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Auction: 25001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 304

The 1960 C.B.E. group of four to Captain W. R. J. Redman, Royal Navy, who pre-war served as a Gunnery Specialist and later served as a member of the Ordnance Board and eventually became Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Military Division, Commander's (C.B.E.) neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; Defence and War Medals 1939-1945; Coronation 1953, the campaign medals mounted as worn, very fine or better (4)

C.B.E. London Gazette 31 December 1960.

William Richard Jeffries Redman was born on 27 October 1905 and joined the Royal Navy in September 1923 as a Naval Cadet (Special Entry). Promoted to Midshipman in 1924, he served on Royal Sovereign and Versatile and then went to the Royal Naval College at Greenwich in December 1926. Redman was promoted Lieutenant in 1928 and saw service on Venomous, Verity, Pembroke and Tiverton. In September 1931 he saw service at the Royal Naval College at Greenwich and later served at Excellent and carried out a qualifying course for specialism in Gunnery.

He became an Instructor of Gunnery at the Royal Naval Gunnery School based at Chatham in July 1934 and, after a brief spell on Cairo, served at the Naval Ordnance Inspectorate at Woolwich as Assistant Inspector of Naval Ordnance and during his time there was promoted to Lieutenant Commander. By March 1940 he was based at Headquarters Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance as Assistant to the Chief of Naval Ordnance and had reached the rank of Commander. In November 1943 he served at the Proof and Experimental Establishment based at Pendine, South-West Wales and served as the Deputy Superintendent.

After the war, he served at the Proof and Experimental Establishment this time based at Inchterf as Deputy Superintendent in Charge before being sent to the Naval Ordnance Department Headquarters at Bath in June 1948 where he served as Assistant to the Director of Naval Ordnance. By November 1954 he was serving with the Ordnance Board having the responsibility for the Board's work on guns for all services (this shared with the Army). Redman was attached to the Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance in June 1958 with the position of Deputy C.I.N.O. and became Chief Inspector in February 1962 a position he held until April 1966. He became Captain (Retired) and was re-employed as Naval Ordnance Inspecting Officer Group B, based at the Royal Ordnance Factory at Glascoed, South-East Wales, a position he held until August 1968. Redman later died at Bath in 1971.

Sold together with an archive comprising:

(i)
Certificate for the C.B.E. in Central Chancery envelope.

(ii)
Garrard & Co. Ltd. case of issue for the C.B.E.

(iii)
Certificate for the Coronation 1953 medal.

(iv)
Officers Training Corps Certificate, Dover College dated "A" 18 July 1923.

(v)
Warrant for Promotion to Sub-Lieutenant dated 28 February 1928.

(vi)
Certificate for Instruction in Gunnery dated 30 September 1932.

(vii)
Results of Examinations Lieutenants "G" Qualifying 1932.

(viii)
Certificate for Member of the Institution of Engineering Inspection, dated 14 October 1959.

(ix)
Book: A History of the Order of the British Empire.

(x)
Statutes of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire 1957.

(xi)
Service of Dedication in St. Paul's Cathedral to celebrate the Jubilee of the Order, dated 24 May 1967.

(xii)
A large amount of correspondence to include details relating to his Investiture, numerous letters of congratulation from both Military and Civilian.

(xiii)
A large number of photographs, both professionally and amateurly shot to include one taken outside Buckingham Palace after his Investiture, together with a family album of photographs.

(ix)
A prize medal from H.M.S. Royal Sovereign (Arbuthnot Trophy Race. 1924. 8th Man Home.).

(x)
A copy of his record of service.


A photocopy of the Official History of the Department of the Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance.

(xi)
A quantity of assorted letters to his wife, housed in an attache case.

(xii)
A brass door plaque named (W. R. J. Redman R.N. No 1.)

For his miniature dress Medals, please see Lot 444.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Estimate
£400 to £600

Starting price
£350