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Post by Les on Nov 15, 2006 16:21:03 GMT
Building on the recent world record breaking sale of Captain Alfred John Shout's VC for $1.2million, Bonhams & Goodman has unearthed another rare World War I VC which will be offered for sale on Tuesday November 28, 2006 in Sydney. www.bonhamsandgoodman.com.au/ |
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Post by Les on Nov 29, 2006 16:47:58 GMT
The hammer price was eventually £160,356 - to a private bidder.
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Post by Les on Nov 29, 2006 16:56:34 GMT
The news report on the sale:
TWO granddaughters of a WWI Victoria Cross winner expressed relief after the buyer of his medal was revealed as an Australian citizen.
The VC belonging to Lance Corporal Bernard Sidney Gordon of the 41st Battalion Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) was sold to an anonymous Australian buyer at auction in Sydney for $480,000 tonight.
Mr Gordon was awarded the VC for bravery in the trenches of France, where between August 26 and 27, 1918, he single-handedly captured 63 soldiers including two officers, and six machine guns.
A woman who attended tonight's auction purchased the medal on behalf of the buyer.
The medal sold at the hammer price of $400,000, with an extra 19 per cent added as a buyer's premium to cover taxes and commissions, taking the final figure up to $480,000.
Mr Gordon's granddaughter, Judy Burrows, was delighted the medal would remain in Australia and hoped the buyer was willing to donate it to the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.
"Let's hope he's a generous person," she said.
Ms Burrow's sister, Margaret Schofield, said her grandfather would want the medal to be displayed in the war memorial.
"It's part of Australia's history and I really feel that he'd want it in the museum," she said.
The sisters, who both live in Townsville, only found out about the auction last Friday but said they hold no grudges against the relatives who decided it was time to sell the prestigious honour.
"They needed the money desperately, from what I understand, but you can't sell someone's courage and bravery," Ms Schofield said.
In July, businessman Kerry Stokes paid a record $1.2 million for a VC and collection of other medals won by Captain Alfred Shout, which he then donated to the Australian War Memorial.
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Post by Les on Dec 12, 2006 17:39:26 GMT
I quote verbatim from Rupert Murdoch's http://www.news.com.au:
Victoria Cross donated to war memorial
December 12, 2006 03:27pm
Article from: AAP
AN anonymous donor has given the Australian War Memorial a Victoria Cross awarded to a digger who captured six enemy machine guns and 60 prisoners during the Gallipoli campaign in World War I.
Lance Corporal Bernard Gordon's medal was auctioned last month for $485,800, the second highest price paid for a VC in Australia.
One of the machine guns he captured is on display in the memorial's Gallipoli gallery.
The medal arrived at the war memorial early today with little fanfare and a request from the donor for anonymity.
"We had a whisper it may be donated to us yesterday," curator Nick Fletcher said.
"I went to bed curious and woke up curious."
Memorial director Steve Gower was delighted with the donation.
"Such medals are a tangible reminder of the great sacrifice our soldiers have made in the past," Mr Gower said.
This article's obviously come from the wire service Australian Associated Press, but the subeditor at News Ltd obviously hasn't done their job, or even a Google search.
Lance Corporal Bernard Gordon, 41st Bn, AIF, won his Victoria Cross on 26th August 1918 the Maricourt plateau, between the Bray - Montauban gulley and the Somme. Quite a feat ... winning a Victoria Cross at Gallipoli - more than two years after the Australian troops were withdrawn!
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