Australian Groups - Other Properties

Lot 4654    Session 15 ( 7.30pm Thursday 20th November)    Australian Groups - Other Properties

Estimate $20,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $52,000

GROUP OF FIVE: Distinguished Service Order (GVR); 1914-15 Star; British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19 (with MID); Royal Naval Reserve Decoration (GVR). First and last medals unnamed, T.A.Bond. D.S.O. Cmdr. On second medal, T-Lt-Cmdr. T.A.Bond. R.A.N.B.T. on third medal, T-Lt-Cmdr. T.A.Bond A.I.F. on fourth medal. All named medals impressed. Very fine - extremely fine.

Ex J. and J. Edwards Collection.

Lt Bond became the first Australian to be decorated for WWI when he was awarded the DSO for his actions at German New Guinea on 11 September 1914.

DSO: LG 11/1/1916, p449, posn 1; CAG 6/4/1916, p859, posn 1.

Citation: 'Lieutenant Thomas A. Bond, Royal Australian Naval Reserve. On 11th September, 1914, during the attack on the wireless station at Bita Paka, German New Guinea, Lieutenant Bond displayed conspicuous ability and coolness under fire in leading his men through most difficult country and enforcing the terms of surrender whilst drawing off an attack by another body of the enemy. He showed great daring, when accompanied by only one officer and one man, in suddenly disarming 8 Germans in the presence of 20 German native troops drawn up under arms, all of whom were then marched off and held prisoners. Later he personally captured 5 armed natives.'

MID:LG 28/1/1916, p1207, posn 12; CAG 6/4/1916, p861, posn 13.

MID (second): LG 13/7/1916, p6954, posn 2; CAG 30/11/1916, p3233, posn 27.

RANBT was the most highly decorated RAN unit of WWI. The CO was Lt. Cmdr. L.S.Bracegirdle. The unit blotted its copybook on 13 January 1916 when 189 men refused to work as they had received no pay for 5 weeks. At the time Lt Cmdr Bracegirdle was in hospital and the acting CO was Lt T.A.Bond. The unit served 5 months on Gallipoli, in the amphibious assault on El Arish and at the abortive 1st Battle of Gaza. One of Lt Bond's MIDs was for the evacuation of Gallipoli.

Thomas Arthur Bond, was appointed to the Naval Expeditionary Force on 19Aug1914, the force that was involved in the capture of German New Guinea. An accountant, aged 50, he enlisted for WWI service on 24Feb1915; Emb.03Jun1915; seconded to RN 21Mar1916 for service on HMS Hannibal; RTA 14Jan1920; Appt terminated 19Oct1920. Bond was not married but his nephew, Capt Sydney Stanna Bond, 25Bn, was KIA at Zonnebeke, Belgium on 09Oct1917.

With group photo and details and copy of Gazette pages.