Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Lot 3364    SESSION 15 (7.30PM THURSDAY 25TH NOV)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Estimate $180
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $180

PAIR: British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19. 7866 Spr. J.H.G.Ware. 2 Tun.Coy. A.I.F. Both medals impressed. Original damaged ribbons, otherwise very fine.

Joseph Hector Gordon Ware, engineer, age 23, born at London, England; Enl.17Jul1917 at Sydney, NSW; Emb.21Nov1917; to France 02Mar1918; Leave granted 17May-18Aug1919 for farming with J.Ware at Reading; RTA 23Aug1919; Disch.12Nov1919.

On 13 March 1917 at the Quarter Sessions Ware pleaded guilty to bigamy. He was married to Ivy Williams (he deserted her and had not proceeded to divorce) and also Mary Whitlock (she stated that he told her his name was Jones). On his enlistment papers for the AIF his next of kin is Mary Ware, so presumably she has taken his real name after the court case. He was caught out when one woman saw him with the other woman in Pitt Street, Sydney, and after he ran away the women talked to each other and found out that he was married to both of them. He was sentenced to nine months hard labour in Long Bay Gaol. Apparently at the time Ware was a member of the Australian Garrison Artillery and listed as a deserter and the judge stated that if the military authorities would take him back then he would agree to hand him over to them.

In his service file is a 3-page letter from an English war widow claiming to be carrying Sapper Ware's unborn child. She wrote to the Australian Army on 3 September 1919 stating that Ware had promised to marry her as he was divorcing his wife in Australia. However, she had since found out that he had returned to Australia. She was seeking help from them to enable her to get support payments from Ware to raise the child after it is born. There is no indication in his service file as to what happened.