Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Lot 4759    Session 14 (4.30pm Thursday)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Estimate $25,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au

GROUP OF TEN: George Medal (EIIR type 2); Australian Active Service Medal 1945-1975, - two clasps - Malaysia, Vietnam; General Service Medal 1962, - clasp - Malaya Peninsular; Vietnam Medal 1964-73; Australian Service Medal 1945-1975, - clasp - S E Asia; Defence Force Service Medal with Bar; National Medal with Bar; Republic of Vietnam Medal, - clasp - 1960-; also Australian Defence Medal; Pingat Jasa Malaysia. T/Sgt Raymond T. McGrath. 5411331. R.A.A. on first medal, 5411331 R.T. McGrath on second - fifth and seventh - tenth, 5411331 McGrath R.T. on sixth medal. The first, seventh and eighth medals engraved, the second, fifth, sixth, ninth and tenth pantograph engraved, the rest impressed. The first eight medals court mounted, the last two in cases of issue with miniature medals and ribands, golden toning to AASM and ASM, otherwise good very fine - uncirculated.

Together with,
1. Infantry Combat Badge.
2. Returned from Active Service Badge (QC), reverse
numbered A441649.
3. George Medal award congratulatory telegrams from Philip
Lynch, Minister for the Army; PMC & Members, Sgts Mess TCC;
GOC, Mil Comd, Brisbane.
4. George Medal award congratulatory letters from Lt Col
I.R.J. Hodgkinson MBE, Jungle Training Centre, Canungra;
Army Headquarters; Lt Col W.M. Silverstone RAA, Directorate
of Artillery.
5. School and training certificates including Discharge
Certificate.
6. Army Regimental Record of Service Book.
7. Various documents relating to award of George Medal.
8. Army presentation certificate for National Medal.

GM: LG 6/6/1969, p5885, posn 1; CAG 29/5/1969, p3089, posn 1.

Citation: to Bombardier (Temporary Sergeant) Raymond Thomas McGrath.

'On the 25th January 1969, Sergeant R.T. McGrath was acting as an assistant instructor whilst students of 113/69 Battle Efficiency Course were undergoing live grenade-throwing practice on the grenade assault range at the Jungle Training Centre, Canungra.

Sergeant McGrath was required to supervise students whilst they moved to, and threw grenades from, operational-type throwing pits.

At one of these throwing points, Sergeant McGrath was in a revetted slit trench with Private G.L. Moss. Private Moss, after pulling the pin from a grenade, accidentally dropped the grenade into the trench and was momentarily shocked into immobility.

In the ensuing seconds before the grenade exploded, Sergeant McGrath, without hesitation or thought for his own safety, threw Private Moss from the trench and then attempted to get clear himself. Unfortunately he did not have time to leave the pit completely, and when the grenade exploded, he sustained multiple light shrapnel wounds to the left leg.

This unselfish act of courage, together with his stoical indifference to pain during his subsequent evacuation, reflects great credit on Sergeant McGrath. His actions and conduct were in keeping with the highest ideals of service life.

Raymond Thomas McGrath, born 31Aug1940 at Iona, Gippsland, Victoria; Enl.06Mar1963; Emb.24May1965 on HMAS Sydney; Disemb.16Jun1964 at Malaysia (Penang); detached to 3RAR; served in Vietnam 11Mar1970 - 12 Mar1971 as T/Sgt with 4th Field Regt; Disch 13Aug1985 as WOII.

Raymond Thomas McGrath was born in Victoria's Gippsland although it was a family legend that the birth was registered in nearby Bunyip, a place which few believed existed. He was one of five children of dairy farmers Les and Molly but as the small family farm could not support all the children Ray began his working life in a general store, later moving on to Nestle's milk factory at Dennington.

When Ray's parents decided to sell up and move to a larger property in Western Australia, he decided to enlist in the Army in 1963. After service in Malaysia with 111 Air Defence Battery during the Confrontation with Indonesia he was posted to the Jungle Training Centre at Canungra as an instructor in the tough Battle Efficiency Course. Many of the students attending this course were National Servicemen, including Private Graham Moss, a rifleman en route to the reinforcement unit at the Australian Task Force at Nui Dat in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam. Sergeant McGrath's role on this particular morning was to supervise students as they moved to and threw grenades from a revetted slit trench. When Private Moss pulled the pin from his grenade he accidentally dropped the grenade into the trench and momentarily froze.

Typically, training grenades were fitted with a seven second fuse and Sergeant McGrath without hesitation threw Private Moss from the trench and then attempted to get clear himself. He had not completely exited the trench when the grenade exploded, inflicting multiple shrapnel wounds to his left leg. Sergeant McGrath was subsequently awarded the George Medal for gallantry, the second highest award for bravery in such circumstances after the George Cross. He then moved to Townsville in 1969 with 4th Field Regiment, Royal Australian Artillery which was preparing to deploy to Vietnam.

By now, Ray was 29, single and living in the Sergeants' mess with a couple of equally unattached mates, a combination who were fond of a drink and a party, worked hard and played harder. Ray McGrath had one other notable trait, his fondness for chillies. In whichever mess he lived, chilli bushes would mysteriously sprout in the decorative plant pots, and he was even reputed to have had chilli bushes growing by his tent in Vietnam.

After Vietnam his career path followed the usual Army progression of training and regimental appointments including as a Warrant Officer on the training cadre of 7 Field Regiment, an Army Reserve unit in Newcastle in 1979. It was here that he met Beverly Cameron and at the age of 42, Ray married Beverly in Townsville in 1982 acquiring in the process an instant adult family of two sons and a daughter. Three years later in 1985, Ray left the Army after 22 years service and the couple settled at Deception Bay where he found employment in the security industry. A keen fisherman, he indulged in fishing and camping with his children and grandchildren, keeping in touch with his Army mates and never losing his love of a good party. In June 2003 he returned to Malaysia with fellow air defenders to receive the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal from the Malaysian Chief of the Defence Force for his service during the confrontation. The citation read in part, 'for distinguished chivalry, gallantry and sacrifice', ideals which Ray McGrath lived up to even in death, donating his kidneys and corneas for transplant.

Ray McGrath died on 19 September 2006 of complications following heart surgery. He was survived by Beverly, their children, eight grandchildren and one great grandchild.