After the First World War the defence of the Australian mainland lay with the part-time soldiers of the Citizens Military Force (CMF), also known as the Militia. The Militia was organized to maintain the structure of the First AIF and kept the same numerical designations. The Militia units were distributed in the same areas the original AIF units were raised. Consequently, Militia units were also known by the name of their shire. Thus, the Victorian 37th Infantry Battalion was the "Hunt Regiment", while the 52nd Infantry Battalion was the "Gippsland Regiment". Both were raised in 1921 and linked in 1930, forming the 37th/52nd Infantry Battalion. In 1937 the battalion was separated but merged again in August 1942, after Japan's entry into the Second World War and the subsequent reorganisation of the Australian Army. gold coloured metal frame with green mount containing 3 silver and 2 green badges 8 large and 7 small gold coloured buttons on tartan cloth background.37th-52rd Australian Infantry Battalion Affilitated with The Queens "Own" Cameron Highlanders 37th/52nd australian infantry battalion, cameron highlanders

37th Infantry Battalion - said to include soldier Private Francis Bradley Newton 2378 - 22 year old Farmer from Whitfield - Embarked on 20/10/1916 from Melbourne on HMAT Port Lincoln. Died 7/6/1983 buried Wangaratta CemetryBlack and white photograph mounted on light brown cardboard of large group of soldiers standing and sitting in seven rows taken outdoors under trees.Handwritten on rear of mount 37 Inf Bn 4th row from back 3rd on left or 10th from left - Frank Newton37th infantry battalion, frank newton, ww1

L.Cpl. Harold Pearson PREST 1334 served with the 37th Infantry Battalion in World War 1 and was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry action on October 4th 1917 at Ypres. He enlisted at Wangaratta and records indicate he resided at that time in Roy Street Wangaratta. Harold returned to Australia on 20/12/1917. Brown timber frame containing photograph of male in civilian attire wearing World War 1 RAS Badge and Military Medal.Noneharold pearson prest, 37th infantry battalion

Private Donald Hector Murray greeting Private Edward Raymond Hargreaves in London during WW1. Donald enlisted 17/04/1916 in the 37th Infantry Battalion and embarked for Europe 03/06/1916. He died of Tubercular Pleurisy on 21/12/1916 at the Military Hospital, Fargo England, whilst on active service. He is buried in the Durrington Cemetery there. Edward enlisted in the 5th Infantry Battalion on 08/07/1915 and embarked for France 11/10/1915. Upon his return he was granted a Soldier Settler's block west of Lake Bolac in 1921. He married Flora Graham in 1925. murray, 37th infantry battalion, hargreaves, graham, 5th infantry battalion, london, ww1, fargo military hospital, durrington cemetery, lake bolac

Original Military Medal awarded to Harold Pearson PREST Lance Corporal 1334 - 37th Australian Infantry Battalion On the 4th October 1917 East of Ypres, Belgium for conspicuous gallantry in action - After locating an enemy machine gun which was holding up the left flank, he single handed rushed the position from a flank and bombed and killed the crew of two men and captured the gun. His promptness and courage not only saved many casualties but enabled the advance to continue.The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land. The award was established in 1916, with retrospective application to 1914, and was awarded to other ranks for "acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire"Blue velvet case with satin lining containing round metal medal with attached blue red and white striped ribbon and gold coloured plastic plaquePlaque -Military Medal awarded to 1334 Lance Corporal H P Prest 37/AUST INF For Bravery in the Fieldh p prest, ww1, mm, 37th infantry battalion

Citation for Military Medal awarded to Harold Pearson PREST reads as follows - On the 4th October 1917 East of Ypres, Belgium for conspicuous gallantry in action - After locating an enemy machine gun which was holding up the left flank, he single handed rushed the position from a flank and bombed and killed the crew of two men and captured the gun. His promptness and courage not only saved many casualties but enabled the advance to continue.Military medal for conspicuous gallantry in WW1Cream coloured paper with Australian Coat of Arms above black type contained in black border.Military Medal 1334 Lance Corporal Harold Pearson Prest 37th Australian Infantry Battalion 10th Australian Infantry Brigade 3rd Australian Divisionmilitary medal, ypres, 1917, harold pearson prest, 37th australian infantry battalion

