Lot 3685

Description

Group of Eight: Order of the British Empire (OBE) (2nd type) (Military); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Pacific Star; Defence Medal 1939-45; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45; Efficiency Decoration (GRI) with Australia brooch bar. First medal unnamed, SX3707 D.R McPhee on second to seventh medals, SX3707 Lt. Col. D.R. McPhee A.M.F. on last medal. The second to seventh medals impressed, the last medal engraved. Very fine

Together with original 2/27Bn colour patch.

OBE: CAG 34/36. 'Highly Meritorious Service Solomon Islands Oct 44 to March 45'.

ED: CAG 18/146.

Only 675 OBE's award to the 2nd A.I.F during WW2.

Colonel Duncan Roberts McPhee, representative with a brewery and the Sunbeam Corporation, born 28Dec1907 at South Australia; appointed LT 48Bn A.M.F 01Jul1926; to 43/48th 01Jul1930; promoted Captain 24Jul1933; to 48Bn 01Jul1939; transferred to 2/27Bn 01May1940; Emb.20Oct1940 for the Middle East per Mauretania; disembarked Suez 24Nov1940 and to camp Gaza, Palestine; operations North Africa from 11May1941 as Acting Commanding Officer 2/27th Australian Infantry Battalion; operations against the Vichy French from 08Jun1941 in advance from Litani to Didon and Merdjayoun as Company Commander with heavy opposition; WIA 11Jun1941, shrapnel to back about 1,000 yards west of Adloun; Company Commander 21st Infantry Training Battalion 17Aug1941; Second in Command 21st Infantry Training Battalion 18Nov1941; promoted to Major 06Jul1942 and appointed Deputy Quarter Master General (DAQMG) at Darwin, NT; posted Land HQ as DAQMG Movements 20May1943; promoted LT COL 28Jul1944 in Brisbane; Emb.10Mar1945 for operations Bougainville and to HQ 1st Army as Acting Colonel Movements 18Sep1945; Enplaned 01Nov1945 Lae for Morotai; RTA 01Dec1945; to Reserve of Officers 08Jan1946; to RAE transport with the CMF 10Aug1950 then to Reserve of Officers RAE 11Aug1953; Honorary Colonel Retired List 05Oct1955.

Listed in 'Who's Who' Australia c1968 as Government Trade Commissioner, Calcutta with earlier service Burma, Djakarta, Bombay and Vancouver.

With research.