Military Medals & Militaria

Lot 761    Day 1    Military Medals & Militaria

Estimate $3,550
Bid at live.noble.com.au

PAIR: Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal (GVR) (O&D.85), edge impressed 'B.Love Late No.341 Pvt. Canterbury Engineer Vols (1918); New Zealand Long and Efficient Service Medal, type 2 (O&D.92), edge engraved 'No 341Pte. Benjn. Love, Wanganui Rifle Vols. (1901); also shooting awards, including WCRV (Wanganui City Rifles Volunteers), 1882-3, struck and crafted in silver and gilt (37x38mm), no maker, ring top with bar suspension, reverse inscribed 'Company's/1st/Aggregate Prize/Won by/Pvt B.Love.'; (NZ Government Gold Medal for Best Shot in Volunteer Forces in each Island), cast and handcrafted in gold (probably 9ct, tot wt 28.25g, 30mm), by S.Kohn & Co, Wellington, N.Z., ring top suspension with suspension bar and crossed rifle on ribbon, reverse inscribed 'Won By/No 432/Private Benjamin Love/Wellington Guards Rifle Vols./Best Shot/North Island/1898-99/101 Points'; N.Z.R.A. (New Zealand Rifle Association), struck in bronze (33.5x34mm), by A.Teutenberg, Auckland, ring top suspension with pin-back ribbon suspender bar, reverse inscribed 'Aggregate Prize/3 Competitions/At 2.5/& 600/yds./Average/92 1/2/Pts./Won by/Pvt.B.Love W.G.'. Very fine - good very fine. (Pair + 3)

The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Long Service Medal was awarded to Mr Benjamin Love, late Private in Canterbury Engineer Volunteers (No 1 Company), he having a total service to April 8, 1918 of 29 years and nine days.^^Benjamin Love was born in 1860 at Shorncliffe, England and arrived in New Zealand in 1863 aboard the Elizabeth Ann with his father who served with the 18th Royal Imperial Regiment in the Maori Wars. Mr Love was well known as a prominent rifle shot for more than 40 years. Mr Love's wife was born at the Bendigo diggings in Victoria, Australia in May 1863 and her family relocated to New Zealand in December of that same year attracted by the Gabriel's Gully gold rush. Benjamin Love died on 8 August 1944 at his home in New Brighton.