Historical information

The 'Memorial Plaque', colloquially often known as the 'Dead Man's Penny' or the 'Widows Penny', is a bronze memorial plaque issued after World War I to the next-of-kin of British Empire service personnel killed in the war. Around 1.35 million were produced. They were treasured by some as a tangible memorial, while others thought that they did not reflect the magnitude of the loss that so many families suffered. Such was the depth of feeling that many were returned.
This one was issued to John Thomas Greenwood, who was born in 1898 in London, and emigrated to Australia in 1911, aged around thirteen. He was a resident of Williamstown before he enlisted on 8 June 1917, and was assigned firstly to the 58th Battalion, 9th Reinforcement, and then was reassigned to the 39th Battalion. He boarded the HMAT 'Port Melbourne' for England on 16 July 1917. John’s father William Greenwood also joined up, on the same day as William.
After training John was sent ‘on strength’ to France where he joined the 39th Battalion on 23 February 1918. They were about to fight the German ‘Spring Offensive’, the Germany’s last attempt at victory. Unfortunately, two months later John became seriously ill and subsequently died of TB and meningitis on the 12 April 1918, at the age of 20.

Physical description

A WW1 British Empire bronze memorial medal or plaque mounted on a timber shield. It features in relief a large depiction of Britannia, holding a triton and flanked by two small dolphins, with a lion in the foreground. The name of the deceased is in a rectangle. On the lower portion of the plaque is a depiction of a lion cub attacking an eagle.

Inscriptions & markings

"John Thomas Greenwood"
Around edge: "He Died for Freedom and Honour"
Edward Carter Preston - designer's initials in front of lion's front paw 'E.Cr.P.'