Sale of rare Victoria Cross breaks world record

Media release – July 25, 2006

Sale of rare Victoria Cross awarded to NZ-born soldier breaks world auction record

A Victoria Cross awarded to a New Zealand soldier for bravery in Gallipoli set a world auction record in Sydney last night.

The record was set at Bonhams and Goodman auction when they sold Captain Alfred John Shout’s Victoria Cross, Military Cross and other service medals for $A1,214,500.

The Victoria Cross was awarded to Captain Alfred John Shout who died fighting for the ANZACS IN Gallipoli.

New Zealand publicly listed company Mowbrays own a 20 percent stake in Bonhams and Goodman who are the second biggest auction house in Australia.

The previous world auction record for the sale of a Victoria Cross was stg235,250 for a medal awarded to Sergeant Norman C Jackson, a British Royal Air Force pilot for his role in the Battle of Britain during World War II in 1944.

The Victoria Cross and the other medals awarded to Shout were put up for sale by Shout's family who have treasured them for over nine decades.

The elderly owner was Shout’s grandson and he sold the medals due to a serious illness and to help provide for his children, the great grand children of Captain Shout.

Captain Shout was the most decorated soldier to have fought with the Australian Imperial Force at Gallipoli. Born in Wellington 1882 in New Zealand, Shout fought in the Boer War and later migrated to Australia with his wife and daughter in 1905.

The Victoria Cross was awarded to Shout posthumously for his valour at Lone Pine. He died at sea off Gallipoli on a hospital ship three days after combat on August 11, 1915 from injuries incurred during battle.

The collection of Shout's medals includes a Victoria Cross; Military Cross; Star 1914-15; British War Medal 1914-18; Victory Medal 1914-19; Queen's South Africa Medal and King's South Africa Medal.

Last night’s successful Australian bidder wishes to remain anonymous. But Bonhams said he intended to have the medals shown in the Australian War Memorial.

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