WWII pair - 3 LHR and DAC

This search started with an email which came completely out of the blue from fellow Army officer, Phil H. Phil's brother in law, Keith, also a former solider, had purchased a WI pair of medals off eBay. Phil court mounted the medals then asked me to locate the family of 2065A GNR Harry Gawler Schultz. 

Phil and Keith provided the following great research on Harry

Harry was born on the 14 August 1891 at Angle Vale. His parents were Frederick Martin Schultz who was

born in 1853 at Koolunga and Maria Jane Cooper. Frederick was a farmer and his father was August

Schultz who was born in 1809. Frederick and Maria had the following children;

Amy Jane was born in 1881

Rose Mary was born in 1882

Sydney Clement was born in 1884

Edgar Frederick was born in 1885

Harry Gawler was born in 1891.

Harry enlisted on the 10 September 1915 and was assigned to the 14th Reinforcements, 1st Light Horse

Brigade, 3rd Light Horse Regiment. He was 24 years old and was a farmer. He had spent 18 months in the

17th Light Horse and then the 24th Light Horse. He was a driver and a gunner. Harry trained with the Light Horse at Mitcham until he sailed from Adelaide on the "WARILDA". He arrived at Heliopolis, Egypt and was transferred to the 4th Division Artillery. He was admitted to hospital in Cairo on the 1 May 1916 with influenza and mumps. He was also at Ismalia and Alexandria. On the 28 May 1916 Harry left Alexandria for England before travelling to

France. On the 21 September 1916 he was admitted to hospital with V. D. He returned to the fighting for the rest of that year. On the 1 October 1917 he was transferred from the 4th Division to the Trench Mortar Batteries.

After the war ended he went on leave to England and was again admitted to hospital in France a number of

times with V. D. in the first quarter of 1919. He was returned to England on the 3 March 1919 where Harry

met and married Margaret Duncan of 5 North Port Street, Keith, Scotland on the 3 May 1919 at the United

Free Church by the Reverend Hugh Alexander. They returned to Australia on the "CANBERRA" on the

22 July 1919. Harry was discharged on the 2 November 1919. Margaret died on the 23 August 1952 and is buried in Enfield Memorial Park. Harry married again to Dora Louise McLean. Harry changed his name to McLean - Schultz. He died on the 4 April 1972 aged 80 years old at Daw Park whilst living at Goodwood. He is buried in Enfield Memorial Park.

These are Henry's medals.

There are a number of interesting things are associated with the naming of Henry's medals.

Even though Henry spent the majority of the war posted to artillery units, his medals indicate an early posting, that was to 3rd Light Horse Regiment as a driver. His rank in the artillery regiments would have been gunner. 

Also, each unit started their regimental number sequence with 1. If a person transferred between units they kept the same number but so not as to be confused with the person with the same number in the unit the letter A was added after the number. This was the case with Harry, his British War Medals has the number 2065A, although the letter seems to be softly struck. The Victory Medals does not have an A. 

I have been in contact with Harry's grandson who tells me has wondered over the years what happened to these medals. How they ended up on eBay is a mystery but thanks to Keith and Phil the medals are now on their way back to Harry's family.

The returned medal tally is now 2946.