Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Acting Warrant Officer F. C. W. Ballerum, 8th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, who was killed in action at Broodseinde Ridge on 4 October 1917; he had earlier served with the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force in the capture and occupation of German New Guinea 1914-15 and before that with the New South Wales Naval Contingent in China during the Boxer Rebellion, 1900-01

1914-15 Star (695 Pte F. C. W. Ballerum. 1 A.N. & M.E.F.) ; British War and Victory Medals (6837 A-WO-2. F. C. W. Ballerum 8 Bn. A.I.F.); Memorial Plaque (Frederick Christian William Ballerum) very fine (4) £500-£600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Warwick Cary.

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Frederick Christian William Ballerum was born in Sydney, New South Wales in 1882. Enlisting as an 18 year old with the New South Wales Naval Contingent (Artillery), he served in China during the Boxer Rebellion, embarking from Sydney in the S.S Salamis on 8 August 1900 and returning the following April (China 1900 medal with no clasp), following which period of active service, he remained a further 4 years in the Naval Reserve and also served in the 7th Infantry Regiment.

At the outbreak of the Great War Ballerum attested, on 11 August 1914 at Sydney, for the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force - a hastily raised and equipped force sent to capture and destroy German Wireless Stations at Yap in The Caroline Islands, Nauru and at Rabaul, German New Guinea. Embarking as a Private with F Company, 1st Battalion, aboard the Berrima, his unit left Sydney on 19 August 1914 a mere 10 days after the call for volunteers had been made. Promoted Sergeant (extra to Regiment) on 28 December 1914 whilst employed on the Native Police Staff, he then transferred and re-attested for the 3rd Battalion, Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force Tropical Unit on 1 February 1915 at Rabaul, where on 15 June 1915 he was sentenced by Field General Court Martial to 12 months imprisonment with hard labour and reduced to the rank of Private for illegally disposing of government property. On 19 June he was embarked for Australia aboard the S.S. Malunga as a court martial prisoner to serve sentence and was discharged on 29 June 1915.

His sentence evidently commuted to some degree, Ballerum attested once again as a Private for the Australian Imperial Force on 2 January 1916 at Liverpool, N.S.W. and, embarked at Sydney per the S.S. Port Napier on 17 November 1916 as Acting Company Sergeant Major 8th Battalion (22nd reinforcements). He proceeded to France on 19 April 1917, and was taken on the strength of the 8th Battalion on 16 May 1917.

Acting warrant Officer Ballerum was killed in action on 4 October 1917 following his battalion’s attack on Broodseinde Ridge at the third Battle of Ypres. His service records contain a copy of the letter sent to his wife revealing that ‘he was wounded by shell fragments on his arm, head and buttock, after the battalion had reached its objective. He was taken into a pill box but died four hours later, and was buried near Broodseinde, Belgium.’

Ballerum’s body was never recovered for formal burial and he is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium.

Note: Due to his earlier misconduct charge, Ballerum’s 1914-15 Star was initially denied. The medal board later recommended the restoration of the award and it was issued in 1922.

It is possible that Ballerum’s misconduct was a dummy charge created in New Guinea. There have been several cases discovered where members of the initial force tasked to stay in New Guinea believed the posting would result in them no longer being involved in the war and consequently created minor staged incidents as a way to get themselves discharged in order to re-enlist in Australia.

Sold with three original postcards - the first dated 1910 showing the recipient in civilian attire, another featuring the recipient in Tropical uniform, sent from New Guinea 1914/15, and the third a studio standing portrait in Great War Sergeant’s uniform with another sergeant (unknown), also together with a quantity of copied research.