AB Couch

37856 Gunner Arthur Barry Couch was 27 years old when he enlisted in 1917. He was allocated to Artillery. This photo is a group portrait of the 37th Battery, Australian Field Artillery taken outside the Chateau at Cocquerrel, France, on 14 June 1918. I've marked Arthur. 

Even though he married, Arthur did not have any children. I've found his great niece who I'll return this medal to. Arthur's nephew was QX17723 Roy James Couch who was capture on Ambon as part of Sparrow Force. In 1999 I commemorated Anzac Day at the Ambon Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery. Following the service the Indonesian military took us the location of the fiercest fighting and to where most of Sparrow Force were captured.

Arthur's medal was sent to me by Jill who found it in the garden of her house. When I checked the electoral roll I found that Arthur had lived at the same address as where Jill found the medal for many years before he died in 1967. The medal looks exactly how I would expect after being in the dirt.

The returned medal tally is now 2723.