Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Lot 1119    Session 5 (2:30pm Tuesday 26th July)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Estimate $5,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $9,500

GROUP OF TWELVE: Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE type 2) (Military); Officer of the Order of St John (with attached 8mm star emblem as worn on riband bar); British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Pacific Star; Defence Medal 1939-45; War Medal 1939-45 with MID; Australia Service Medal 1939-45; Coronation Medal 1937; Efficiency Decoration (GRI), with Australia brooch suspender bar. Captain. H.C.Disher. A.I.F. on third and fourth medals, VX 294 H.C.Disher on eighth, ninth and tenth medals, Colonel H.C.Disher. A.A.M.C. on twelfth medal, all other medals unnamed. The first five named medals impressed and the last medal engraved. The first medal on neck ribbon, the remainder swing mounted, very fine and rare group.

Ex Noble Numismatics Sale 82 (lot 3499).

CBE: LG 8/7/1941, p3881, posn3.

Citation: Col H.C.Disher ADMS 6 Aust Division was responsible for the complete organisation of the Medical services during the engagements at Bardia (3-5 Jany), Tobruk (21-22 Jany), Dernia (24-31 Jany) and the rest of the Cyrenaica campaign ending on July 7th. By his skilful disposition of dressing stations, thorough attention to detail and inspiring influence, casualties were collected and received attention at the earliest possible moment. These efficient arrangements undoubtedly resulted in the saving of many valuable lives.

MID: LG 8/7/1941, p3890, posn1.

ED: CAG No.113, 20/6/1940, p1314, to Col H.C.Disher AAMC, 3rd MD.

Harold Clive Disher, medical practitioner and surgeon, born 15Oct1891 at Rosedale, Vic.

WWI: Capt. Enl.13Jul1917 with previous service in Senior Cadets and AMC Reserve; Emb.04Aug1917; Served 5th Field Amb 1917, RMO 4th Field Art Bde 1918; granted leave in UK to advance his knowledge of latest surgical techniques; RTA 01Nov1919; appt terminated 21Feb1920; from Reserve of Officers to AAMC 3rd District 01Jul1920; to command 5th Cavalry Field Amb 11Apr1928; DADMS 2 Cav Div HQ 17Aug1936.

WWII: promoted to Colonel 13Oct19139 and Assistant Director of Medical Service HQAOB (HQ Aust Overseas Base); TOS AAMC 08Dec1939; Emb.15Dec1939; to 6th Aust Div 16Apr1940 and appointed ADMS; 1st Aust Armd Div 1941-42; DDMS 2nd Aust Corps, 1942; DDMS NG Force and 1st Aust Corps, 1942-43; DMS 1st Aust Army 1943-44; appt terminated 21Jun1945 and transferred to Reserve of Officers 22Jan1945. There are many references to Colonel Disher in most official texts of WWII. He is mentioned on p2 'The War Diaries of Weary Dunlop' by E.E.Dunlop.

Harold Clive Disher attended Scotch College in East Melbourne and Ormond College at the University of Melbourne (MB, BS, 1916; MD 1921). He rowed in Scotch College's head-of-the-river crews in 1910 and 1911 and was an exceptional oarsman. In 1919 he was Stroke in the AIF VIII No 1 crew which won the King's Cup in the Allies Eight Oared Race at the Royal Henley Peace Regatta. The trophy was subsequently placed in the Australian War Museum. Later the Australian Rowing Association asked the Memorial for the cup as a Perpetual Trophy for the Australian Eight-Oared Championships however the Memorial refused. Eventually a petition signed by Captain H.C.Disher was sent to the King who instructed that it was his wish that the Cup should be used as a permanent trophy and be competed for annually in the Interstate Eight-oared Race of Australia. This is why the trophy bears an appropriate inscription regarding the presentation by the AIF No.1 Crew and the agreement of King George V.

Harold Disher and Edward 'Weary' Dunlop were the first two Australian medical officers to arrive in Palestine. Disher had been the teacher of anaesthetics to 'Weary' Dunlop in Melbourne and he was now serving under his old teacher. After retiring from medicine Clive Disher lived at Strathfieldsaye, a sheep and cattle station in Gippsland. He inherited the property and remained there until his death in 1976. Childless, he donated the pastoral property to the University of Melbourne which in turn established the Strathfieldsaye Institute of Teaching and Research in Agriculture and Allied Sciences. A portrait painted after his death by Sir William Dargie is held by the Melbourne University Boat Club and some of his military documents, correspondence and miniature medals are held by the University of Melbourne archives.

With extensive research.