Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Lance-Sergeant S. H. Girle, Machine Gun Battalion, Australian Imperial Force

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Pacific Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Australia Service Medal, all officially impressed ‘NX14087 S. H. Girle’ nearly extremely fine (6) £60-80

Samuel Henry Girle was born in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, on 19 May 1907 and attested for the part-time Militia on 11 November 1936, being posted to the 1st Artillery Survey Company as a Gunner. He was promoted Bombardier on 1 August 1937, and was discharged on 11 November 1939. He re-enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Paddington, Sydney, on 7 May 1940, and was promoted Acting Sergeant on 18 July 1940. He embarked Melbourne for the United Kingdom on the transport ship Ulysses on 7 August 1940, and arriving in Liverpool on 9 October of that year was posted to the 2/1st Machine Gun Battalion, as part of the 6th Division. He served in the Mediterranean and in the Middle East, and took part in operations against the Germans near Gerania, as well as garrison duty in Palestine and Syria. Returning to Australia, he subsequently served in New Guinea in operations against the Japanese near Buna. He returned to Australia on 22 August 1945, and was discharged at Redbank on 19 October of that year.