Max Germaine

[2] Born in Melbourne in 1914, Max Germaine joined a group of men recruited through the Dominion Yachtsmen Scheme to be trained as officers in the Royal Navy for service in the northern hemisphere during World War II.

From 1942 he saw service as a sub-lieutenant in the Royal Australian Naval Volunteer Reserve on the destroyer HMS Valorous.

Towards the end of 1945, as a lieutenant, Germaine was offered temporary command of the destroyer HMAS Vendetta.

[4] After seeing how closed circuit TV was used at Sotheby's in London while completing a decorative arts course in 1967, Germaine pioneered its use at auctions in Australia,[5] starting with the sale of the former Wentworth Hotel in Sydney.

[4] In 1994 Max Germaine received a Medal of the Order of Australia for promotion of the arts and artists.