Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Lot 2072    SESSION 8 (2.30PM WEDNESDAY 29TH MARCH)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Estimate $30,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $34,000

GROUP OF SEVEN: George Cross (Service exchange for Albert Medal pre 1940); Distinguished Service Cross (GRI); British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19 with MID; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45; Silver Jubilee Medal 1977. Lieut Arthur Gerald Bagot D.S.C., R.N.V.R. 1918 on first medal, Lieut. A.G.Bagot R.N.V.R. on second to fourth medal, W75103 A.G.Bagot on fifth and sixth medals, last medal unnamed. The first two medals engraved, the other named medals impressed. The first two medals and the last medal in cases of issue, the rest display mounted, extremely fine - uncirculated.

Together with the following items,
1. George Cross miniature and riband for GC, DSC, BWM, VM and MID.
2. Certificate from Buckingham Palace dated 7th June 1977 confirming the awarding of the Silver Jubilee Medal to Arthur G. Bagot G.C., D.S.C., R.N.V.R.
3. Silver tankard, no.2851 on bottom, side inscribed, 'G.C.S/1905/90 Yds Hdcp/Won By/A.G.Bagot'.
4. Victorian Amateur Athletic Association bronze prize medals, the first inscribed, 'A.G.Bagot 2nd Long Jump 1.4.07'; the second inscribed, 'A.G.Bagot 2nd 120 Yards Hurdles 1.4.07'; the third inscribed, 'A.G.Bagot 2nd Pole Jump 1.4.07'; all medals in original cases marked, 'Stokes & Sons/Medallists/Melbourne'.
5. Earle Liederman Physical Culture School medal in bronze with ribbon, unnamed.
6. YMCA medals for Pacific Combined Amateur Athletics League Meet in bronze with ribbons, by Ryrie Bros, the first inscribed, 'Pac C.A.A.L. Meet 1/7/08. 120 Hurdles 2nd'; the second inscribed, 'Pac C.A.A.L. Meet 1/7/08 Running Broad Jump 2nd'; one with maker's box marked, 'Ryrie Bros Limited, Toronto'.
7. WWI coloured map, Front Du Nord No.1.
8. Two 50 centimes banknotes issued by Chambre De Commerce De Dunkerque, consecutive nos 636,536/7; a 'Write and say you're coming home' coloured postcard, written on Oct 24th 1918 to Dear Diana by Arthur (Bagot) in which he writes, 'We took the King and Queen of Belgium up to Ostende, the night after it had been taken. The Queen is a very plucky woman, and one could not help admiring her courage, as part of the time we were under shell fire from the batteries further up the coast. A few days ago I spent two hours on the "Vindictive", she now looks a proper wreck, as the Huns moved everything they could, including her upper works.'; also an original booklet, "Well Done, Vindictive!", a poem by Sydney Lee, handwritten on the inside cover, 'With The Authors Compliments Nov 11. 1918'.
9. Volunteer Defence Corps Certificate of Discharge named to W.73103 and dated 14 June 1946.
10. Returned from Active Service badge (KC), 1944 issue, numbered A361402.
11. General Service badge type 2, 1948 issue, numbered A13291.
12. Medalets for Commonwealth of Australia Opening of Parliament 1901; Empire Day 24 May (no year).
13. Winston Churchill badge in bronze attached to a V for Victory card.
14. Tokens for Meander's Dairy one pint, in bronze and Collie Indust Co-op Soc Ltd 1 loaf, in aluminium.
15. Certificate dated 1st March 1919 for Mentioned in Despatches named to Capt. J.F.Bagot, 13th Light Horse Regt, together with black and white studio photo of him in uniform. (John Frederick Bagot, a farmer, was Arthur Bagot's brother)
16. Various other official documents, a full handwritten multiple page report by A.G.Bagot on the action of ML283; a Secret multiple page document for Operation B.O. 26 from the Commodore, Dunkirk 13th October 1918; The Times newspaper, Thursday Feb 20, 1919 with front page, 'The Story of Zeebrugge: Full Dispatch'; various other newspaper cuttings; small booklet titled, 'The Rules of the Victoria Cross and George Cross Association' and other related documents; various WWI related official envelopes; Geelong Grammar School Quarterly booklet Vol XXVIII October 1903, No.3; various documents from Melburnian Hare & Hounds Club including 1905-6 Report that lists A.G.Bagot as coming second in 120 Yards Hurdles; Royal South Australian Yacht Squadron Season 1892-3 programme listing Mr C.M.Bagot as owner yacht 'Alert' (Christopher Bagot was Arthur's father).

