Princess Royal Fortress Military Museum > Records

1967 ANZAC Commemorative Medallion and Certificate of Pte. William John BEER 1509

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Australian Government

1967

Overview

A commemorative medallion cast in bronze. The obverse of the medallion depicts Simpson and his donkey carrying a wounded soldier to safety. It is bordered on the lower half by a laurel wreath above the word ANZAC. A crown sits atop the medallion and is visible from both sides The reverse shows a map in relief of Australia and New Zealand superimposed by the Southern Cross. The lower half is bordered by New Zealand fern leaves. The name and initials of the recipient is engraved on the reverse. The medallion is issued in a leather presentation box with purple cloth lining inside the lid and purple velvet on the stand where the medallion sits.
The Medallion is accompanied by an A5 size printed certificate. The proforma information is printed in blue ink on a cream parchment type paper. At the centre top of the paper is printed the Australian Coat of Arms. The reverse of the certificate is blank. The paper has been folded into eighths.

Historical information

In March 1967 the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. Harold Holt, announced that a commemorative medallion and badge was to be issued to surviving members of the Australian Defence Force who served on the Gallipoli Peninsula, or in direct support of the operations from close off shore, at any time during the period from the first Anzac Day in April 1915 to the date of final evacuation in January 1916. The medallion was issued to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the ANZAC Gallipoli landings in 1965.

Details

Registration number

cwa-org-12-2022.1.12.a-c

Item type

Certificates

Medallions

Themes

War and Conflict > World War 1

Material

Bronze (Metal)

Cloth

Leather

Paper

Velvet

Width

50 mm

Height or length

75 mm

Depth

5 mm

Weight

119 g

Inscriptions and markings

On the medallion obverse “1915 / ANZAC” and reverse “W. J. BEER”.
On the certificate “In / commemoration of the heroic deeds / of the men of / ANZAC / at / Gallipoli in 1915 / and / in recognition of the great debt / owed by all Australians. / With the Compliments of / the Government of / the Commonwealth of Australia.”

Contextual information

An image of Private John Simpson of the Army Ambulance Corps, aiding a wounded soldier on his donkey at Gallipoli, is featured on the front of the medal. Simpson became renowned for his work as a stretcher-bearer and as the man with the donkey at the Gallipoli battlefield who saved many lives. He landed at Gallipoli on 25 April 1915 and was killed less than four weeks later. Simpson used donkeys (landed for water carrying) to transport wounded men from the front line fighting to the beach on Anzac Cove, working in extreme conditions of heavy fighting. He died in action on 19 May from machine gun fire, as he was guiding down two wounded men. Simpson's actions demonstrated the qualities of courage and mateship that have become associated with the term 'Anzac'.

Keywords

Gallipoli Campaign

First World War

Place made

Australia

Year

1967

Primary significance criteria

Historic significance

Social or spiritual significance

Comparative significance criteria

Object’s condition or completeness