Lot 1115

Description

Trio: 1914-15 Star; British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19. 2611 Pte V.G.Laraghy 1/Bn. A.I.F. on first medal, 2611 Pte V G Laraghy 1 Bn. A.I.F. on second medal, 2611 Pte. V.G.Laraghy 1 Bn. A.I.F. on last medal. All medals impressed. No ribbon on second medal, very fine - extremely fine.

Together with aluminium dog tag to, 2611/V.G.Laraghy/C.E/A,I.F./1st Div.Sig.Coy.' and on reverse, 'Windsor/N.S.W./Australia'; very rare book, First Battalion A.I.F. 1914-1919, by the unit history committee, Lt-Col B.V.Stacy, Lt-Col F.J.Kindon and Lt H.V.Chedgey, 1st edition 1931, hard cover, no dust jacket but plastic covered, quarto (15.5x23.5cm), 151pp with fold-out map, also includes Nominal Roll.

Victor Gordon Laraghy, motor mechanic, age 21, born at Liverpool, NSW; Enl.21Jun1915 at Liverpool, NSW, previous service of 2 years with 14 Infy Militia; Emb.09Aug1915; to Gallipoli 03 Oct1915; to 1st Bn Sig Coy 09Nov1915; later to 1st Div Sig Coy; several admissions to hospital including for tachycardia (abnormally fast heart rate); RTA 19Oct1918; Disch.07Apr1919 as Medically Unfit.

The 1st Battalion took part in the ANZAC landing on 25 April 1915 as part of the second and third waves, and served there until the evacuation in December. Two members of the battalion, Captain A.J.Shout and Lieutenant L.M.Keysor were awarded Victoria Crosses for their valour at Lone Pine, the first posthumously. The battalion then served in France and the Western Front and at Bullecourt in May 1917, Corporal G.J.Howell became the third member of the battalion to be awarded the Victoria Cross.