Medal groups of interest Page 5


Victoria Cross Distinguished Flying Cross 1939/45 Star Atlantic Star	Defence Medal 1939/45 War medal NZ 1939/45 War Service Medal
Medals awarded to TRIGG, Lloyd Allan (1914-1943) b. Houhora, Northland, NZ. The only British combatant in either of the World Wars to be awarded a Victoria Cross on the basis of evidence given by the enemy he had engaged. Trigg was commissioned a flying officer in 1942, after training in Canada. In August that same year, while operating in Liberator bombers from Morocco against German submarines, he went in for the kill against U-468. Although the aircraft was hit early and was on fire from end to end, Trigg kept up the attack and sank the submarine with depth charges, before the aircraft finally crashed into the sea because Trigg, seriously wounded, could no longer control it. Some of the submarine crew escaped using a dinghy from the Liberator and, when they were captured by the Royal Navy, told the story of Trigg's dogged courage. He had completed 46 operational sorties by the time of his death.

	1990 NZ Commemorative Medal for reverse New Zealand Fire Brigade Long Service and Good Conduct Medal with 2 clasps (Medal awarded for 14 years service and a 1 clasp for each additional 7 years service) Cadet Forces Medal with 1 clasp (Medal for 12 years service and clasps for each additional 12 years (In 1989 reduced to 8 years). This is a British Medal awarded under NZ regulations.

British Empire Medal (ER11 Military) The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for any exceptional or valuable services between the 1 January 1958 and the 20 June 1974. Australian Active Service Medal (AASM), bar Korea Instituted 11 December 1997, recognises warlike service between 3 September 1945 and 14 February 1975. Round 32mm silver-nickel, flagged by the Crown of Saint Edward. Principal design is a Federation Star surrounded by 'Australian Active Service Medal 1945-1975'. The reverse has a horizontal panel surrounded by two sprays of wattle. The ribbon is 32mm wide, having a central red stripe of 2mm, representing the dangers of war, flanked by two yellow stripes of 2mm, 4mm stripes of blue, then two dark green stripes of 4mm and two purple stripes of 4mm. It is said that these colours reflect the 1947-1975 Imperial Medal ribbons. Issued with nickle-silver clasps according to service location. In some instances awarded to non-defence support personnel. British Korea Medal Issued in recognition for service in Korea between 1 July 1950 and 27 July 1953. A bronze oak leaf on the ribbon signifies dispatch recognition. A United States of America Presidential Unit Citation was also awarded to members of the 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment. Issued with two obverse legends. The first features Queen Elizabeth II DEI.GRA.BRITT.OMN.REGINA.F.D.; the second rarer edition features Queen Elizabeth II DEI.GRATIA.REGINA F.D. Although King George VI was still alive until 1952, the medal's obverse only features the first of later version of Queen Elizabeth who reigned from 1953. UN Medal for Korea Instituted in 1950. It was awarded on behalf of the United Nations for operational service in the Korean Campaign from 27 June 1950 to 26 July 1954, and in some instances, for unauthorized service in Japan of a unit which directly assisted operations in Korea. Australian Service Medal (ASM), 1945-75, bar Japan Round, nickel-silver, medal hanging from a ribbon of light and dark blue, khaki, green and gold, said to represent the Australian Defence Services. A modified shield of the Commonwealth Coat of Arms features on the obverse and a Commonwealth Star overlaid with the recipient's name features on the reverse. The medal is ensigned with the Crown of St. Edward. Nickle-silver clasps denote locality. This medal is awarded for service in overseas peace-keeping missions and other non-like war operations. QE11 Coronation Minted to commemorate the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. It was not a military medal but was rather awarded to a list of individuals as a personal souvenir. The Governments of the various countries in the British Commonwealth determined the list of individuals to be awarded. The medals were presented following the coronation on 02 June, 1953. A total of 138,214 total medals were issued. Defence Force Service Medal with bar National Medal

