11. Collie Boys Military Awards for Gallantry

Collie Boys Military Awards for Gallantry

Saluting their Service - Grahame Old

‘Ordinary Men in Extraordinary Times’

From the Boer War through to the Vietnam War, awards for gallantry and distinguished service were made to Australian servicemen under the British Imperial Awards System. In 1991 the Imperial System was replaced by an Australian System of awards. The exception was the highest award for bravery, the Victoria Cross, which remained. This award was renamed the Victoria Cross for Australia. The key differences between the Australian awards and those of the Imperial System are that the awards are applied to all three armed services, and that the level of the award is not restricted by rank but is determined by the quality of the action or service. Collie Boys have always displayed gallant conduct through all wars and many have been recognised for their actions. The following is a list of these awards and the names of those Collie Boys who were recipients of the awards;

Victoria Cross(VC)

The VC is the highest military decoration awarded for valour in the face of the enemy. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals. It may be awarded to a person of any rank in any service and to civilians under military command. From the Boer War through to Afghanistan the Victoria Cross has been awarded to 102 Australians. The VC was usually presented to the recipient or to their next of kin by the British monarch at an investiture held at Buckingham Palace.There has been 1 VC awarded to a serviceman from Collie;

Sgt Martin O’MEARA VC for ‘Most Conspicuous Bravery’ during the WW1 battle of Pozieres August 1916.

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Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

The DSO is an extremely high level award for bravery. Second only to the VC this military decoration was awarded to commissioned officers in recognition of gallantry. During WW1 there was 1 DSO awarded to an Officer from Collie;

Major Eliazar Lazar MARGOLIN DSO

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Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM)

The DCM is an extremely high-level award for bravery, second only to the VC this military decoration was awarded to non-commissioned personnel in recognition of gallantry. The equivalent award for commissioned officers was the Distinguished Service Order (DSO). There has been 6 DCM’s awarded to servicemen from Collie;

WW1 CSM Albert William CLARK DCM Cpl Joseph HALL DCM Cpl Gordon Lindsay VERNON DCM Pte Stanley William WAYWOOD DCM

Sgt Thomas WILSON DCM

WW2

Sgt Henry Charles (Harry) FUHRMANN DCM (POW)

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Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

The DFC was a third-level military decoration awarded to Air Force personnel of commissioned rank, for act/s of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy.

During WW2 there were 2 DFC’s awarded to RAAF servicemen from Collie;

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Flight Lieutenant Albert George McKENZIE DFC

Flying Officer John Joseph O’DONNELL DFC

During the Vietnam War there was 1 DFC awarded to a RAN serviceman from Collie;

Lieutenant James Collier BUCHANAN DFC

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Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM)

The DFM was a third level military decoration awarded to Air Force personnel below commissioned rank, for an act/s of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy. During WW2 there was one 1 DFM awarded to a RAAF serviceman from Collie;

Pilot Officer Herbert Leonard FUHRMANN DFM (Sgt at time of award)

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Military Cross (MC)

The MC was a military decoration awarded for bravery in battle on land to commissioned officers of the rank of Captain or below. The MC was a third-level military decoration. During WW1 there were 3 MC’s awarded to servicemen from Collie (Two of the award recipients enlisted as privates and were promoted through the ranks in the field to become commissioned officers);

Lt Oscar Roy HOWIE MC

Lt George Arthur LAMERTON MC

2/Lt Charles Daniel Wimbledon LINTOTT MC

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Military Medal (MM)

The MM was a third level military decoration awarded for bravery in battle on land. The award was for personnel below commissioned rank, although it could be awarded to Warrant Officers. The equivalent award for commissioned officers was the Military Cross MC. A servicemen could be recommended more than once for the same award in this case a second medal is not awarded, however a Bar to the medal is awarded indicating a first, second or in one case for an Australian Serviceman during WW1 a third Bar MM award. During WW1 there were 16 MM’s awarded to servicemen from Collie, 2 were recognised with the MM and Bar and 1 who was recognised with the MM with 1st and 2nd Bar;

CSM Charles Henry ALCORN MM & Bar 2

Cpl George BALL MM

Lt Henry Ernest BRADBURY MM (Cpl at time of award)

