Case for Albert Medal : Sergeant D E Coyne, 31 Battalion, AIF

Red leather case with hinged lid for Albert Medal, embossed in gold with monogram of King George V. The case has a fitted and shaped panel in purple velvet for the medal, and is lined with red silk. There is a brass press button clip closure at the front.

3347 Sergeant David Emmet Coyne, a farmer from Mackay in Queensland, joined the AIF in January 1916 as a 20 year old, and embarked as part of the 7th Reinforcements to 31 Battalion, joining the unit on the Somme in December 1916. By 1918 he had seen considerable service and had become an expert in bombing (grenades), with the rank of sergeant. On 15 May 1918, near Vaire-sous-Corbie, he was seriously injured, receiving over 20 wounds when he attempted to protect his comrades by smothering a grenade with his body. He subsequently died of his injuries, and was posthumously awarded the Albert Medal in gold. He was the only member of the AIF to receive this award. He is buried at Vignacourt British Cemetery near Amiens.