Military Medal : Sergeant R S Turner, 6 Division Supply Column, Australian Army Service Corps

Military Medal (Geo VI). Impressed around edge with recipient's details.

NX3048 Sergeant Richard Sydney Turner was born in Sydney in 1916. He enlisted on 28 October 1939 and served with 6 Division Supply Column, Australian Army Service Corps. After service in Africa he was captured by the Germans during the Greek campaign in June 1941, but escaped.

After nearly two years on the run Turner joined the Greek resistance in 1943 and led a band of fifty Greek andartes. He later joined British Military Mission in Greece, which operated behind German lines. He was awarded the Military Medal for his work in Greece between 1942 and 1944. The citation reads, 'Sgt. Turner was an escaped PW in Greece for one and a half years. During the greater part of this period his life was most harzardous and difficult. He was semi-starved and forced to live in the open, villagers from fear refusing to receive him, he steadfastly refused to give himself up in spite of much suffering from hunger and cold. As soon as the Allied Military mission arrived in the area of LOKRIS he joined it. He refused evacuation on learning its need of a British N.C.O. with local knowledge. During the past year he has been first with Major Dickinson and after with Major Dillon and has been of invaluable worth to both. He has displayed the highest qualities of courage, endurance and tact. During the absence of his O.C. on recces he has commanded the station with great success. He has himself carried out dangerous recces in civilian clothes that entailed passing through German controlled posts. He is at present living in civilian clothes in an area alive with the enemy'.

Turner was killed by Greek communist insurgents, during the civil war which broke out in Greece following the withdrawal of the Axis forces, on 17 December 1944 while in a truck on his way to Athens airport to be repatriated to Australia.

• 1939-45 Star : Sergeant R S Turner
• Africa Star : Sergeant R S Turner
• Italy Star : Sergeant R S Turner
• Defence Medal : Sergeant R S Turner
• Australia Service Medal : Sergeant R S Turner