Highlights of Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria Sale 111

Tuesday, 16 February 2016

Victoria Cross to Lance Corporal Lawrence Carthage Weathers for WWI. An undertaker by trade, Weathers put his calling to good use when he tackled the Germans. In trench clearing operations north of Peronne in France Weathers was well forward of his unit when he located a large body of men. He immediately attacked them with bombs killing the senior officer. He returned to his lines to get more bombs and then advanced forward again with three men. While these men pinned the Germans down with Lewis gun fire, Weathers jumped up on the enemy parapet of the trenches, seemingly oblivious to danger, and hurled bombs into the trenches. As a result he and his three comrades captured 180 prisoners and 3 machine guns. On 26 September 1918 Weathers was wounded during an artillery barrage and died of wounds three days later. Three months later, on Christmas Eve, he was awarded the Victoria Cross, but unfortunately he never knew he had been awarded this great honour. (Estimate $500,000)

 

Military Cross and two Bars Group of Five to Australian Captain Andrew King Cowper for WWI flying service with Royal Flying Corps. A descendant of William Cowper, the 18th century poet, and Philip Gidley King, 3rd Governor of NSW, hence his second name ‘King’. In a period of 5 months he is credited with 19 aerial victories and caused mayhem to German ground forces with his accurate bombing attacks. For this outstanding service he was awarded the Military Cross on three different occasions. He was the 5th highest scoring air ace of Australians serving in British air services. (Estimate $30,000)

 

Knight Commander of the Royal Victoria Order (KCVO), Distinguished Service Order and Military Cross Group of Nine to Major Charles William Clanan Marr, for service with 1st Wireless Squadron in Mesopotamia in WWI and his post war career as a federal politician. He represented the seat of Parkes and in a career spanning nearly 25 years he held many senior ministerial positions. He was in charge of the Duke of Gloucester’s tour to Australia in 1934 and for this he was bestowed with the KCVO. (Estimate $20,000)

 

Distinguished Flying Cross Group of Eight for WWII service to Group Captain Hugh Milton ‘Smokey’ Birch. As a pilot of Sunderland flying boats Birch was loved by the media and dubbed ‘Jerry Magnet’ because he had so many encounters with German aircraft. At age 26 he was the youngest Group Captain in the RAAF. (Estimate $5,500)

 

Qantas memorabilia of Hugh Milton ‘Smokey’ Birch DFC (see previous). Was the first pilot to inaugurate Qantas flying boat flights throughout the Pacific and pioneered the Catalina flying boat service from Sydney (Rose Bay) to Lord Howe Island. He went on to a distinguished executive career with Qantas holding various senior positions including North American Manager, Public Relations Manager, and Regional Director for the South Pacific. He is also probably one of, if not the only, Qantas executive to be made a Deputy Sheriff (Air Squadron) of San Francisco. (Estimate $750)

 

Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899 with four clasps to Father Francis Timoney for his service as Catholic Padre to the New South Wales Citizens Bushmen Third Contingent to the Boer War. One of only four Catholic priests to serve in the Boer War with Australia’s forces he was much loved by the troops. He rode into battle with them and on one occasion rescued a wounded trooper by carrying him out of danger through a hail of bullets. He received no award for this, probably because he was very critical of the British military leaders and English politicians tactics and treatment of Boer families. He was also a founder and director of the Catholic Press newspaper and acted as an unpaid correspondent, reporting without fear or favour. While on a trip to England with the troops in 1901 he had health problems and died. The bad news of the death of the much loved ‘Father Tim’ spread around the world because as a result of his Boer War news reports he was famous. (Estimate $5,000)

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