British and World Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Sergeant J. Rodgers, 9th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force

1914-15 Star (1635 Pte., 9/Bn. A.I.F.); British War and Victory Medals (1635 Sjt., 9/Bn. A.I.F.), generally very fine (3)
£150-200

John Rodgers, a labourer from Cairns, Queensland, had seen active service during the Boer War as a Private in the Royal West Kents, prior to enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force in January 1915. Embarked with the 9th Battalion in H.M.A.T. Seang Choon in the following month, he witnessed active service in Gallipoli from May until December, although on one occasion evacuated to Mudros for a few days as a result of sickness.

Rodgers was transferred to a new post at Tel-el-Kebir on landing in Egypt in early 1916, was embarked for France in March, where he served at Etaples that summer, prior to removing to the 49th Battalion in October. A brief appointment in the Miner’s Corps having followed in early 1917, he was posted to a training unit in England, from whence he was evacuated back home in December of the same year, where he was discharged at Brisbane in March 1918, suffering from senility and rheumatism.