Family shares story of grandmother’s medals
Contributed by Elaine Reeves
ONLY recently my mother mentioned that her mother (my grandmother) had ‘received medals during the War’. I was a bit mystified as to what she meant until she produced these two badges (which I had never seen before!).
For active service abroad during the Second World War, a single badge was issued to the nearest female relative of members of the RAN, the Australian Imperial Force (including members of the Australian Army Nursing Service), and the Royal Australian Air Force. Stars were displayed on a bar suspended below the badge represented the number of relatives involved in the war effort.
The badge showed a map of Australia and the words “To The Women of Australia”.
The Mothers’ and Widows’ badge of the Second World War was issued to the mother and/or widow of a member of the RAN, AIF (including the Australian Army Nursing Service), Citizen Military Forces, or Royal Australian Air Force who was killed in action or died of wounds or other causes as a result of their service.
The badge was round and silver-coloured. The obverse shows a raised image of a woman and part of a laurel wreath with the words ‘For Australia’ in raised letters. Suspended by two securing rings from the bottom of the badge is a flat rectangular bar where stars were added.
Obviously, these badges relate to my mother’s brother who enlisted in the RAAF in 1940 for Aircrew training as a Wireless Operator and Air Gunner. He trained in Australia, Canada and in the UK.
He flew in Wellingtons, Halifaxes and Lancasters, including the renowned ‘G for George’ (now in the War Memorial in Canberra).
In April 1943 his aeroplane was shot down over Germany. There were no survivors. The crew are all now buried in the war cemetery in Kiel, Germany. He was just over 22 years of age when he died.