Lot 4026

Description

Group of Five to WIA: 1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; Defence Medal 1939-45; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45. The second medal unnamed, VX32441 J.W.Kerr on all other medals. All named medals impressed. Very fine - extremely fine.

Together with aluminium ID disc; WWII Victory Medalet 1945.

John William Kerr, farmer and wool grazier, age 32, born at Oaklands, NSW; Enl.06Jul1940 at Royal Park, Victoria; various training within Australia, sick, and special leave; Emb 10Mar1942 for Middle East; Disemb.24Mar1942 Ceylon; Emb.12Jul1942 from Ceylon to Melbourne; Emb,13Oct1942 for New Guinea; 02Feb1943 WIA sword wound to forearm; RTA 23Sep1943 ex Milne Bay; 20Jan1944 Evac. to 115AGH with sword wound; Disch.17Feb1944.

In the book, Nothing over us : the story of the 2/6th Australian Infantry Battalion by David Hay, p273, is written, 'The wireless wouldn't work. Bruce Howe was our signaller, but he couldn't contact anybody. And so finally they sent old Jack Kerr from Company headquarters out with a message...It was just before nightfall and we were bedding down. There was a waterfall nearby, and everyone filled their water bottles from it. My section had nearly finished - I was the last one. As I was filling my bottle I heard a jabbering noise, I looked up and here were two Japs coming, within a stone's throw of me. I flattened out in the mud. They came along. They spotted the footprints, but they didn't see me. The rest of the section also saw them but they let them go through. They had been ordered not to fire so that we wouldn't give our positions away. Later, shots were heard. What had happened was that Jack Kerr had run into these fellows. One of the Japs (he was a Colonel) had fired at Jack from his revolver which then jammed. The Jap pulled out his sword. Jack of course had his rifle, and let him have it. But while he was taking aim the Jap had cut him across the right arm with his sword. Jack continued on down the track for as long as he could. He was bleeding profusely...but eventually he was sent to hospital in Wau.'

With research.