Colour paper dust cover with picture of marching soldiers in shades of brown. 428 pages, illustrated with black and white photos and maps on inside covers. hard cover, buckram."Donated to Bendigo RSL Sub Branch Walter Witmarsh"books, military history

Index, ill, maps, p.428.non-fictionA history of the wartime experiences of the Australian Army 37th/52nd infantry battalionsworld war 1939-1945 - regimental histories - australia, world war 1939-1945 - campaigns - south west pacific

Photograph taken in May 1916 of 4th Platoon whilst at Wangaratta Training Camp prior to travelling by train to Seymour Camp. Known members of Platoon are local men Frank Newton 2378 and Harry Whitty 2170 of Whitfield who served in France with the 37th Infantry Bn and later discharged on 14/8/1918.Black and white photograph mounted on dark grey cardboard depicting three rows of soldiers wearing bush hats and front row holding rifles4th Platoon "Wangaratta Training Centre" May1916 Hand written in biro on mount left side "Frank Newton" and above photograph "Harry Whitty" 4th platoon, wangaratta training centre, may 1916, frank newton 2378, harry whitty 2170, 37th infantry battalion

Reginald Emerson Sims (Sgt) served in the 37th Australian Infantry Battalion. Killed in Action France 10/08/1918. Born in Greensborough/Montmorency.Digital copy of black and white photograph.reginald emerson sims

Before Charles Mortomore enlisted he was a farmer and lived in Lilydale and later St Kilda. He enlisted on March 1, 1916. He embarked from Melbourne on June 3, 1916 on HMAT Persic (A34) to Plymouth and served with the 37th Infantry Battalion in France where he won the MM (Military Medal). On December 25-26, 1916 at Armentieres, while acting as a scout, he displayed great daring in getting through the enemy wire and obtaining information in preparation for a raid on the enemy trenches. When the scout next to him was wounded, he carried him back across NO Mans Land to his own line, and then returned to his work. He was wounded on February 27,1917 and later died from these wounds. He Was awarded the Military Medal, British War Medal and Victory Medal.Framed photocopy of photograph and precis of military service history of Charles Robert Mortomore MM (632) (Private)

A Vale notice that was published in the Bulletin in 1966 on the death of Legatee Syd Birrell. He joined Legacy in 1924 and was very active contact work, welfare and probation work. It says: "It is doubtful that any other Legatee has performed more personal contact service in the homes of our families than has Syd. There are literally hundreds of widows and children in this community who have reason to be eternally grateful for the practical Legacy service he had rendered. He will be greatly missed in very many homes." Syd Birrell was President of Melbourne Legacy in 1949 and helped established at least 10 new Legacy groups in Gippsland and in northern Victoria. In World War One he had served with the 37th Infantry Battalion, winning an MC for bravery at the battle of Broodseinde in Belgium on 4 October 1917. In the Second World War he served as Captain in the VDC. He was awarded an MBE for his contributions to community welfare.A record of the life and service of Legatee Syd Birrell.White A4 paper x 2 pages of a photocopy from the Bulletin of the Vale notice about Legatee Syd Birrell.vale, syd birrell

Private Harry Nutman Derrick, a native of Tallangatta Valley in NE Victoria served with the 37th Australian Infantry Battalion 10th Brigade, 3rd Division AIF. He was wounded on three occasions. On the third occasion he was captured near the village of Clery on 30 August 1918. He died in a German military hospital on 12 November 1918 the day following the Armistice. A transcribed copy of the diary is held in the Local History Section of the Albury LibraryMuseum.This diary documents the day-to-day activities of a private soldier of the AIF during almost two years at war including two occasions on which he was wounded and evacuated to England. Its significance is enhanced by the presence of his death medallion in the 8/13 VMR Collection.Black cloth soft covered diary kept by 854 Pte Harry Derrick 37th Battalion AIF for the period 16 February 1916, the day he left Tallangatta Valley, to 31 December 1917. To fit two years into a one year diary, Derrick made use of every spare space in the small book.diary, derrick, tallangatta, wwi

