The E-Sylum:  Volume 9, Number 31, July 30, 2006, Article 26

GALLIPOLI VICTORIA CROSS TO FIND HOME IN MUSEUM

On July 25, the winning bidder of the recently-sold Victoria Cross
medal discussed in the last E-Sylum was trying to stay anonymous.
"Last night's successful Australian bidder wishes to remain anonymous.
But Bonhams said he intended to have the medals shown in the Australian
War Memorial."

To read the complete press release, see: Full Story

But by the next day the word was out:  "Media moguls are not
generally bashful but Seven Network boss Kerry Stokes attempted to
become the invisible man yesterday after he was confirmed as the
benefactor who paid $1 million for a Gallipoli Victoria Cross.

Acting in conjunction with the RSL, and as revealed in The Australian
yesterday, Mr Stokes paid $1,214,500, including auctioneer's commission,
to secure all the medals of World War I hero Alfred Shout at auction
in Sydney on Monday night."

"I've never believed that anybody should collect or have proprietary
interest over somebody else's valour," Mr Stokes said. "These
particular awards are part of our history, they're part of who we
are, and the only appropriate place they belong is in a national
museum."

Major General Crews said Mr Stokes's donation to the Australian War
Memorial would complete the display of all nine VCs won by Australians
at Gallipoli."

A majority of the 97 Victoria Crosses won by Australians since the
Boer War are held by the war memorial or military museums."

[The article notes that two Australian VC awardees are still alive,
and that both still have their medals. -Editor]

To read the complete article, see: Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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