Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Lot 3670    Session 12 (11.30am Thursday 26 March)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Estimate $3,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $3,800

MC TRIO TO WWI WIA: Military Cross (GRI); British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19. Capt R.A.Holmes/8th F.C. Engrs. AIF. On first medal, Captain R.A.Holmes. A.I.F. on last two medals. First medal engraved, last two medals impressed. Extremely fine.

Together with 5th Australian Divisional Engineers Aquatic Sports bronze prize medal (48mm), reverse, Corbie - Somme - France 3-7-17, engraved, 'Officers/Sculling Race./R.A.Holmes', in original circular case of issue; Military Cross original case of issue.

MC: Fifth Supplement No.30389 to LG 16/11/1917; CAG No.31 7/3/1918.

Recommendation by Lt-Col A.B. Carey C.R.E. 5th Aust Div and signed by Maj-Gen J.T. Hobbs : 'At Polygon Wood during recent operations this Officer was in charge of the pushing up of R.E. Stores from Hooge to forward R.E. Dump. On the night of 24/25th. Septr. When planking material was urgently required on the Chateau Wood Road, heavy shelling of the main road and the rear end of the Chateau Wood Road was going on, traffic was blocked and the congestion was so serious that it seemed as if no stores could be got up. Despite the heavy shelling Lieut. Holmes went out on the road with a total disregard of personal safety - worked so cooly and indefatigably that he managed to get the roads clear enough to enable important stores for communications for the advance to be sent up despite casualties to his transport section. Following this up on the next night Lieut. Holmes again, when heavy shelling was in progress, asserted his personality and kept his wagons going despite the fire, thus enabling further supplies to be sent up to the forward R.E. Dump. His fine example and coolness on this road on these nights of heavy shelling resulted in the accumulation of most valuable material for the subsequent consolidation. He has since been wounded.'

Robert Arbuthnot Holmes, Staff Surveyor - Lands Department NSW, age 38, born at Levuka on the island of Ovalau, Fiji; Enl.04Aug1915 at Warwick Farm Depot, NSW; previous service in Senior Cadets and a member of militia - Murwillumbah Rifle Club; 2Lt 01Dec1915 with 13th Reinforcements 1 Fd Coy Engrs; Emb.17Dec1915; Lt 20Jul1916; WIA 29Sep1917 GSW left thigh (severe), Polygon Wood, France and transferred to England; T/Capt 08Jul1918; RTA 08May1919 as Captain; Appointment terminated 18Aug1919.

With research including full service records and an original penned handwritten citation for MC.