A badge that once belonged to J B McLean, he could have brought it back from World War as a souvenir. From information found online: 'The Royal Dublin Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, which recruited in the east of Ireland. Created in 1881 by the amalgamation of two former East India Company regiments, it was disbanded in 1922 on the establishment of the Irish Free State.' These were with other World War 1 memorabilia that has come from Private John Basil McLean, 2nd Reinforcements, 37th Battalion, A.I.F. J.B. McLean (Service No. 13824) was from near Maffra, Victoria and enlisted on 22 January 1916. He embarked on 16 December 1916 for Europe. He spent time with the Australian Field Artillery (Pack Section). At the end of the war he worked for a year at the A.I.F. Headquarters in London before returning to Australia on the 'Ceramic', arriving in Portsea in 1920. His full war record is available from the National Archives of Australia (B2455, MCLEAN JBM).This is an example of souvenir retained by an ex soldier.Royal Dublin Fusiliers Regiment cap badge. It is a bi-metal badge in the form of a fused (or flaming) grenade, on the brass ball of which is a white metal Royal Tiger above an elephant (both in white metal). At the base a white metal scroll bearing the title 'ROYAL DUBLIN FUSILIERS'. Royal Dublin Fusiliers world war one, soldier

Refer also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/52nd_Battalion_(Australia)Rectangular framed Certificate. Salute to the Gippsland Regiment. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Shield in top half of certificate-: Defending Australia with rising sun badge then In commemoration of: No 52 surrounded by wreath with inscription on bottom Always Ready Gippsland Regiment 52nd Infantry Battalion (The Gippsland Regiment) "Always Ready" 1921-1930 1936-1942 Circle with white top half and light blue bottom half. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Under the Shield-: History of the 52nd Battalion. Tracing the ancestry going back to the "Gippsland Battalion of the Victorian Rangers, the Militia (CMF) 52nd Battalion was raised from the 2nd Bn/5th Australian Infantry Regiment (HQ Dandenong) as part of an overhaul of Australia's defences in 1920-21 that saw the reintroduction of compulsory military service. To afford it a proud identity ,the new battalion was assigned the same number as the 52nd/1st AIF which had performed with distinction in France ( Somme, Pozieres, Bullicort, Messine and Ypes to name just some). In addition the new battalion also inherited the Kings and Regimental Colours which, as part of the 52nd Bn/1st AIF's lineage including battle honours earned by 2nd Bn, Tasmanian Infantry Regiment in the Boer War, 1899-1902, and the same circular colour patch, horizontally bisected with white over blue halves. Later the 52nd officially received its regional title, "The Gippsland Regiment" and its motto "Always Ready". Digger prevailing during WW2 it was nicknamed "The Gippsland Bushrangers". The 52nd formed part of the 10th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Militia (CMF) Division. With the reversion to voluntary citizen forces in1930,declining numbers forced an amalgamation with the 37th Bn to become 37th/52nd Bn. Then in mid 1936, an expansion and modernisation of the CMF, including the conversation of the Light Horse to motorised, allowed both battalions to separate and for the 52nd to expand into East Gippsland. In 1938, 52nd Bn was granted linkage with the "Queens Own Cameron Highlanders" and permission to use its Regimental March- "March of the Cameron Men'. When Japan entered the war in December 1941,the Australian Military Forces were fully mobilized, (part time to full time) for the defence of homeland Australia. While training at various locations in central Victoria, the militia became for many, a stepping stone into the AIF and other services, as well as a training unit for new conscripts. As part of our national defence preparations, in mid 1942 the 52 Bn relocated to Queensland as part of the 3rd Division, replacing the AIF 7th Div on the so called "Brisbane Line". However as the threat of invasion lifted, a restructure of army units saw the disbandment of the 10th Brigade and hence the 52nd in September 1942 and the revival of the 37th/52nd Battalion. The 52nds colours were returned to Melbourne, eventually being placed in the Shrine of Remembrance for safe keeping. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- At bottom of the certificate- We thank the Berwick and Dandenong volunteers for their dedication and self sacrifice during the period 1921- 1942 in defence of our nation. (Signed) D W Shields President Dandenong RSL Sub Branch L Lucas President Berwick RSL Sub Branch Presented by the Dandenong and Berwick RSL Sub Branches November 2009.