War medals, which are owned by the people of Holbrook and estimated as worth more than $1 million, have had their lease at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra renewed.
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Greater Hume Council renewed the lease of Commander Norman Holbrook's medals again so they could be properly cared for and displayed.
Councillor Heather Wilton said the medals were awarded to the British Commander as a result of his "fantastic exploits" during the First World War as a submariner.
"Over time Commander Holbrook came to Australia with his medals, very precious medals including a Victoria Cross and the French Legion of Honour, which was one of their highest honours, and he presented those to the people of Holbrook," she said.
"They were displayed in various places and then they were stowed away, they were kept in the bank volt."
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Since about 2000, the medals have been on display at the Australian War Memorial for their safekeeping and security.
Holbrook Submarine Museum curator Morrie Jeppensen said if the medals were to be on display in Holbrook they would need to be monitored by a security person all day and then returned to a secure volt each night.
"A VC sold recently in the UK for 680,000 pounds for a British one, it was a world record, it was bigger than the Australian one, which sold about 10 years ago, a Gallipoli VC sold for $1.2 million Australian," he said.
"This one was the first VC awarded to a submariner, so I think it would go for significantly more than that...it would go for a million UK pounds."
Cr Wilton said the medals would get more exposure at the Memorial.
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Victoria Ellis
Victoria Ellis grew up on the Border and loves reporting for her home community. She is a University of Wollongong Journalism graduate. In 2018 Victoria was awarded the Bruce Gordon Scholarship for Journalism and completed a 10 week internship with WIN News Illawarra. In 2019 she was awarded The Border Mail's Cameron Thompson Scholarship, where she completed a three week internship, before taking up ongoing employment in 2021.
Victoria Ellis grew up on the Border and loves reporting for her home community. She is a University of Wollongong Journalism graduate. In 2018 Victoria was awarded the Bruce Gordon Scholarship for Journalism and completed a 10 week internship with WIN News Illawarra. In 2019 she was awarded The Border Mail's Cameron Thompson Scholarship, where she completed a three week internship, before taking up ongoing employment in 2021.
