Description
1914-15 Star, Impressed “5121 GNR. A.V.J. COTTERELL. 3/F.A. BDE. A.I.F.”
British War Medal, Impressed “5121 GNR. A.V.J. COTTERELL. 3 F.A B A.I.F.”
Victory Medal, Impressed “5121 GNR. A.V.J. COTTERELL. 3 F.A.B. A.I.F.”
Son of William Cotterell and Mary Kinke, Alfred Victor James Cotterell was born in West End, South Brisbane, Queensland on the 5th September 1892 and is recorded as a carpenter by trade. At the age of 20, Cotterell enlisted into the Citizen Military Forces in 1912, serving with the 1st Battery of the 1st Australian Field Artillery Brigade which was based out of its garrison at the Enoggera Barracks, Brisbane. Following the onset of hostilities in Europe and the beginning of the First World War, Cotterell attested for the Australian Imperial Force on the 19th May 1915 as Gunner 5121 of the 9th Reinforcements to the 3rd Field Artillery Brigade. He embarked at Melbourne, Victoria amongst the others of the 9th Reinforcements aboard H.M.A.T. A70 ‘Ballarat’ on the 9th of September 1915.
Cotterell spent much of his service with the Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force transferring within the Royal Australian Artillery. Prior to proceeding to Gallipoli on the 15th September 1915 he was T.O.S. into the 7th Field Artillery Battery, and after moving to the Western Front via Marseilles was T.O.S. to the 3rd Divisional Artillery Company and then later the 1st Divisional Artillery Company. On the 16th January 1917 he was T.O.S. into the 21st Field ‘Howitzer’ Artillery Brigade, then into the 1st Field Artillery Brigade 8 days later, to which he served with for most of 1917.
On the 16th August 1917, Cotterell was wounded in action in Belgium with a gunshot wound to the neck and was evacuated back to England aboard H.M.H.S. ‘Stad Antwerpen’. After spending time at the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford, Cotterell was retired on the 5th November 1917 and returned to Australia. He was officially discharged on the 10th February 1918.
A fine Great War Australian Artillery trio to a local Brisbane man, wounded in action in Belgium, medals loose and unmounted and clearly been worn, Very Fine.