Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce Great War M.M. group of four awarded to Private A. L. Hargrave, Australian Imperial Force

Military Medal, G.V.R. (2926 Pte. A. L. Hargrave, 50/Aust. Inf.); 1914-15 Star (2926 Pte. A. L. Hargave, 11/Bn. A.I.F.); British War and Victory Medals (2926 Pte. A. L. Hargrave, 11 Bn. A.I.F.), mounted as worn, surname officially corrected on the first, polished, thus fine or better (4) £1600-1800

M.M. London Gazette 14 December 1917. The original recommendation states:

‘This man was a runner in operations near Zonnebeke on 26 September 1917. He showed the highest courage and energy among the runners of his company. He worked through heavy hostile fire with great ability until wounded.’

Arthur Leonard Hargrave, a native of Carrondown, South Australia, enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in February 1915 and was embarked for the Middle East as a reinforcement for the 11th Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Division, in October 1915. Having then served in Egypt until June 1916, and transferred to the 50th Battalion, he was embarked for the Western Front where he won his M.M. at Polygon Wood, Zonnebeke in September 1917, on which occasion he was wounded by a gunshot to the right arm and subsequently evacuated to England. He saw no further action and was embarked for Australia in June 1918, having been hauled up before a Court Martial for being for being absent without leave in the interim. Hargrave died in September 1966; sold with research, including copied service record.