Pte Lewis Albert CRIDDLE MM

L/Cpl John DICKSON MM

Cpl Robert Alexander DRYSDALE MM

Pte Alexander Coulton FORSTER MM

Sgt Richard Hugo HART MM

Pte Harold HICKS MM

Driver Lesley Norman William HOLDING MM

L/Cpl Aron Frank LAWRIE MM

Cpl Charles McQUADE MM

Cpl George Blunderfield Bawden NOELL MM & Bar

Tpr Thomas Hugh SARRE MM

L/Cpl William Henry SAUNDERS MM (medal on display Collie-Cardiff RSL Sub Branch)

Sgt Walter Edgar WEBB MM & Bar

During WW2 there were 2 MM’s awarded to servicemen from Collie;

Warrant Officer Class 2 Eric EYRE MM

Cpl Arthur Melville MAGILL MM (POW)

Medal for Gallantry (MG) (Australian Award)

25 years after the end of the Vietnam War several Vietnam Veterans who were recommended for awards of Gallantry during that War finally received recognition. Originally recommended for the Military Medal (MM) for bravery (Imperial Awards System in operation at that time) the recommendations were later downgraded to Mention in Despatches (MID). This was done to meet the Imperial Awards System quota which operated at that time. After intense lobbying of the Government, the original decision to downgrade the awards was overturned and the soldiers were then awarded the Australian Medal for Gallantry (MG) for their acts of bravery. Under the Australian Military Awards System introduced in 1991, the MG replaced the MM. The MG is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force. It recognizes acts of gallantry in action in hazardous circumstances. It is ranked third in the Gallantry Decorations in the Australian Honours System. 25 Years after the Vietnam War there were a total of twenty-one awards of the MG made to Australian servicemen for acts of gallantry during that war, there was 1 MG awarded to a serviceman from Collie;

Sgt Francis Carr (Frank) CASHMORE MG MID

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Croix de Guerre

The Croix de Guerre (Cross of War) is a military decoration of France. During WW1 and WW2 the decoration was commonly bestowed to foreign military forces allied to France for acts of heroism involving combat with the enemy. During WW1 there was one 1 Croix de Guerre awarded to a serviceman from Collie;

CSM Alexander Wilton O‘NEILL Croix de Guerre

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Romanian Croix De Virtue Militara (2nd Class)

The Romanian Military Virtue Medal is a military decoration awarded for acts of bravery. The award can be made to foreign military forces allied to Romania. The medal had 2 classes, the 1st class being awarded to officers, and the 2nd class to non-commissioned officers and enlisted ranks. During WW1 there was 1 Romanian Croix de Virtue Militara (2nd class) made to a serviceman from Collie;

BSM William Charles Edward SMITH Romanian Croix de Virtue Militara (2nd Class)

Meritorious Service Medal (MSM)

From 1916 the MSM was awarded for acts of gallantry or meritorious conduct when not in the face of the enemy. During WW1 there were 4 MSM awarded to servicemen from Collie;

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Driver Joseph HYMAN MSM

L/Sgt Edward Frederick KOHLER MSM

Driver Henry SIMMONDS MSM

CSM Alexander WALLACE MSM

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Mention In Despatches (MID)

Those servicemen who perform a noteworthy action which is mentioned in a report are said to have been "mentioned in despatches." During WW1 there were 6 servicemen from Collie mentioned in despatches;

Pte James Patrick CONNOLY MID

Sgt James Ash GILBERT MID

Pte Joseph Gordon McINERNEY MID

Pte Thomas PRIESTMAN MID

Major Eliazar Lazar MARGOLIN DSO MID

Sgt Alexander STEWART MID

During the Vietnam War there was 1 serviceman from Collie mentioned in despatches;

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Sgt Francis Carr (Frank) CASHMORE MG MID

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‍Mention In Corps Orders

During WW1under the Imperial Awards System soldiers were also recognised for acts of gallantry by being mentioned in Corps Orders. During WW1 there were 2 servicemen from Collie who were Mentioned in Corps Orders;

Lt Cecil William TREASURE

Cpl Gordon Lindsay VERNON DCM

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