Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Lot 2875    SESSION 14 (2.30PM THURSDAY 23RD NOV)    Orders, Decorations & Medals - Australian Groups

Estimate $500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $400

GROUP OF SIX: 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45. The first four medals unnamed, C.L.Baldwin. R.A.N.R. on last two medals. The named medals impressed.; another identical Group of Six replacement medals. C.L.Baldwin RANR. All medals engraved. Two groups, the first group is display mounted with some contact marks, otherwise good very fine, the replacement group is swing mounted very fine - good very fine.

Colin Lowerson Baldwin, born 29Apr1916 at Burnie, Tas; mobilized for service 22Jul1940 with Home Port at Williamstown, Vic; served on various ships and shore establishments until demobilised 08Jul1946 and then transferred to RANR and served continuously until he resigned 27Aug1954; some duties included as Sub-Lieut on HMAS Assault 09Apr-08Sep1943 Assistant Beachmaster, as A/Lieut on HMAS Assault 09Sep-31Dec1943 Assistant Beachmaster, as A/Lieut on HMAS Manoora 01Jan-26Dec1944 Deputy Principal Beachmaster, as A/Lieut on HMAS Manoora 27Dec1944-30Apr1945 Transport Divisional Beachmaster; progression through ranks Ord Seaman 22Jul1940, Able Seaman 02Jun1941, A/Sub-Lieut 08Sep1942, Sub-Lieut 03Mar1943, A/Lieut 09Sep1943, Lieut 01May1945, Lieut Cdr 30Jun1952.
Colin Baldwin lost two brothers in the war. His brother James, aged 25, was killed at Tobruk and his brother Michael, aged 21, was lost when his ship was blown out of the sea. In 1984 in a newspaper article Lieutenant-Commander Baldwin recollected the miseries of war when he told of a wartime experience when he was in the Lingayen Gulf in the Philippines. He said we had saturated the area with bombs to make sure it was safe to land but unfortunately the local people who knew we were coming refused to leave. When they went ashore they found a young Filipino girl, about 3 or 4 years old, who had both hands blown off. We took her to the first aid facilities but she died two days later.
With research including the background to both medal groups.