Lot 1003

Description

Distinguished Service Cross (1945), Sub Lieutenant Gregory Wade Benham RANVR., unnamed, in case of issue. Together with cased silver school prize medal (45mm) from Dubbo High School, engraved on reverse 'Gregory Benham 1932 School Champion' & memorial scroll. Good very fine.

D.S.C. L.G. 13 Nov 1945: Sub Lieut Greg Benham and his superior, Lieut Bill Kyle, conducted coastwatching activities behind Japanese lines on New Ireland for several months in 1942. Despite being given the opportunity to escape they elected to to stay and were able to elude capture until July 1942. Despite Japanese interrogation they refused to disclose any information and were executed in September 1942. They were both awarded the Distinguished Service Cross posthumously however, for security purposes, it was not published until 29 November 1945. The Commonwealth of Australia Gazette states that Benham's DSC was awarded for 'Sustained fortitude in circumstances of great hazard in coastwatching duties behind the Japanese lines in the Pacific, providing intelligence vital to the conduct of operations'.