Greg

These photos came from an auction site. For comparison.

A few years back I bought this medal at a Flea Market / Car boot sale fundraiser for the Surf Life Savers in Queensland. I paid AUD$30.00 for it. I have had it appraised by three major medal dealers here in Australia. The first two said it was the real thing and gave me valuation certificates stating the value in excess of AUD$50,000. The third (just a couple of months ago) here in Melbourne made a show of weighing it for it's silver content and offered me $25 for it. Even rang their "expert" at another shop... They were trying so hard to be nonchalant about it, it was obvious that they were a bit excited. When I told them that the bronze version for petty officers and ratings sold at Christie's in 2002 (or thereabouts) for 30,000 pounds, they told me that they weren't interested. I wanted them to appraise it but even my mother who happened to be with me on the day, said that they didn't listen and thought I was trying to sell it. I am 90% convinced that it is real. It is in excellent condition for something this old. The Battle of Camperdown was in 1797 between the Royal Navy under Admiral Duncan and the Dutch fleet which had been taken over by Revolutionary France. Anyway, here it is. The ring and clasp were obviously added recently. I will have to get better photos but I shake too much.

I would like to see that, Megan. However I am interested in portraits of HM wearing the Orders rather than just the Orders themselves. I must say how much I use your website. I find it very useful and well set out. I have sent you some pictures of missing items over the last few years. I do hope you continue with this valuable and informative site. Greg.

Not according to what I heard and saw in this documentary. Maybe it varies. Greg.

1. These are mounted in the correct order according to the official Order of Wearing. 2. Females in uniform (ie. St John's Ambulance Brigade, Police or Defence Forces) wear medals and honours mounted in the "male" style. According to a documentary I saw yesterday about the Queen at an Investiture Ceremony, it is because uniformed personnel have regular hats not the huge bonnets civilian women wear in formal dress (which require brooch mounting of neck medals because you can't get them over the hats !!). Which means that women being awarded the Companion or Officer of the Order of Australia are requested not to wear hats to the investiture. eg. attached pic of Nicole Kidman. Cheers, Greg.

Hi, Are you sure he is with the 1RAR ? Isn't the blue service lanyard worn by the Royal Queensland Regiment ? At least it was when I was in 9RQR. Or is it worn by all Australian Infantry Regiments ? Greg.

Order of Canada & unknown.

Order of New Zealand and Queen's Service Order.

Order of the Garter

The National Order of the Southern Cross of Brazil

Dear friends and colleagues, I am new here but will post a few topics. This one is a favourite. I am trying to collect the full set of portraits/photos of the Queen wearing each of the Orders she has from around the world. My collections is only beginning. I would appreciate it greatly if you could add to the collection. Many thanks, Greg. Sovreign of the Order of Australia

My grandfather, Joseph Lee, was is the Dockyard Police, Garden Island (RAN base Sydney) and billetted on the HMAS Kuttabul at the time of the Japanese midget submarine attack. He was on duty at garden Island during the attack but was actually supposed to be off duty and asleep on the Kuttabul. He always claimed to have swapped duties with another man who was a bit under the weather - without official permission. That man died in the explosion. There was difficulty identifying the bodies and there was one body not immediately identified at all. Because Constable Lee was supposed to have been on board, they assumed the body was his. Grandma still tells of her horror the following day when two Naval officers came to her door and told her that her husband was dead - followed about three hours later by a very much alive and cheeky Joseph Lee !!! Here are some photos of the damaged submarines.

As the proud owner of this document now, I would be interested to find out to whom it belonged. I also have a CVO medal and would like to find out whose it was. Is there any way of finding out working from the number stamped into the reverse of the medal? Greg (Melbourne, Australia)

Just for clarification : Terrorists have already attacked and blown a hole in the side of a battleship which is now VERY vulnerable to attack. A second attack would sink it for sure. Armed only with a light target pistol, my hero virtually single handedly attacks two boat loads of terrorists firing at him with automatic weaons, rams and capsizes one and then shoots and sinks the second - saving the ship. He then goes on to assist wounded men in the middle of exploding bombs, is wounded but keeps on helping the them and moving them to safety. I have researched over a hundred medald awards and it seems to me that some men have received VCs or Medals of Honor for less. I am surprised to read that this would not be enough merit for a Navy Cross. This is why I wanted to pick your minds. The context of the action seems to have a lot to do with the award. I look forward to your comments. Greg.

