Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Lieutenant C. Pestalozzi, Australian Imperial Force, who within a matter of weeks survived the sinking of both the Royal Edward and the Southland, both of which were torpedoed by the German submarine U-14

1914-15 Star (6261 Sjt. C. Pestalozzi. 16/A.S.C. A.I.F.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. C. Pestalozzi. A.I.F.); together with the recipient’s Silver War Badge, the reverse numbered ‘A36737’, good very fine (3) £140-£180

Conrad Pestalozzi was born in Davos, Switzerland, in 1883, and having emigrated to Australia attested for the Australian Imperial Force at Perth on 10 March 1915. Posted to the 16th Army Service Corps Company, he was promoted Sergeant and embarked from Melbourne for Egypt on 22 May 1915. Promoted Staff Sergeant on 1 August 1915, he was aboard the freighter the Royal Edward when she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-14 in the Aegean Sea and sank with the loss of 864 men; a contemporary newspaper account states that the recipient was in the water for close to 4 hours before being picked up.

On 30 August 1915, Pestalozzi embarked in the Southland from Egypt bound for Gallipoli. On the morning of 2 September 1915, 65km south of Lemnos, the ship was torpedoed, again by the U-14, and sank with the loss of 36 lives. Picked-up, he landed at Gallipoli, and was hospitalised with dysentery on 15 October 1915.

Recovering, Pestalozzi proceeded to France, and was commissioned Second Lieutenant on 12 August 1916. He was promoted Lieutenant with the 7th Australian Remount Unit on 13 October 1916, and having been hospitalised again, this time with malaria, he was discharged on medical grounds on 19 December 1917, and was awarded a Silver War Badge. He died in Perth, W.A., in 1966.

Sold with a ‘Rising Sun’ cap badge; Imperial League Returned Sailors and Soldiers Badge, the reverse numbered ‘28860’; an A.I.F. Returned from Active Service Badge, the reverse officially numbered ‘76684’; and copied research.