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An Exceptional Gallipoli
World War 1 Victoria Cross; Group of Five
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To Capt. A.J. Shout, 1st
Australian Infantry Battalion A.I.F.
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Captain A.J. Shout, 1st Australian Infantry Battalion A.I.F.,
first medal inscribed on reverse, the group mounted in a later, custom
made display case;
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a cap badge;
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an officer’s pip;
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a typed soldier’s
verse by Lce. Cpl. Alex. McQueen 'A Tribute to the Memory of Captain
Shout on behalf of 1st Battalion';
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a sepia photograph of Shout;
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two
non-military posthumous awards presented to Shout’s widow;
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and two
other medals awarded to Shout:
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Queen’s South Africa Medal named Sjt A
J Short Border Horse with clasp Cape Colony Transvaal, Wittenbergen and
King’s South Africa Medal bars SA01 and SA02 to "359 Sjt AJ Shout
SAMIF" (the latter is a re-named medal);
Victoria Cross citation:
London Gazette 15th
October 1915: ‘For most
conspicuous bravery at Lone Pine Trenches, in the Gallipoli Peninsula.
On the morning of 9th August, 1915, with a small party, Captain Shout
charged down trenches strongly occupied by the enemy, and personally
threw four bombs among them, killing eight and routing the remainder. In
the afternoon of the same day, from the same position gained in the
morning, he captured a further length of trench under similar conditions
and continued personally to bomb the enemy at close range, under very
heavy fire, until he was severely wounded, losing his right hand and
left eye. This most gallant officer has since succumbed to his injuries.’
Military Cross Citation:
London Gazette 1st June 1915: On 27th April, during operations near Kaba
Tepe, for showing conspicuous courage and ability in organizing and
leading his men in a thick bushy country, under very heavy fire. He
frequently had to expose himself to locate the enemy, and led a bayonet
charge at the critical moment’.
Shout’s actions that
day were described by Private Charles Huntley Thompson of the 13th
Battalion: “That was the bravest thing I ever saw”.
Notes: - Only ninety-six
Australians have ever been awarded the Victoria Cross.
- Capt. Shout was the
most decorated soldier to serve with the Australian Imperial Force at
Gallipoli; he was the only soldier to be awarded the Military Cross and
the Victoria Cross - A total of nine Victoria Crosses were awarded to
Australian soldiers serving at Gallipoli.
- Captain Shout’s
Victoria Cross is the only Gallipoli VC still in private hands; the
other eight currently reside at the Australian War Memorial.
- The Capt. Shout
Victoria Cross Group is arguably the most important medal group ever to
be offered at auction on the international market.
Alfred John Shout
(1881-1915) was born in Wellington, New Zealand on 7th August, 1881. He
was the son of London-born John Shout, cook, and Agnes, née McGovern.
From 1900 he served with the New Zealand contingent in the South African
War, as a sergeant in the Border Horse and from 1903 as a sergeant in
the Cape Field Artillery.
Shout and his family
moved to Australia in 1905. They settled in Sydney and Shout found work
as a carpenter and joiner. In 1907 he joined the 29th Infantry Regiment
(militia). He obtained his commission on 16th June, 1914 and joined the
Australian Imperial Force in August. He was appointed as a 2nd
Lieutenant in 1st Battalion and then promoted to 1st Lieutenant on 1st
February 1915 whilst in Egypt.
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1st Lieutenant Shout
landed with 1st Battalion in Gallipoli on 25th April 1915 and was
immediately in the thick of some ferocious fighting against the Turks.
On 27th April, in a conspicuous show of courage, he led a bayonet charge
whilst under extremely heavy Turkish fire for which he was awarded the
Military Cross, and was mentioned in dispatches for his actions between
25 April and 5 May. He was promoted to captain on 29th July.
On 6th August the A.I.F.
attacked Lone Pine. During the battle Shout again distinguished himself
for his leadership and bravery and was awarded the Victoria Cross (see
citation above). He was mortally wounded during action on 9th August and
died on board the hospital ship on 11th August 1915.
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| It has
been announced that the medal group will go on display at the AWM,
donated by the purchaser. |
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The purchaser was
later revealed as Kerry Stokes, owner of the Seven TV Network in
Australia. CONGRATULATIONS KERRY. |
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