Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Lot 2178    SESSION 11 (9.30AM THURSDAY 31ST MARCH)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Estimate $1,250
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $1,700

GROUP OF SEVEN: 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Pacific Star; Defence Medal 1939-45; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45; Coronation Medal 1953. VX38159 T.S.Gregory on first six medals, last medal unnamed as issued. All named medals impressed. Swing mounted, some contact marks, otherwise extremely fine.

Coronation Medal: Confirmed award to Thomas Screen Gregory, CSIRO, Canberra.

Thomas Screen Gregory (D.V.Sc., Dip.BACT.), bacteriologist, age 37, born at Ballarat, Vic; Enl.17Jul1940 at Paddington, Sydney, NSW; TOS RRD 24Jul1940; to Sgt 25Jul1940; Emb.29Dec1940 to Middle East; to Lieut 28Oct1941; survived the sinking of the SS Chakdina which was being used as a medical evacuation ship from Tobruk when it was torpedoed in the Mediterranean; Appt Asst Pathologist 3 Aust Mob Bact Lab 01Jan1942; to AAMC and Appt'd OC of 2/3 Aust Mob Bact Lab 07May1943; Capt 21May1943; trf from AAMC (Miscell) to AAMC (Scientific) 30Jan1944; allotted for duty as Pathologist 31Mar1944; to Major 01May1944 whilst holding appointment of Pathologist LHQ Med Research Unit 01May1944; emplaned Cairns for Moresby 08Sep1945; LHQ Med Research Unit redesignated 12Oct1945; Disch.21Jan1946 as Major ex L.H.Q. Medical Research Unit; Died 03Apr1972 suddenly while on Easter holidays in Gippsland, Vic and was cremated at Springvale Botanical Cemetery.

After completing his secondary education at the Ballarat Agricultural High School, Thomas Screen 'Greg' Gregory completed a Veterinary Science degree at the University of Melbourne graduating with honours in 1923. After working as a vet, mainly with cattle, in Canterbury, New Zealand for a few years he returned to Australia and in 1926 commenced work in Melbourne as a research officer in the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) working mainly on contagious bovine diseases. In 1928 he was offered and accepted a position as senior lecturer in bacteriology at the University of Melbourne. After nine years he rejoined the CSIR doing research and also some lecturing. In July 1940 he joined the 2AIF working as a bacteriologist and also serving in Tobruk as well as Syria and research into Malaria in the Pacific.

After the war he continued his scientific work including writing a thesis titled, 'The Studies of Some Infectious Diseases of Sheep and Cattle in Australia'. Thomas Screen Gregory was a distinguished, critical veterinary scientist and member of the Australian Veterinary Association and in 1966 the Council of this Association awarded him the Gilruth Prize. His contribution to veterinary science is massive and he was in the forefront of the campaign on Foot and Mouth disease at all levels and no doubt his contribution has kept Australia free from this disease.

A portrait painting by Louis Kahan was entered in the 1966 Archibald Prize competition reaching a finalist position and this painting is now in possession of the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) at Parkville, Victoria (formerly CSIR that changed it's name in 1949 after ceasing all defence work for the military). Another sketch of him by Australia's first female official war artist, Nora Heysen, is held by the Australian War Memorial. Images of both of these artworks are included with the lot.

With copy of Service File and other comprehensive research.