Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Lot 3211    SESSION 13 (2.30PM THURSDAY 25TH MARCH)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Estimate $15,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au

PAIR: Tasmania Meritorious Service Medal (EVIIR); Commonwealth of Australia Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (EVIIR). Warrant Officer. J.Chisholm. 1903. on first medal, Warrant Officer, J.Chisholm, 1904. on second medal. First medal impressed, second medal engraved. Nicely toned, nearly uncirculated, the first medal very rare.

Together with King's crown gilt arm badge with backing plate as worn by Warrant Officer II; Armourer-Sergeant brass badge with backing plate.

TASMSM: Tasmania - CAG No.51 31/10/1902, p532 to WO James Chisholm, Late Ordnance Dept.
(Note that this award is recorded in the book of LS&GCMs and MSMs to Australia 1897-1985 by Robert Dalton as being an award of a Commonwealth of Australia Meritorious Service Medal.)

COALS&GCM: Tasmania - CAG No.32 21/5/1904, p386 to WO James Chisholm, Late Ordnance Dept.

In The Mercury, Hobart, Tasmania on Monday 10 November 1902, page 5 was published the following report:- 'Well-earned Compliments. - Letters and personal congratulations have been received by Warrant Officer J.Chisholm, Hobart, on the notification of General Order No.205 of "Commonwealth of Australia Gazette", 31st October, 1902, of his having been awarded the medal for meritorious service, he having served for 42 years in the Defence Forces of Tasmania. He joined the 3rd Volunteer Rifle Company as Armourer Sergeant on June 7, 1860, and continued as a non-commissioned officer for that very long period, and retired as Ordnance Store-keeper on September 1, 1902.'

J.Chisholm was a gun maker prior to 1860. In 1903, after his retirement from the Defence Force, he was a government appointed Inspector of Magazines and Explosives.

State Meritorious Service Medals were discontinued in March 1902 when they were replaced by the Commonwealth of Australia Meritorious Service Medal. There are no recorded Tasmania Meritorious Service Medals and the assumption must be that when WO James Chisholm was awarded his Commonwealth of Australia Meritorious Service Medal that the medal naming section has picked up an unissued Tasmania medal, which looks almost identical to the Commonwealth issue and have impressed it for issue to Warrant Officer J.Chisholm. This is reinforced by the fact that the medal has the naming impressed, as with many Commonwealth of Australia issues, instead of the normal engraved naming on State issues.