Two children, almost too young to understand the importance of the medals they wear, at Rushcutters Bay naval depot. Jennifer Purtell, 7 years old when this image was taken, and Maxwell Reece, then 12 years old, received their fathers' Distinguished Service Medals from Rear Admiral Gerard Muirhead-Gould on 2 April 1943. Chief Petty Officer Purtell of HMAS Parramatta had been listed as missing, believed killed, while Stoker Petty Officer Reece of HMAS Perth had lost his life in the Battle of Sunda Strait just over a year before his son was handed his DSM. (AWM 014578)
Source
AWM 014578
Date made
Place made
Sydney, Australia
Copyright
Copyright expired - public domain