Informal portrait of Jack Chalmers wearing his George Cross and his Life Membership of Lifesaving ...

Informal portrait of Jack Chalmers wearing his George Cross and his Life Membership of Lifesaving Australia on his suit lapel at a lifesaving function at North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club shortly after he received his George Cross. On the 12 July 1972, Chalmers and four other Australian Albert Medal recipients received their George Crosses (in exchange for their Albert Medals) from the Queen at Buckingham Palace. Chalmers was born in Wellington, New Zealand in 1894. He moved with his parents to Australia in 1906. Jack Chalmers served in the First World War as 3039 Private (Pte) John (Jack) Chalmers, 25th Battalion. An engine driver of Brisbane, Queensland, he enlisted on 5 October 1915 and embarked with the 7th Reinforcements aboard HMAT Itonus on 30 December 1915. He joined the 47th Battalion in Egypt and served with them until 1918 when the unit was disbanded, then transferred to the 45th Battalion in France and served as a medical orderly. He returned to Australia on 3 July 1919 and was discharged on 23 August 1919. Chalmers joined the North Bondi Surf Life Saving Club on 27 August 1919 and won the Australian Lifesaving belt Championship in 1922. On 4 February 1922, Jack Chalmers was on the shore at Coogee Beach, NSW, when a swimmer Milton Coughlan, was attacked by a shark whilst swimming outside the breakers. Oblivious to his own safety, Chalmers immediately went to the swimmer's rescue, scrambling across the rocks, swimming to Coughlan, and holding him as they were both pulled in by a surf line that Chalmers had tied around his waist. Chalmers was awarded the Albert Medal (Lifesaving) for the courageous rescue. He retained his interest in lifesaving until his death on 29 March 1982 and his ashes were scattered on his beloved Bondi Beach.