The Australian War Memorial has accepted the medal collection of Frederick Finch, a veteran who served under three flags during World War II. The collection includes 13 medals, an Order of Australia medal, World War II medals from Australia, the US, and Norway, a Legionnaires cap, an Australian Merchant Navy badge, and a US Merchant Marine honourable discharge patch and pin, along with two books he authored.
Mr Finch's love for the sea began as a schoolboy in Sydney, where he would skip school to ride ships from Parramatta to Newcastle. In 1942, at age 15, he left home and caught a ship to the United States, sending his mother a telegram upon arrival. He signed up with the US Army Transportation Corps in 1943, a division that accepted underage recruits without question.
He sailed aboard US and Norwegian tugs and other small ships, carting supplies to Papua New Guinea and the United Kingdom with the North Atlantic convoy, before returning to Australian waters and joining the Australian Merchant Navy. His duties involved refuelling vessels on treacherous seas under constant threat of enemy fire and sea mines.
The Australian War Memorial described the collection as 'a unique and special collection of medals and additional items of historical significance.' It noted that the medal group includes Mr Finch's donated Australian Merchant Navy Cross with Third Gold Laurel Clasp, one of only six ever awarded. The medals will undergo further research and cataloguing, with potential display in future exhibitions.
Mr Finch's daughter, Ms Finch, said the family had mixed emotions about handing over the medals but knew they would be preserved for future generations. She recalled fond memories of her father, who was often away at sea for months at a time, describing him as 'unique and kind-hearted.' Mr Finch remained with the Australian Merchant Navy until retiring in 1988, later authoring books about his life at sea and establishing a maritime museum in Kyogle, New South Wales.
