Bavarian Cross of Military Merit, 3rd Class with Swords, and certificate : Kanonier Ludwig Beer, German Field Artillery

Bavarian Cross of Military Merit, 3rd Class with Swords, accompanied by ribbon bar and certificate of issue. The ribbon bar displays the Bavarian Cross of Military Merit ribbon with Crown and Swords device; unidentified ribbon ; and Bavarian Long Service Medal ribbon. The accompanying certificate for the award of the Cross of Military Merit was issued at Munich on 14 June 1918 to Kanonier Ludwig Beer of an unidentified Field Artillery Regiment for an action that took place on 30 May 1918. A pattern of holes reveals where a coat of arms was attached to the lower left of the certificate.

According to the donor, this medal and citation was taken by Lieutenant Arthur Tomlinson from a German General whom he had captured in France in 1918, and who was taking it to be presented in the field to Kanonier Ludwig Beer. Tomlinson's enduring memory of the encounter was the 'General's indignation at his capture by one of inferior rank'. Arthur Tomlinson, a ship's fireman from Sydney who had recently emigrated from England, enlisted on 24 August 1914 and after a brief period of training in Australia, embarked for overseas service from Sydney, NSW aboard HMAT Argyllshire. He served with 1 Field Artillery Brigade and 5 Division Artillery before returning to Australia on 16 September 1918.