A Great War 1916 ‘Somme’ M.M. awarded to Private J. Blackburn, 45th Australian Infantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, for his gallantry as a battalion bomber during the attack on Munster Alley, 7 August 1916

Military Medal, G.V.R. (1728 Pte. J. Blackburn. 45/Aust: Inf: Bn:) contact marks, nearly very fine £600-800

M.M. London Gazette 16 November 1916. The original recommendation states:

‘For conspicuous gallantry during our attack on Munster Alley on the afternoon of the 7th August 1916 in that he held back the enemy with bombs whilst a block was being built at the head of the trench.’

Jeff Blackburn was born in Harrison, Indiana, United States of America, in February 1879. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, at Sydney, 29 January 1916, and embarked for the Middle East in H.T. Cermic 14 April 1916. Blackburn arrived in Alexandria in May 1916, and embarked for France the following month. He served with the 45th Australian Infantry Battalion as part of the 12th Australian Brigade, 4th Australian Division in the French theatre of war.

Blackburn was awarded his M.M. for gallantry in operations on the Somme, in particular during the attack on Munster Alley, 7 August 1916. During the latter action he received a shrapnel wound to his left thigh, as a consequence of which he was evacuated to a hospital in the UK. Blackburn was invalided back to Australia in the Wiltshire, arriving in Sydney in December 1916. He was discharged medically unfit 17 March 1917.