Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Corporal N. A. Gant, Australian Infantry
1939-45 Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal, all officially impressed ‘NX190553 N. A. Gant’, mounted for wear, contact marks throughout, nearly very fine

Pair: Corporal J. H. Burrows, Australian Defence Forces
War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal, both officially impressed ‘’N104454 J. H. Burrows’, contact marks, nearly very fine (6) £60-£80

Norman Arthur Gant was born in England on 6 November 1922 and lived in Lithgow, New South Wales, Australia. A labourer, he attested for the 1st Anti-Aircraft Brigade at George’s Height on 21 November 1940 and was taken on strength of the 53rd Australian Infantry on 5 November 1941. Posted to New Guinea from 27 December 1941 to 5 February 1944, his Army Service Record notes that he received a bullet wound to the right thigh on 24 May 1943. He further found himself in trouble with the civil authorities at Edmonton for evading a rail fare and subsequently committing a common assault.

Transferred to the 41st Australian Water Transport Operating Company, Gant saw out the war in the South West Pacific theatre from 16 March 1945 to 10 January 1946. He later took civilian employment as a temporary coxswain on a tug in Sydney Harbour - working on the construction of the new Spit Bridge at Middle Harbour. He died on 10 May 1973.

James Henry Burrows was born in Wyalong, New South Wales, on 31 July 1906. He attested at Hay for the 16th Garrison Battalion on 17 May 1941 and was appointed Spec. Group 3 Transport Driver on 29 October 1941. Recorded A.W.O.L. on 3 June 1942, Burrows was placed in a farm supervisory role in August 1942 and demobilised in February 1946. He died on 30 October 1976.