Australian Army service medals awarded to Clarence William DREHER VX11730 born 15/6/1911 at Netherby. Enlisted on 19/4/1940 and discharged 23/10/1940. Served 912 days abroad assigned to the 1st Australian Corp of SignalsSix medals with multi coloured ribbons attached mounted on black felt with large pin attached at rear. Three of the medals are star shaped in copper coloured metal and three are round in silver coloured metal. The 1939-45 Star/Africa Star and Pacific Star all feature a crown and the royal cypher of King George VI The round shaped medals 1939-45 Defence medal/War medal and Service medal feature the head of King George VI All medals are engraved VX11730 C DREHERaustralian army, ww2, c dreher, corps of sigs

Colonel Shannon DSO, VD., became the 1st President of the Wangaratta RSL in 1928 when it was organised under Anzac House and the present constitution. He was born at Bowman's Forest in 1874 and died in Wangaratta in 1960. He served in the Victorian Mounted Rifles at the turn of the century, rose to the rank of Captain and commanded the Wangaratta Detachment and Company - this later became the 8th Light Horse Regiment. In 1915 he embarked as Major in the 8th Light Horse and served in Gallipoli, Sinai, Palestine and Syria when he commanded the 8th Squadron. Later he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and commanded the Regiment. During the Amman raids, he was awarded the D.S.O at El Salt. This award was presented to him by the Duke of Clarence. In post war period he commanded the 8th Australian Light Horse and later as Colonel of the 3rd Cavalry Brigade During the second world war Colonel Shannon came out from retirement to organise the V.D.C in North East Victoria.The DSO medal is awarded for distinguished service during active operations against an enemy.Small rectangular black leather look covered timber box. Inside lid is lined in satin cloth and purple coloured velvet lines the base. Box contains a crimson ribbon with dark blue edges with a suspension bar and pin at the top and a lower suspension bar attached by a loop to a cross shaped medal made from white enamel. In the centre is the imperial crown in gold upon a red enamelled background surrounded by a laurel wreath. The reverse side depicts the royal cypherStamped on lid of presentation box - DSO Inside lid - Garrard & Co Ltd Goldsmiths and Jewellers to the King by special appointment Engraved on reverse of lower clasp - 8 LH Palestine wangaratta rsl, colonel shannon, dso, ww2, 8th light horse, ww1

Fanned by powerful winds, the Black Friday fires (13 January 1939) swept rapidly across large areas of Victoria, causing widespread destruction. Flames leaped large distances, and giant trees were blown out of the ground by fierce winds. Large pieces of burning bark (embers) were carried for kilometres, starting new fires in places that had not previously been affected by flames. Almost two million hectares burned across the state. Large areas of state forest, containing giant stands of Mountain Ash and other valuable timbers, were destroyed. As a result, approximately 575,000 hectares of reserved forest and 780,000 hectares of Crown land burned.Four Files Forests Commission of Victoria Northern Area Report on the 1938-39 Fire Season; and the Fire Protection Policy in Respect of Field activities Prior to the Incidence of the 1939 Fires. history, bendigo, forests commision of victoria, 1939 bush fires