"No enemy in sight-no VC"

just an Albert Medal in gold. The first and only to an AIF man EVER.

"For Gallantry in Saving Life on land"

3347 Sergeant David Emmet Coyne, a farmer from Mackay in Queensland, joined the AIF in January 1916 as a 20 year old, and embarked as part of the 7th reinforcements to 31st Battalion, joining the unit on the Somme in December 1916. 

The presentation case.

By 1918 he had seen considerable service and had become an expert in bombing (grenades), with the rank of Sergeant. On 15 May 1918 he was seriously injured, receiving over 20 wounds when he attempted to protect his comrades by smothering a grenade with his body.  He subsequently died of his injuries, and was posthumously awarded the Albert Medal in gold. He was the only member of the AIF to receive this award. He is buried at Vignacourt British Cemetery near Amiens. The recommendation, originally for the award of the Victoria Cross, but later changed to the Albert Medal, since the enemy played no part in the event, reads as follows:

 'At VAIRE-SOUS-CORBIE at 9.30 pm on the 15.5.18 Sergeant Coyne was in a platoon post in the support line. Being doubtful as to the quality of some Mills Grenades in the trench, he decided to test some by throwing one over the parapet. He did so, but by some mischance or other the grenade fell back into the trench amongst a Lewis Gun team.

Coyne cried "Go for your lives boys, the bomb is in the trench" and endeavoured to find the bomb in order to throw it out of the trench. Owing to the darkness he could not put his hand on the bomb, which had rolled some little distance away. Realising the danger to his mates who had not got clear of the trench, he threw himself on top of the bomb which exploded, inflicting on him injuries from which he has since died. 

His last words to the men around him were "I laid on the bomb. I thought you didn't have time to get out." 

He undoubtedly sacrificed his life in order to save those of his comrades around him. It was a splendid example of cold blooded bravery.'

The Albert Medal was founded by Queen Victoria in 1866 primarily for 'sea based' acts of heroism. It was later extended to 'land based' acts of heroism in 1876.  

The Albert Medal (AM) was introduced on 7 March 1866, and was named after Queen Victoria's husband and consort Price Albert who died on 14 December 1961 at Windsor. A warrant issued in 1867 created two classes of AM: 1st and 2nd class. Ten years later, in 1877, the warrant was altered to allow the saving of life on land to be recognised by the award of the Albert Medal.

The AM was an oval medal, 57 millimetres high and 30 millimetres wide. The early issues were gold and bronze, the later issues were either gold (1st class) or bronze (2nd class). The AM's (gold 1st class) ribbon was originally blue with two white stripes, but was changed to a wider blue ribbon with four white stripes. The AM 2nd class inherited the original ribbon size with two white stripes. In 1904 the 2nd class AM changed the ribbon size to that of the 1st class AM, while retaining the 2nd class two white stripes.

In 1877, the medal was extended to cover saving life on land and from this point there are two medals with different inscriptions to depict which they were awarded for. The land version was enameled in red, with a red ribbon.

The AM's obverse consist of a letter "V" (for Victoria) entwined with a letter "A" for Albert. AM's issued for gallantry at sea also have an anchor. The obverse has the words "For Gallantry in Saving Life" with "At Sea" or "on Land" added as appropriate.

In 1917 the title was altered producing the Albert Medal in gold (formerly the AM 1st Class) and the Albert Medal (formerly the 2nd class bronze medal).

In 1949 the Albert Medal in Gold was replaced by the George Cross. The Albert Medal, now only issued in bronze, was only awarded posthumously. In 1971, the Albert Medal was ceased and all living recipients were invited to exchange their Albert Medals for the George Cross.

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