Albert Medal for Gallantry in Saving Life at Sea (Exchanged for George Cross): LG 20/8/1918, p9700, to Lieutenant Arthur Gerald Bagot, D.S.C., R.N.V.R. (In 1971 the UK Government made a decision, approved by The Queen, that surviving holders of the Albert Medal and Edward Medal would be required to exchange their awards for the George Cross - by then more widely recognised than its predecessors as an award for gallantry second only to the Victoria Cross, if not equivalent to it. Normally the surrendered medal was to remain in safe custody with the Home Office, on behalf of the Crown, but arrangements were possible whereby it could be presented, on behalf of the person to whom it was awarded, to a museum or other suitable body of his choice if he specifically requested this to be done. Mr Bagot requested that his Albert Medal should be presented to Geelong Grammar School, and the Home Secretary accordingly presented it to the school on his behalf and it now has an honoured place in the School Archives as Arthur Bagot is the most highly decorated Old Boy of the School.)

Citation: On the 12th April 1918, an explosion took place in the engine-room of H.M. Motor Launch 356, and the forward tanks burst into flames. The officer and some of the crew were blown overboard by the explosion, and the remainder were quickly driven aft by the flames, and were taken off in a skiff. By this time the flames were issuing from the cabin hatch aft, and there was much petrol burning on the surface of the water. It was then realised by the crews of adjacent vessels that the aft petrol tanks and the depth charge were being attacked by the fire, and might explode at any moment. At the moment when others were running away, Lieutenant Hoare and Sub-Lieutenant Bagot jumped into their dinghy, rowed to the wreck, got on board, and removed the depth charge, thereby preventing an explosion which might have caused serious loss of life amongst the crowd of English and French sailors on the quay.

DSC: LG 23/7/1918, p8589, to Lieut. Arthur Gerald Bagot, R.N.V.R., 2nd in command of H.M. Motor Launch 283.

Citation: Showed great coolness under fire. It was largely due to the magnificent manner in which the officers and men of Motor Launch 283 carried out their duties that so many officers and men of "Brilliant" and "Sirius" were rescued.

MID: LG 27/8/1918, p10088 - Despatch of Vice-Admiral Sir Roger J.B.Keyes, K.C.B., C.M.G., C.V.O., D.S.O., Commanding the Dover Patrol, in respect of valuable services in action of the enemy coast during operations at Ostend - In Motor Launches - Lieut. Arthur G.Bagot, D.S.C., A.M., R.N.V.R. (ML283).

Arthur Gerald Bagot, born 26Apr1888 at Adelaide, Sth Aust; was a pupil at St Peters School, Adelaide and then Geelong Grammar School, Corio, Vic between Aug1903-1907 where he was member of the First XI in 1905 and 1906, the First XVIII in 1905 and 1906, rowed in the School Eight in 1906 and was a member of the United Public Schools Sports Team in 1905, 1906 and 1907, and was also active in the School Cadets holding the rank of Sergeant and in 1907 was a School Prefect; moved with his family to Heriot Bay, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada in 1908; after leaving school he was a rancher; Enl.1916 from Canada into Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as an officer with Motor Launch Division of the Dover Patrol; awarded DSC and Mentioned in Despatches for his part in motor launch ML283 in the attack on the enemy held ports of Zeebrugge and Ostend and the Albert Medal for Gallantry at Sea for an act of extreme heroism in Dunkirk harbour in 1918; Lieut Bagot was presented with the Albert Medal by King George V at Buckingham Palace on 11Sep1918; after demobilisation in Canada on 01Jan1920 he remained there for a few years before returning to South Australia; 1925 Bagot took up a mixed farming property, Roselyn Farm, near Piawaning, north of Perth, WA; WWII: was a member of the Volunteer Defence Corps from Jul1940; Enl.11Apr1942 at Wongan Hills, WA and TOS 25Apr1942; Appt A/Capt and then Capt 28Jul1942 with VDC (9Bn Northam); completed Bn Cmdrs Cse 3 A.C.S at Harvey 20Mar-10Apr1943; Appt terminated 15Oct1945 and placed on RL W.Comd (VDC) 16Oct1945; retired from farming in 1962 and relocated to suburb of Dalkeith in Perth; his wife died in 1979 and he died 21Nov1979 at Perth, WA, they left no children. Capt A.G.Bagot GC, DSC, R.N.V.R. was the first cousin of Maj L.G.Hawker VC, DSO, R.F.C.

With research.