Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Chief Stoker J. H. Dufty, Royal Australian Navy, who was wounded on the occasion H.M.A.S. “Canberra” was sunk by the Japanese in August 1942

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45; Australia Service Medal 1939-45, all officially inscribed, ‘14877 J. H. Dufty’; Royal Australian Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, coinage bust (14877 Sto. P.O., R.A.N.), the last a little polished but generally very fine (6) £250-300

John Henry Dufty, who was born in December 1902, joined the Royal Australian Navy as Stoker in October 1924. Advanced to Stoker Petty Officer in February 1935, and awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in June of the following year, he was serving in H.M.A.S. Canberra on the outbreak of hostilities. Similarly employed by the summer of 1942, when that ship was acting in support of the U.S. landings on Guadalcanal, he was wounded when she was lost to enemy action on 9 August, following a brisk action off the island of Savo. Of her complement of 816 men, 732 were rescued, of whom over a hundred were wounded, including Dufty (Hurt Certificate granted 9 August 1942 refers). Dufty went on to serve in the cruiser Shropshire, on her transferral to the R.A.N. from the R.N. in June 1943, and was discharged from the Penguin in May 1945.