Petty Jenman Feud stops Australians seeing History

TWO of Australia's most important war medals may never see the light of day because of a row involving controversial RSL identity Bruce Ruxton. The World War I Victoria Crosses, worth more than $1 million, are locked underground in a bank vault beneath Brisbane's CBD instead of being on public display as national treasures.

For the first time, millionaire philanthropist Neil Jenman, who bought the medals in 1999, has spoken about the row, saying he'll never give the VCs to the RSL because Mr Ruxton was rude to his wife. "I did not buy them for self-promotion or to make money. I don't want publicity. I am a patriot and I wanted to do the right thing," said the Sydney businessman, who pioneered the Jenman system of selling real estate ethically. "I wanted them to be seen by the public but after the behaviour of Ruxton I will never give them to the RSL. But former Victoria RSL president Mr Ruxton, who lives on the Sunshine Coast, denied the claims. "I'm very hostile about how it all turned out," he said. Mr Ruxton also denied that he was rude to Mr Jenman's wife. "For God's sake I wasn't rude to his wife. All I did was put my foot down," he said. "Every time I think about the bloke I feel regret. If an apology would mean the medals would go to the War Memorial, then I would apologise but I don't believe that's the reason we didn't get them."

The medals were earned by Major Blair Anderson Wark and Private Robert Matthew Beatham for valour while fighting in France in 1918. Mr Jenman says Mr Ruxton, who bid for the Wark medals on his behalf, tried to bully him into handing them over before he was ready – a claim Mr Ruxton denies. He says Mr Ruxton collected the medals from auctioneer Sotheby's without his authorisation and then took them for mounting without permission.

After a brief tug-of-war with the RSL, the medals were eventually returned to Mr Jenman. The medal owner says a phone call between his wife and Mr Ruxton was the last straw in his decision not to donate the medals to the RSL. "I can never allow the Wark medals to be under the control of the RSL after what has occurred." Following his row with Mr Ruxton, Mr Jenman then outbid the RSL at an auction for the Beatham VC in late 1999, forcing the price up to a then record of $185,000. He then made an outright gift of the Wark VC, for which he paid $105,000, to the United Service Club in Brisbane. He also gave the club the Beatham medal for "safe keeping". "At the United Service Club they told me they were officers and gentlemen and after my experience with Ruxton that was good enough for me," Mr Jenman said.

Auctioneers Bonham and Goodman spokesman Giles Moon told The Sunday Mail that the Wark and Beatham VCs could easily fetch $1 million if they came up for auction today. "They could be worth even more. Victoria Crosses are becoming more and more rare and their value has risen considerably," he said. United Service Club chief executive David Smith said he did not want to comment on the circumstances that brought the medals to the club. But he said they were proud to have them. "It is an honour to hold them and it is flattering that the owner thought this was a suitable place for them to stay," he said.

Mr Smith decided in 2004 that the medals had become too valuable to keep in the club, moving them to the bank vault for safe keeping. He commissioned replicas of the medals, which are now on display in the club's foyer. But Mr Jenman said he still hoped that the public could one day see the medals. "I would love to take them on a tour so all the children and the old Diggers can see this important part of our heritage," he said. The Victoria Cross is the highest British Commonwealth honour for bravery. Just 96 have been won by Australian servicemen since 1900, 65 of them in World War I. Last month, media mogul Kerry Stokes paid $1.2 million at auction to secure the nation's last privately-owned Gallipoli Victoria Cross for donation to the Australian War Memorial.

Major Wark, from Bathurst in central New South Wales, was in command of the 32nd Battalion in Bellicourt, France, in 1918 when he won the VC. Private Beatham, who migrated from England in his teens, was awarded the VC for bravery at Rosieres in France in 1918

Edmund Burke
August 06, 2006 12:00am
Article from: The Sunday Mail (Qld)