Lot 4852

Description

Group of Six: 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Pacific Star; Defence Medal 1939-45; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45. SX2288 W.D.C.Weber. All medals impressed. Display mounted, some contact marks on last three medals, otherwise good very fine - extremely fine.

William Daniel Cornelius Weber, born 24Mar1918 at Hallett, Sth Aust; Enl.03Apr1940 at Renmark, Sth Aust; Disch.09Oct1945 as Private ex 2/31Bn; Died and was interred at Centennial Park Cemetery, Pasadena, South Australia 08Nov1967.

War service had a detrimental effect on William Daniel Cornelius Weber who was charged on 29 January 1946 with maliciously setting fire to a cardboard box and contents that resulted in a house being set on fire. He pleaded not guilty and said he was destroying something because his wife and mother-in-law had upset him and he lost his temper. He claimed his relatives would not keep out of his affairs and his life was hell. Ultimately the prosecution dropped the case. Then on 1 November 1946, Weber, now aged 28, was sentenced to six months goal having pleaded guilty to sending his wife, Lorna Violet Weber age 23, a letter threatening to murder her. He had fallen behind in maintenance payments and when threatening letters arrived from the Children's Welfare Department he had retaliated by writing the threatening letter to his wife. A medical doctor gave evidence on his behalf stating that Weber was suffering from emotional instability as a result of war service but that this would probably disappear under reasonable conditions of life. The following year on 16 September 1947 he was granted a divorce from his wife due to her adultery.