On 10/12/1942 near Gona whilst guiding the 39th battalion into a village Sgt Bob ISKOV and fellow soldier Lt Jack Schwind were confronted by three Japanese Officers and were given the order to shoot by their Battalion Commander. They were later identified as a Lieutenant Colonel and one a Major who had in their possession valuable documents including a Map of Darwin defenses. Robert Francis ISKOV VX15237 born at Glenrowan served with the 59th Battalion CMF before joining the 2/14th Battalion at Caulfield in September 1940. He disembarked for the Middle East in November, 1940 and fought in the Syrian campaign in 1941. In 1942 the 2/14th Battalion returned to Australia and sent to Papua where he fought at the Battle of Isurava before the battalion was sent to Gona. On 1943 Bob returned to Australia to undertake officer training and in 1945 with the 2/23rd Battalion sailed to Morotai and served with the battalion on Tarakan. He returned to Australia in November, 1945 and discharged a month later. This set of ribbons were worn by the Japanese Lieutenant Colonel and identified from top row left to right as follows:- 2600th National Anniversary Imperial Rule Commemorative Medal -1940 China Incident Medal for service in China -1937-45 Manchukuo National Foundation Merit Medal - 1932-34 (more commemorative than merit) Manchurian Incident Medal - 1931-34 (commemorative) Showa Grand Enthronement Commemorative Medal Order of the Rising Sun - Military/civilian meritorious service Order of the Golden Kite -Military Bravery/Leadership (abolished 1947) Order of the Sacred Treasure - military/civilian long and distinguished service medal Manchurian Order of the Auspicious Cloud Set of nine in three rows of striped medal ribbons in various colours.japanese medal ribbons, ww2, civil and military, new guinea, gona, 39th battalion, sgt bob iskov, lt jack schwind

The Victory Medal was authorised in 1919 to commemorate the victory of the Allied Forces over the Central Powers. Each of the Allied nations issued a ‘Victory Medal' to their own nationals with all of these having the figure of Victory on the obverse as a common feature. Australians were awarded the medal issued by Great Britain. A member mentioned in despatches (MID) for service during World War 1 wears a bronze spray of oak leaves on the Victory Medal ribbon. Only one emblem is worn no matter how many times a member may have been ‘mentioned'. When a ribbon alone is worn a slightly smaller insignia is worn as a ribbon emblem. Eligibility The Victory Medal was awarded to prescribed classes of persons who entered a theatre of war on duty between 5 August 1914 and 11 November 1918. The Medal The Victory Medal is bronze with a winged figure of Victory on the obverse. The reverse has the words ‘THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILISATION', all surrounded by a laurel wreath. The Ribbon The Victory Medal ribbon has a ‘two rainbow' design, with the violet from each rainbow on the outside edges moving through to a central red stripe where both rainbows meet. No 19 Farrier Sgt William Stephens, a 26 year old station hand of Drouin, Vic, enlisted RHQ 4 LH Regiment on 21 August 1914.Embarked 19 October 1914, A Squadron 17 April 1916, sick (malaria) 10 Aug 1917, 14 Army General Hospital , Abbassia, 18 Aug, rejoined Regiment 11 Jan 1918, Returned to Australia 15 Nov 1918. Militia service with 13 LH Regt Full size medal with ribbon, unmountedSGT W STEPHENS 4 LHR AIFvictory medal, sgt stephens 4 lh

The Defence Medal was instituted to provide recognition for specified periods of service in non-operational areas subjected to air attack or closely threatened. Eligibility The Defence Medal is awarded for six months service in a prescribed non-operational area subject to enemy air attack or closely threatened, in Australia and overseas, or for 12 months service in non-prescribed non-operational areas. Within Australia the area is the Northern Territory , north of 14 degrees 30 minutes south, and the Torres Strait Islands between 3 September 1939 and 2 September 1945. Overseas service includes the Middle East, east of the Suez Canal (less the period of the Syrian Campaign) or Malaya prior to the Japanese invasion on 8 December 1941. The Medal The Defence Medal is cupro-nickel, with the uncrowned effigy of King George VI on the obverse. The reverse has a conventional oak tree centrally, with a crown above, with two lions counter rampart as supporters between the dates 1939 and 1945. The base of the medal reverse has the words ‘THE DEFENCE MEDAL'. The Ribbon The Defence Medal ribbon is orange with green outer stripes, each green stripe having a black pin-stripe running down the centre. The green represents the Islands of the United Kingdom, the orange represents enemy attacks, and the black represents the black outs.Full size and miniature medals with ribbonsnildefence medal

Medal ribbon (only)

Medal ribbon (only)

Medal ribbon (only)