the AIF at Liverpool, NSW. He embarked on 9 August 1915 and on 4 November joined 2 Battalion and served at Gallipoli from 4 November 1915. He was posted to 1 Machine Gun Battalion on 1 April 1918, and was wounded in action on 12 September 1918. He returned to Australia on 21 March 1919 and was discharged on 4 July 1919. His name was placed on the Wellington District Honour Board located at the railway station for railwaymen who had enlisted in AIF.