Click for Index of Australian Medals and Awards

Distinguished Service Order - C.O. 2/11 Bn. AIF, Aitape-Wewak, P.N.G.,1945
1939-1945 Star : 6 months service in operational command
Africa Star : on posted strength, between 1940 and 1943, in area between Suez and Straits of Gibraltar
Pacific Star: operational service in territories that have been invaded by the enemy not including Burma
Defence Medal : 6 months service in specified areas
1939-1945 War Medal : 28 days full time service - operational or non operational
1939-1945 Australia Service Medal: at least 30 days full time service or 90 days part time service
1939-1945 Active Service Medal: for operational service Korea, Malaya or Vietnam etc.
Korea Medal: at least one day's service on posted strength of operational unit in period 1/7/50 to 27/7/53
United Nations Medal - Korea clasp: any period on posted strength of unit on operational service Korea in period 27/6/50 - 26/7/54 P.N.G clasp. 30 days service. Clasp denotes area of service
Efficient Service ("E.D."): Officers - 20 years commissioned service in Citizen Forces or 12 years continuous efficient commissioned service etc. Recipients are entitled to add letters "E.D." after name.
Silver Star , U.S. for "gallantry in action" in Korea on 22/10/1950 at Battle of "Apple Orchard" - The Silver Star is the third highest US military award designated solely for heroism in combat. This was not posthumous as has been mistakenly reported
Greek Medal: Greek Government Medal for operational service in Greek Campaign 1940-1941

This group of war medals was awarded posthumously to Private R.B. Jinks who died when the Shun Tein, transporting Australian and Italian wounded from Tobruk, was torpedoed and sank in the Mediterranean on 23 December 1941. Jinks enlisted at Sale, Victoria and left Australia in 1939 with the 7th Battalion. The medals were presented to his foster-mother, Mrs F Chadwick. The medals are: The 1939-45 Star granted for service in operations during World War Two. The Africa Star granted for service in North Africa between 10 June 1940 (Italy's entry in the war) and 12 May 1943. The Defence Medal granted for service of at least six months. The War Medal 1939-45 awarded to full-time armed service personnel. The Australian Service Medal (1939-1945) awarded to members of the Australian Armed Forces serving in operational areas. This image is from the Museum Victoria collection.

DCM & Bar
QSA' & clasps
- Wittenbergen',
- 'Diamond Hill',
- 'Johannesburg'
- 'Cape Colony'
British War Medal
Victory Medal

AWM image No REL 09217/002

Johnston 'Joe' Burley was born in Ireland in 1873. His family emigrated to Melbourne where Burley was apprenticed as a carpenter and served as a volunteer soldier. In the early 1890s he moved to New Zealand before returning to Melbourne and then travelling to Western Australia, where he worked until October 1899, when he enlisted for service in the Boer War, in 1 Western Australian (Mounted Infantry) Contingent. In South Africa the contingent served with the Kimberly Relief Force. On 9 February 1900 Burley was in a group of twenty Western Australians to the south of Jasfontein Farm near Slingersfontein which dug in on a kopje that became known as Australian Hill. Supported by a few guns the men prepared to repel any pursuers and held out until sunset against hundreds of Boers, refusing calls to surrender and sniping from behind improvised stone shelters. Burley was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) for outstanding gallantry in this action.

After serving in Transvaal, Orange Free State and Cape Colony he returned to Perth and was promoted lance corporal in 1901. Burley joined the WA Government Railways and qualified as an engine driver in 1903. He enlisted in the AIF on 19 January 1917 as a company sergeant major in 5 Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company and served in Belgium between June 1917 and April 1918, before transferring to the 6th Company in France. He was awarded a bar to his DCM in 1917, 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in charge of a train.' Burley returned to Australia on 21 March 1919 and resumed work as an engine driver. He retired after a railway accident in 1934 severely damaged his legs. He died in 1955.