Lot 2737

Description

Tobruk Siege Medal 1941, by Rats of Tobruk Association, engraved name on reverse, 'M.Farquhar'. No ribbon, good very fine.

Ex Warwick G. Cary Collection.
Murray Frederick Farquhar, born 07Jul1918 at Broken Hill, NSW; Enl.25Jun1940 (2149147) SX6786, at Wayville, Sth Aust; Disch.12Oct1945 from 2/AIF as Lieutenant ex 2/48 Aust Infy Bn; in 1967 2149147 Lt-Col Murray Frederick Farquhar was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (LG 1/1/1967, p38; CAG 19/1/1967, p311).
Murray Farquhar joined the Petty Sessions branch of the Justice Department in 1936 and in 1940 he left to join the AIF as a private in the 2/48 Infantry Battalion. He served in the Middle East, Borneo and New Guinea discharging as a Lieutenant in 1945. Several years later he was appointed to the Bench as a magistrate and in 1961 he became chairman of the bench of stipendiary magistrates. Unfortunately he was named in the 1983 Street Royal Commission and then he was convicted in 1985 of using his position to influence another magistrate back in 1977 and sentenced to 4 years jail but with remissions only served 10 months. He was involved in other dubious activities and while on trial in 1993 for another of his illegal activities he died at age 75 of a heart attack at Prince of Wales Hospital in Sydney.
With research.