GROUPS AND SINGLE DECORATIONS FOR GALLANTRY 92
A Great War 1918 ‘Somme’ M.M. group of three awarded to Corporal J. C. Coldicott, 42nd Battery, 11th Brigade Australian Field Artillery, Australian Imperial Force
MILITARYMEDAL, G.V.R. (4608 Cpl. J. C. Coldicott. 42/By: 11/Bde: Aust: F.A.); BRITISHWAR AND VICTORYMEDALS (4808 Cpl. J. C. Coldicott 9 Bn. A.I.F.) good very fine (3)
£700-900 M.M. London Gazette 16 July 1918. The original recommendation states:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during the attack on our positions opposite Dernacourt and Albert on April 5th 1918. When the heavy shelling in the vicinity of the Battery cut all telephone wires he and two others went out without hesitation and succeeded in keeping the most urgent line in repair all the time. By his constant work on lines and disregard of danger under heavy and continued shell fire throughout the day, he rendered valuable service and enabled his Battery Commander to keep in communication and receive urgent tactical messages without delay.’
J. C. Coldicott was born in London, in 1894. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Brisbane on 23 September 1915, and was posted to the 9th Australian Infantry Battalion. He embarked for France in H.M.A.T. Wandilla, 31 January 1916, before transferring to the 42nd Battery, 11th Brigade Australian Field Artillery, in April 1916.
Coldicott served with the 42nd Battery on the Somme, and was awarded his M.M. for gallantry in operations in and around Dernacourt and Albert, 5 April 1918. The Battery (including Coldicott) was awarded 4 M.M.s for the action, and Coldicott was presented with the riband for his award by General Sir W. R. Birdwood on 9 June 1918. He transferred to the 4th Divisional Signals School in July 1918, and returned to Australia in June the following year. Coldicott was discharged 4 August 1919.
x93 A Great War ‘Western Front’ M.M. group of four awarded to Private J. F. Girling, Army Service Corps
MILITARYMEDAL, G.V.R. (M321725 Pte. -A.L.Cpl.- J. F. Girling. A.S.C.); BRITISHWAR AND VICTORYMEDALS (M-321725 Pte. J. F. Girling. A.S.C.); DEFENCEMEDAL; together with a SAFEDRIVING COMPETITIONMEDAL, silver and enamel, the reverse engraved ‘J. F. Girling’, with top ‘1935’ riband bar and additional ‘1936’, ‘1937’, and ‘1939’ riband bars, good very fine (5)
£260-300 M.M. London Gazette 6 August 1918.
John F. Girling attested for the Army Service Corps and served during the Great War with the 218th Siege Battery, Ammunition Column, on the Western Front.
Sold together with the recipient’s cap badge and shoulder title. x94
A Great War M.M. group of four awarded to Corporal J. J. Curle, Royal Engineers
MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (494175 Cpl. J. J. Curle. 474/F. Coy. R.E.) company number officially corrected; 1914-15 STAR (1141. Spr. J. J. Curle, R.E.); BRITISH WAR AND VICTORY MEDALS (1141 Cpl. J. J. Curle. R.E.) toned, extremely fine (4)
£360-400 M.M. London Gazette 21 October 1918.
John J. Curle attested for the Royal Engineers at Knowle, Bristol, and served during the Great War with 474 Field Company.
Sold together with a Royal Engineers cap badge; named Record Office enclosure for the British War and Victory Medals, mounted on a wooden board; and a portrait photograph of the recipient.
95
A Great War M.M. awarded to Lance-Corporal R. Parker, Machine Gun Corps MILITARY MEDAL, G.V.R. (86456 L. Cpl. R. Parker. 31/M.G.C.) good very fine M.M. London Gazette 21 October 1918.
x96
£260-300
A Great War 1918 ‘Somme’ M.M. pair awarded to Sergeant J. Sylvane, 6th Australian Medium Trench Mortar Battery, Australian Imperial Force
MILITARYMEDAL, G.V.R. (22286 Sjt: J. Sylvane. 3/Div:-M-Aus. T. M. By:); BRITISHWAR 1914-20 (22286 Sgt. J. Sylvane. 3-D. A.C. A.I.F.), mounted with an erased VICTORY MEDAL, good very fine (3)
£600-800 M.M. London Gazette 24 January 1919. The original recommendation states:
‘On the 8th August 1918, east of Hamel, during the preliminary bombardment, this N.C.O. was in charge of the 6th Trench Mortars. He handled his section with great ability, and carried out the allocated task under difficult circumstances. After the barrage had lifted, he went forward and assisted in the capture of an enemy 77mm gun and its crew, and in turning this gun against the enemy. His coolness, courage and devotion to duty set a great example to the men under him.’
J. Sylvane was born in London, in 1870. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Black Boy Hill, Western Australia on 20 December 1915, and was posted to the 36th Battery, 23rd Field Artillery Brigade. He went with the Battery to the UK in May 1916, and served in the French theatre of war from 24 November 1916.
Sylvane advanced to Sergeant, and transferred to the 6th Medium Trench Mortar Battery in February 1918. He served with the Battery on the Somme, and was awarded his M.M. for gallantry in operations east of Hamel, 8 August 1916. The battery’s War Diary for 1-13 August 1918, gives the action as particularly hectic on 8 August, with several German batteries being located by recce patrols. The Germans had spiked many of their guns, however, several were captured and two guns were later sent to the Australian War Museum.
The diary also contains the following citation for the Sylvane’s M.M.:
‘For devotion to duty, courage and initiative in the advance east of Hamel 8 August 1918. In the initial attack [he] kept mortars firing under heavy enemy barrage and in the day dealing with enemy strong points.’ Sylvane returned to Australia in H.M.A.T. Somali, 10 December 1918, and was discharged 15 March 1919.
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