Hi Gentlemen, I have just discovered this great site and have just spent 3 hours reading through various threads. Great fun! I am writing a novel about an Australian Army Reservist who starts off in infantry but becomes a Chaplain and is asked to go to Gulf War I as a Chaplain. He was a competitor in pistol at the 1986 Commonweath Games and isn't a bad shot. Anyway, he is stationed on one of the RAN ships in the Gulf and on the 27th February, 1991 he attends a Chaplains' meeting on board the HMS London (British flagship). After the meeting he uses the onboard pistol range for some practice with his pistol. He was returning in a ship's boat to HMAS Westralia when a terrorist inflatable boat attacked and heavily damaged an American warship (a la USS Cole in 2000) and the Chaplain orders the boat to progress directly to the USS * in order to render assistance. Two further terrorist boats appeared and were speeding to attack the damaged USS * and the HMS London. The Chaplain orders the boat to ram the nearest enemy boat capsizing it. He then told the sailors to take cover and armed only with his light target pistol, he stood in the open boat and opened fire on the second terrorist inflatable. In the honourable tradition of Chaplains in the Armed Forces, he did not aim at the terrorists themselves but aimed to puncture their boat and so prevent them from reaching their target. Under fire from the terrorists' automatic weapons, he calmly continued to fire at their boat until it deflated. (I actually tested this - as best I was able - 9 hits from a .17 cal target pistol is enough to deflate a loaded rubber ducky with an engine enough to cause it to capsize - felt a bit like the Mythbusters!!). The petty officer in charge of the boat reloaded the magazines seven times. The Chaplain then directed the boat to rescue the terrorists from the water and take them into custody. He then proceeded to the American warship which had been heavily damaged by the first attack. On board the USS *, he assists wounded American Marines and Navy personnel onboard both with First Aid and as a Chaplain. It was then discovered that scattered amongst the wounded men on deck were small explosive devices spread by the initial explosion. Together with two American medics in the midst of several explosions, the Chaplain continues to assist the wounded regardless of his own safety and threw/kicked several explosive devices overboard which exploded moments later. Shrapnel from one of these explosions wounded his left knee (blowing his knee-cap off) but he continued to minister to the badly injured US personnel. Now, this is the part I need some help with : I expect that an officer doing this would receive suitable reward for his courage and devotion to duty. For the sake of the story, I have the Australian government court martialling him for being a Chaplain and firing at the enemy and therefore refusing him a medal. The UK wants to give him a VC (as he was nominally in charge of a RN unit - the ship's boat at the time). The US Navy are very appreciative. The President gives the boat's crew the Navy & Marines Presidential Unit Citation. The US later award him the Navy Cross and make him an Officer of the Legion of Merit. (All these medals have been awarded to Australians before). On the spot, (ie. the next day) the US Admiral awards him the Purple Heart, Marine Commendation medal with V, Navy Good Conduct medal with V, USN Expert Pistol Shot medal. The Captain of the ship also gives him a plaque suitably engraved with a message of appreciation. I can speak with knowledge and experience of the Australian Army Reserves and of being a Chaplain. But I don't know if the medals etc from the US sound plausible. In the story the Americans treat this as two separate actions - taking on the terrorists and then later (even if it is only 15 minutes later) assisting the wounded on board the US battleship. Therefore awarding the Navy Cross and the OLM are for two individual actions. Okay - so what do you think? Do the Navy Cross and Officer of the Legion of Merit and Purple Heart sound suitable awards for this action? I have read many times about a senior officer (eg. Admiral) awarding Silver Stars or Marine Commendation medals and Purple Hearts "on the spot". Is this a reasonable plausible senario ? I have the US Admiral giving him the USN Expert Pistol Shot medal as a bit of a joke so it doesn't matter if the situation doesn't meet the regulations for this medal. Hoping for some constructive criticism here. Many thanks, Greg.