British and World Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Sergeant E. Aspinall, 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion, Australian Army, who was on active service in Tarakan in May 1945, when fellow battalion member Corporal John Mackey won a posthumous V.C.

1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Pacific Star; Defence & War Medals 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45, all with officially impressed naming in small capitals, ‘NX 54728 E. Aspinall’, together with “Returned Badge”, the reverse numbered ‘8175’, generally good very fine (7) £250-300

Evan Aspinall was in Melbourne, Victoria in December 1918 and enlisted in the Australian Army at Paddington, New South Wales in June 1940, when he stated he had earlier seen service in the 21st Light Horse Regiment as a Trooper. Posted to the 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion in the following month, he was advanced to Corporal in December 1941 and remained actively employed in the same unit for the remainder of the War, latterly serving in the rank of Sergeant.

The 2/3rd Pioneer Battalion saw much action in North Africa, although Aspinall was hospitalised in the period October-November 1942, and returned to Australia in early 1943. Thereafter, following jungle training, the Battalion was engaged against the Japanese, being present at the capture of Lae in September 1943, the landings on Scarlet Beach, near Finschhafen, and in further operations on New Guinea’s northern coast, prior to returning to Brisbane in March 1944.

But further active service beckoned, for in the final months of the War the 2/3rd participated in the Tarakan operations, one detachment acting as gunners in landing craft at Sadau. Next employed in clearing the enemy from the high ground around the town, the 2/3rd fought two protracted actions against the well-defended enemy strongpoints “Sadie” and “Helen”, Corporal John Mackey winning a posthumous V.C. for his superb gallantry in attacking the latter position on 14 May 1945. By the time of the Japanese surrender, the 2/3rd Pioneers wartime casualties had risen to 97 dead and 262 wounded.

Following the War’s end, Aspinall was evacuated by air to Australia suffering from a blood clot, and was discharged in November 1946 while still a patient at 113 Concord Military Hospital. He died in the following year; sold with original named campaign medal issuance slips and copied service record.