WW1 & WW2 AUSTRALIAN NAVY & ARMY MEDALS 6268 STOKER VERNON HMAS AUSTRALIA

Offered is an unpaid lot from our April JB sale.

WW1 Royal Australian Navy medal group to Stoker G. Vernon, who served on H.M.A.S. Australia, and during WW2, served as a Captain with the Australian Army Canteen Service.

British War and Victory medals, impressed named 6268 G.W. VERNON. STOKER R.A.N. Comes with copy R.A.N. Service record and research by Neil Smith. Captain Gordon William Millen Corbett Vernon was born on the 23/8/1898 at Perth, Western Australia (his WW2 enlistment papers shave 2 years off, being given as 1900). He enlisted as a Stoker with the Royal Australian Navy 12/9/1917 at Fremantle and was given the service No 6268, and trained at H.M.A.S. Cerberus, Perth Depot. He was stationed with the H.M.A.S. Australia from 12/4/1918 – 23/4/1919. During this time the Australia was conducting operations in the North Sea. When the German High Seas Fleet surrendered at Scapa Flow 21/11/1918, Australia was stationed as the guard ship for the battle cruiser Hindenburg. On the 23/4/1919 the ship sailed for Fremantle arriving on the 28/5/1919 where he discharged on 16/6/1919. Between the wars Vernon was working as a salesman and was married in 1934 at Bruce Rock, W.A. On the 23/7/1940 he enlisted in the Australian Army Service Corps Depot. Promoted to W.O.1 14/6/1941 and posted to Northam Camp. Commissioned as a Lieutenant 14/3/42, appointed Assistant Director Canteen Services 31/8/42, embarked Fremantle for duty ‘Potshot’ (Exmouth Gulf) 15/3/1943 – 21/4/43. Temporary Captain 17/11/43 Western Australia Lines of Communication Area, Karrakatta (Perth). 1/1/44 Australian Army Canteen Services, 24/3/44 promoted Captain, To Camp 308 17/7 – 23/8/44. Darwin with the Canteen Services 12/10/44, Qld canteen services 23/12/44, Perth 22/11/45, Darwin and discharged 24/1/47. Captain Vernon died at Perth, WA 1963. Also entitled to Australian Service Medal 1939 – 45.