Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War Passchendaele operations M.M. group of three awarded to Corporal H. R. Haxby, 8th Australian Infantry Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, a veteran of the Gallipoli operations who was wounded on three separate occasions

Military Medal, G.V.R. (2371 Cpl. H. R. Haxby, 8/Aust. Inf.); 1914-15 Star (2371 Pte. H. R. Haxby, 8/Bn. A.I.F.): British War Medal 1914-20 (2371 Cpl. H. R. Haxby, 8 Bn. A.I.F.), very fine and better (3) £500-600

M.M. London Gazette 4 February 1918. The original recommendation states:

‘For conspicuous gallantry near Passchendaele, east of Ypres during operations on 26 November 1917. The mortar, of which the N.C.O. was in charge during the operations, was subject to very heavy shelling by the enemy and finally put out of action. Corporal Haxby, although wounded, made repeated trips through the enemy barrage, transferring the remaining ammunition to another mortar. He set a fine example of gallantry and disregard of personal safety.’

Harold Rowland Haxby was born at Northcote, Victoria and enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in May 1917. Drafted to the 8th Battalion, he was embarked for Gallipoli in mid-July 1915, from whence he was evacuated to hospital in Alexandria that December, suffering from debility. In the interim, the Battalion had suffered heavily in the battles of Krithia and Lone Pine.

Next embarked for France in April 1916, he was attached to 2nd Australian Brigade’s Light Trench Mortar Battery and was slightly wounded during the course of June and then severely wounded - in the left leg and shoulder - in October. Having then returned to his unit in the Field, he was wounded for a third occasion in the course of winning his M.M. for the above cited deeds in October 1917 - namely gunshot wounds to his right arm and neck, as a consequence of which he was evacuated to England. Haxby was discharged in Australia in February 1919 and died at Heidelberg, Melbourne in August 1957, aged 60 years; sold with copied service record and M.M. recommendation.