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Auction: 25111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 527

(x) '"Jack" Greaves was a chum of mine. We were together at Warlencourt on the date of his death. He was in charge of taking up rations from H.Q. about 3 miles behind our firing line., "Molte Trench" I [SIC] Warlencourt , when he got hit by a shell and badly wounded. He was taken back to the Dressing Station at Albert where he died. He was acting Trench Quarter Master at the time of death.

(The testimony of Stephen Donovan of the 19th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force on the death of his comrade Private John Greaves)

The campaign pair awarded to Private J. Greaves, 19th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force, who died of wounds on 3 March 1917 at Dernancourt

British War and Victory Medals (5138 Pte. J. Greaves 19 Bn. A.I.F.), good very fine (2)

John "Jack" Greaves was born at Sydney in 1894 and enlisted on 28 August 1915 with the 20th Battalion, A.I.F, listing his address as 29 East Street, Surry Hills, New South Wales. Posted to England he joined the 19th Battalion in January 1916 and joined them in France on 2 November 1916.

That same month the Battalion took part in an attack against The Maze feature, a series of interconnected trench systems near Fluer. Around the time of this attack the German forces opposite them were preparing their withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line. This they began to carry out in 1917, the carefully pre-prepared defences included booby-trapped positions and lines of communication bracketed by guns.

The latter proved to be disastrous from Greaves who had been appointed 'Trench Quarter Master' and was organising the supply of rations on 1 March 1917. As he brought the supply party up the road the German guns zeroed in on their positions opened fire. A direct hit landed right at the centre of the party, killing 9 men outright and wounding another 14, including Greaves.

He was taken to 1/1 South Midlands Casualty Clearing Station but his wounds proved to be mortal and he was buried at Dernancourt Communal Cemetery; sold together with copied research.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£90

Starting price
£70