Description:

AUSTRALIA: 1913 15ct Gold medal, (22.65g 30mm) crown with suspension ring above 'ARMY CHAMPIONSHIPS VICTORIA' surrounding mounted soldier and artillery, ship in background, rev. engraved '100 Yards Race / 1896-97 Quota / Senior Cadets / First / CADET SPENCER LRV / 64th. Btn / 1913' surrounded by laurel wreath, edge engraved 'TIME 10 SECONDS' light rim knock.

Lionel Richard Vivian Spencer (1896-1988), educated at Scotch college Lionel was a member of the Athletics teams of 1911-13 and 1915 where he won the open 100 yards in 10.5 seconds and the 220 yards in 23.8 sec. Enlisted March 22nd 1917 in the AIF's Field Artillery, posted to 30th Battery, 3rd Div. and served in France, on 13th September 1918 he was transferred to the Australian Flying Corps as a fighter pilot, at the conclusion of WWI he competed in the Inter Allied Games in France and had many successes in sprinting events, including a race in 1923 against Harold Abrahams (of Chariots of Fire fame), Abrahams beat him by the narrowest of margins and the following year won an an Olympic gold medal. Lionel returned to Australia and became a successful industrialist, he was instrumental in introducing Volkswagens into the country. The Scotch College building fund received the single largest gift in the schools history as a bequest from the Spencer estate.