Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Lot 4588    Session 16 (9:30am Friday 3rd August)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Aust. Groups

Estimate $3,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $3,200

GROUP OF FOUR: Military Medal (GVR type 1); 1914-15 Star; British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19. 174 Sjt W.F.J.Bloxom. 29/Aust: Inf. on first medal, 174 Pte W.F.J.Bloxom. 29/Bn A.I.F. on second medal, 174 Sjt W.F.J.Bloxom 29 Bn A.I.F on third medal, 174 Sgt. W.F.J.Bloxom. 29 Bn A.I.F. on last medal. All medals impressed. Mounted but without pin-back bar, very fine.

Together with Returned from Active Service badge (AIF), reverse numbered 212468.

MM: LG 14/5/1919, p6055; CAG 15/9/1919, p1366, MM presented at a ceremony held at Government House Grounds, Melbourne, Victoria by the Governor-General on 24 November 1919.

Recommendation: At Hauroy on 30th Sept. 1918. For bravery and devotion to duty. He twice went over the top under very heavy M.G. and shell fire and assisted to bring in wounded. This was an extremely difficult task as he had to crawl flat on his face and drag the wounded along.

William Francis Joseph Bloxom, salesman, age 24, born at Richmond, Vic; Enl.09Jul1915 at Melbourne, Vic and to 56 Depot Coy; to A Coy 29Bn 13Aug1915; Emb.10Nov1915; reported missing but altered to WIA 25Oct1916 and admitted to 1st Field Ambulance with shell shock; to L/Cpl 09Mar1917; to Cpl 30Aug1917; to T/Sgt 03Oct1917; revert to Cpl 11Dec1917; to Sgt 12Oct1918 and transfer to 32Bn; RTA 08May1919 on Hospital Transport 'Devanha'; admitted to ship's hospital at sea 09Jun1919; arrived at Melbourne 23Jun1919; Disch.15Aug1919.

William Bloxom was the son of William Bloxom Snr who was born in 1868 at Melbourne and was a former pupil of Christian Brothers St Francis' School, Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. On William Snr's retirement in May 1925 after 40 year's service with the State Customs and then after Federation with the Department of Trade and Customs he was honoured when staff presented him with a gold watch and a wallet of banknotes. He died 26 September 1936. Probate for his will was granted to his son, William Francis Bloxom MM, poultry farmer of Diamond Creek, 23kms north-east of Melbourne, Victoria.

William 'Bill' and his wife Dolly bought this property at Diamond Creek in the late 1920s and they ran it in conjunction with a Scottish couple named McKenzie. Bill had met 'Scotty' McKenzie who served in the Gordon Highlanders during his war service. Bill was an active member of the Greensborough and Eltham RSL Clubs and was also MC at a number of local dances including at the Plenty Hall where his wife was the pianist. Bill retired from the poultry farm in the early 1950s and he and Dolly bought a house at 14 Elsie Street, Boronia. Bill's health deteriorated in the late 1950s and he finally died on 4 July 1961 at the Repatriation Hospital, Heidelberg and was buried at Box Hill Cemetery.

With research and photos.