British War Medal 1914-20 : Sergeant G R Downer, 1 Battalion, AIF

Places
Accession Number RELAWM15628.003
Collection type Heraldry
Object type Medal
Physical description Silver
Maker Unknown
Place made United Kingdom
Date made c 1920
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Description

British War Medal 1914-20. Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

History / Summary

Associated with the service of 243 Sergeant G R Downer, 1 Battalion, AIF. Garnet Ronald Downer was born in Glebe, New South Wales in 1885. He was a bush worker and Militia soldier serving with the 29th Infantry Regiment (the Australian Rifles) before enlisting in the AIF in August 1914. Private Downer embarked on HMAT Afric on 18 October 1914 with 1 Battalion. He served on Gallipoli and had been promoted to sergeant when he was awarded the Military Medal (MM) for his actions at Lone Pine in August 1915. Downer survived the Gallipoli campaign and moved with 1 Battalion to the Western Front, where he was killed during a raid on the German trenches on 29 June 1916 near Fromelles, France.