Australian Groups

Lot 3360       Australian Groups

Estimate $12,500
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $12,500

GROUP OF SIXTEEN: Military Medal (GVIR) (1st type); British Empire Medal (GVIR) (Military); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Pacific Star; Defence Medal; British War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal; Australian Active Service Medal 1945-75 - two bars - Vietnam; Malaysia; General Service Medal 1962 - one bar - Borneo; Vietnam Medal; Australian Service Medal 1945-75 - two bars - PNG - SW Pacific; Defence Force Service Medal; Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (EIIR) - bar - Australia; Commonwealth of Australia Meritorious Service Medal (EIIR); Vietnamese Campaign Medal. VX57174/31532 R.C.Mace. Very fine.

Raymond Charles Mace. Enl.16Jun1948. Dis.15Jun1975. MM:'Lance-Corporal Mace was the non-commissioned officer in command of a demolition team engaged in the breaching of underwater beach obstacles on Tarakan. Despite the intermittent fire of the enemy the working party coolly kept on and completed and sign-posted the gap in thirty five minutes. Lance-Corporal Mace then withdrew his party and went to the rescue of another party who were hampered by the depth of the mud. He attempted to carry a line to secure one of the obstacles to enable the Section to drag themselves to the proposed gap but sank in the mud and had to be dragged back. He then took his L.V.T. to the oil pier and led his party to the beach and attacked the obstacles from the shore side with success. Lance-Corporal Mace's personal endurance, courage and leadership were wholly responsible for the effective completion of the two gaps'. BEM:'By his oustanding devotion to duty and by inspiring leadership Sergeant Mace has made a significant and important contribution to the setting up of the Army Apprentices' School at Balcombe, Victoria. For more than a year he worked efficiently and arduously almost every day from dawn until after dark on earth moving equipment to prepare the school oval, declining to take leave at week-ends, or during the Christmas and Easter breaks. Since the school opened he has had the responsibility for the domestic life and behaviour of many of the apprentices whose high regard he won by strict but fair enforcement of discipline and by his tolerant and understanding approach to their problems. At the beginning of 1951 he voluntarily gave up 14 days of his current year's leave to enable him to undertake the training of the new intake from the date of their arrival at the school. No member of the staff of the school has given such self-sacrificing devotion to its welfare as Sergeant Mace has done'. An important and unique medal group.