| Places | |
|---|---|
| Accession Number | REL35092.001 |
| Collection type | Heraldry |
| Object type | Award |
| Physical description | Silver |
| Maker |
Royal Mint |
| Place made | United Kingdom |
| Date made | c 1918 |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
Military Medal : Corporal C C Dedman, 5 Battalion, AIF
Description
Military Medal (Geo V). Impressed around edge with recipient's details.
History / Summary
Charles Curtis Dedman, a 27 year old printer from North Fitzroy in Melbourne, enlisted in the AIF on 8 July 1915. He sailed as a private with 5 Battalion and after a period of training in Egypt joined the fighting on the Western Front. He was promoted lance corporal in November 1916 and temporary corporal in May 1918. In July of that year he was involved in a reconnaissance patrol between the towns of Merris and Meteren, opposite a place called le Waton. This resulted in the award of the Military Medal. The citation reads; ‘On 11/7/18 near METEREN Corpl. DEDMAN was one of a daylight reconnaissance party of one officer and two other ranks which penetrated 400 yards into No Man’s Land and discovered some new enemy posts. After watching these posts which were strongly held from a distance of 30 yards he crawled along in front of enemy wire and discovered a listening post occupied by two of the enemy. On finding themselves covered by a revolver the enemy refused to surrender and one of them showed a fight. Cpl. DEDMAN immediately shot him. By this time the neighbouring posts had been alarmed and after dealing with the second prisoner who could not be quietened the patrol had to hurriedly evacuate under heavy machine gun and rifle fire, with only a shoulder strap as identification. A few hours afterwards this N.C.O. volunteered and returned to the post for further identification and at great personal risk with one man he succeeded in obtaining some papers and a pay-book to establish identification.’ On 15 August Dedman was confirmed in the rank of corporal and promoted three days later to sergeant. On the 23 August he was wounded in action with a gun shot wound to the thigh. He was transferred to hospital in England and embarked for return to Australia aboard the Kanowna on 5 January 1919. He reached Australia in March and was admitted to No. 11 Australian General Hospital in Caulfield Melbourne. He died there from a haemorrhage and heart failure on 9 September.