VC medal must remain in Australia after auction
Published July 9th, 2006
THE LAST privately owned Victoria Cross awarded to an Australian soldier at Gallipoli is likely to go to an overseas buyer, according to a Sydney auction house selling the medal this month.
Bonhams & Goodman chief executive Tim Goodman said a British and an American collector had expressed strong interest in Captain Alfred John Shout’s VC, even though the medal is required by law to remain in Australia.
Both the British and American collectors told Mr Goodman they would be keeping the VC in a vault in Australia if their bid was successful.
Of the nine VCs won by Australians at Gallipoli, Captain Shout’s is the only one not held at the Australian War Memorial.
The memorial, as a matter of practice, will not be bidding for the VC when it is auctioned on July 24 in Sydney.
Captain Shout was born in Wellington, New Zealand, in 1881, and migrated to Sydney in 1907.
He was the most highly decorated Australian soldier to serve at Gallipoli. In 1915, he was awarded the Military Cross during the landing at Anzac Cove, and was awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously for his role in the battle of Lone Pine.
He died from injuries days after the Australian charge on Turkish-held trenches at Lone Pine.
His elderly grandson is selling his VC, Military Cross and other medals.
Mr Goodman said the auction was open to all international bidders but the VC was required by law to remain in Australia.
“There are absolutely no restrictions on people bidding but there is legislation that prevents people from removing the goods from the country,” Mr Goodman said.
