Alfred George Chenery

QX2265 Alfred George Chenery saw overseas service in the Middel East and Africia during WWII. He then served in Japan as a sergeant in the British Commonwealth Occupation Force having transferred from the 2nd AIF to the Interim Army. It is sad to read Alfred was discharged on 15 September 1948 due to chronic alcoholism. 

Usually a story like this end there with little more information on the public record. That is not the case for Alfred. On 3 February 1954, Alfred was assaulted at a Townsville Hotel and later died. The newspaper report is below at this link.  

The man who assaulted to Alfred was later found guilty of Alfred's death.

These two medals awarded to Alfred came to me from my friend John Franklin, OAM. John is a talented medal mounter. John originally received these medals from a person who has had them years and wanted to see them returned. 

Alfred never married but I have been in contact with a relative who I'll send his medals to. The returned medal tally is now 2833.  

Late issue WWII medals

These three WWII medals are quite uncommon. Not the medals themselves, rather when they were issued. Most WWII medals were awarded in the 1950s and were named by being impressed in a machine. The naming on these medals has been done using a laser. That makes them late issue, probably after 2000. 

I found early in the search that the recipient died in 1972. His memorial plaque also gave me the name of all his children which helped in the search.

The medals awarded to VX50465 GNR Eric Maxwell Sleep came to me from the Directorate of Honours and Awards. Prior to that they had been recovered by the Queensland Police in Bundaberg with other stolen items. I now know the medals were issued to GNR Sleep's son and were stolen from a storage locker. They will soon be returned to Eric's son, Trevor.

The returned medal tally is now 2831.

The difference in the naming methods between these examples and the more common impressing is very clear in these pictures.

Service in WWI and WWII

Trying to work out if Robert Edmonston Bruce has any living decedents has proved to be quite difficult. Spoiler alert: the answer is no he didn't. However, to get to that point, I had to go back and forward through the records multiple times to find the right evidence but each time came to a very solid brick wall.

Robert served in WWI as an engineer sapper with the number 14090. His brother 1902 George Hamilton Bruce served in 15th Battalion at Gallipoli. George was missing in action on 8 August 1915. A board of inquiry later pronounced him dead. George is commemorated at the Lone Pine memorial. 

Following WWI, Robert became a Public Servant and was living in the Australian Capital Territory suburb of Reid when he enlisted for WWII with the number NX65254.

Robert was married to Laura Mary Forster and it was only checking each electoral roll entry I found they had a daughter; Joyce Bruce. However, there are just to many people by the name Joyce Bruce to work out the exact one I was looking for. I went back to the records and after several more hours found that Joyce Allison Bruce, the daughter of Robert and Laura was born in Victoria in 1920.The last electoral roll entry for Joyce Allison Bruce was in 1949 then she just disappeared from the records. Back to the records research and several hours later found that Joyce married Norris Joseph Merrett in 1950. However, Joyce and Norris did not have any children. I was pretty much back at square one.

Another brother of Robert and George was John Laing Bruce. John's son was Kenneth Robert Bruce. The next generation is Heather D, the great niece of Robert Edmonston Bruce. I've been in contact with Heather and will soon send her these medals.

Two of Robert's WWII medals came to my from the Directorate of Honours and Awards. Prior to that they were in the custody of a public trustee. The medals were still in the original box but I wonder where his WWI medals are?

Thank you to the Rebecca O, the trust manager, and Donna B from the Directorate of Honours and Awards. The returned medal tally is now 2828.

WWII medals and a bonus

This group of WWII medals awarded to NX138213 Oliver Rowland 'Rowlie' Thomas is quite straight forward. What is slightly different is the named Red Cros Society long service medal which is also included.

The Red Cross medal was awarded to Mrs June Thoms, who was Rowlie's wife. The path the medal have taken to get to me was via the Red Cross to Port Macquarie Legacy to me. I've now been in contact with Rowlie and June's daughter Beverley.

Thanks to Alf S from Port Macquarie Legacy for sending me the medals. The returned medal tally is now 2826.

WWI, Iraq 1919 and WWII service

This story has so many different elements it is a bit difficult to know where to start.

Last week I received a group of five medals covering WWI, Iraq (1919) and WWII from Defence Honours and Awards. The medals had been found in a locked case bought at a car boot sale. The buyer was Beck H who sent the medals to Honours and Awards.

The group consists of five medals; WWI British War medal and Victory Medal, General Service Medal with Clasp Iraq, WWII War Medals and the Australian Service Medal 1939-45. The confusing bit is the naming on the medals. More about that shortly. 

What I know now is Archibald Webb was born in Leicestershire in 1898. In 1916 he joined the Leicestershire Regiment before moving to the Labour Corp then the Army Ordnance Corps. Following WWI he stayed in the British Army and was awarded the General Service Medal with clasp Iraq.

Around 1924 he emigrated to Australia and was working a labourer in Perth. Following the outbreak of WWI he enlisted in the Australian Army and was posted to an Ordnance Supply Company. Although he enlisted under his name of Archibald Webb, in 1943 he changed his name to Hastings-Webb, adopting his mother's maiden name. He stayed in the Interim Army following WWII and according to the electoral rolls was still a soldier in 1963. 

Archie married Annie in 1943 however, they did not have any children. He died in 1972.

I found Archie on an Ancestry family tree and 12 hours after starting this search I was communicating with a relative of Archie's and have arranged to send his medals back to the UK.

The returned medal tally is 2821.

WWII RAAF medals

These WWII medals awarded to a RAAF Leading Aircraftman Edward Arthur Gostling have had quite a journey. The most recent custodian was Wendy P-M who posted about the medals on a military history research. She had found the medals amongst her recently deceased brother's 'huge collection of anything military related'.  

The medals immediately presented me with two conundrums. The medals are hand engraved as can be seen in the pictures. Luckly I know that early issue RAAF medals were named in this fashion rather then being impressed. Secondly, other than the nominal roll entry, I couldn't find any other public record for Edward Arthur Gostling. I did find a Edward Ernest Arthur Gostling and through a process of elimination determined this was the same person.

Edward was included on a Ancestry family tree owned by Leanne. This tree indicated Edward had two daughters. While Leanne wasn't immediately able to provide me with contact details, she went to great lengths to track down Edward's daughter Helen. 

Helen and I have been communicating by email and in passing I mentioned I live near Merimbula and work in Canberra. As it turns out, Helen's sister Carol, Edward's other daughter, lives in the same area and is currently in Canberra. Plans are in place for me to physically hand Edward's medals to his daughter. 

Thank you to both Wendy and Leanne. The returned medal tally is now 2816.