Turkish Order of Mejidie, 2nd Class : Major A Crawford, 8 Light Horse Regiment, AIF

Order of Mejidie, 2nd Class breast star, with suspender and ribbon only for accompanying neck badge. The silver breast star is in the form of a seven pointed rayed star with a small crescent moon and five pointed star between the arms of each ray. The entire silver surface is cut to give the impression of a surface of small diamonds or brilliants. In the centre of the star is a silver gilt and red enamel disc. The gold central disc bears the toughra (cipher) of the last Ottoman Sultan, Mehmet V (1908-1919). Around it a red enamel circle bears words, in gold lettering, which translate 'Zeal, Devotion, Loyalty' and the Muslim year date 1268. The back of the star is plain except for a Turkish hallmark in the centre. It bears a horizontally aligned pin fastening with a safety catch. The smaller neck badge that would have been worn with the star is missing. It was in the same pattern as the larger star and only the silver gilt and red enamel star and crescent suspender attached to a piece of 39mm wide red watered silk ribbon with narrow green edges remains.

This Turkish decoration was collected by Major Andrew (Andy) Crawford during his service with 8 Light Horse Regiment (LHR) in Palestine between 1916 and 1918. Born in Victoria in 1887, Crawford was a farmer at Tatura, Vic, when he joined the AIF on 21 September 1914, as a 2nd Lieutenant in A Squadron, 8 LHR. He had previously served in the militia from 1908, with 7 Light Horse Regiment (Victorian Mounted Rifles). After training at Broadmeadows and in the adjacent countryside 8 LHR left Australia for Egypt aboard HMAT Star of Victoria on 25 February 1915.

Crawford landed with his regiment on Gallipoli on 6 May 1915. He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 June. The regiment took part in the disastrous attack at The Nek on 7 August, in which 78 per cent of its men were killed or wounded. Crawford was the only officer in his squadron to survive but suffered wounds to his hip and back. He was evacuated to Egypt and after hospital treatment was able to rejoin the regiment on Gallipoli three months later, when he was appointed temporary officer commanding C Squadron on 25 November.

Crawford was promoted to captain in January 1916 and to major in March. He remained in command of C Squadron until the end of the war. Crawford took part in operations at Romani, Magdhaba, Rafa, Gaza, Beersheba, El Burj, Es Salt and in the Jordan Valley. He played a prominent part in the defeat of a superior Turkish force at El Burj at the end of November 1917, and later renamed his farm at Tatura 'El Burj' in memory of the action. He was mentioned in despatches for his 'courage, coolness and untiring efforts in the Es Salt raid in April-May 1918'. Crawford contracted malaria in September 1918 and saw no further action. After leave in Britain he returned to Australia a year later. During the 1920s he remained active on the militia, commanding 20 Light Horse Regiment from 1924 until his retirement in 1929. Crawford 'lowered' his stated age to 50 to serve again in the Second World War, with the service number V374436, in A Company 16 Battalion, between 1942 and October 1945. He died in 1974.