A Great War M.B.E. group of four awarded to Chief Boatswain E. H. Wilder, Royal Navy, Assistant to the King’s Harbour Master at Gibraltar throughout the war

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 1st type breast badge, hallmarked London 1918; British War Medal 1914-20 (Bosn. E. H. Wilder. R.N.); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, no clasp (E. H. Wilder P.O.1. H.M.S. Scout) engraved naming; Italy, Kingdom, Order of the Crown, Cavalier’s breast badge, gold and enamels, obverse centre chipped; together with Boy Scout Association silver and enamelled badge, reverse engraved (Presented by Staff for work at Jamboree 1920), and B.S.A. medal for Merit, bronze and enamels, reverse engraved (Presented to E. H. Wilder M.B.E. Jamboree 1920 by Baden Powell C.S. of the W), generally good very fine (4) £400-£500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Medals formed by the late Ron Wright.

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M.B.E. London Gazette 4 June 1918: ‘Chief Boatswain Edward H. Wilder, R.N., Assistant to the King’s Harbour Master, Gibraltar.’

Crown of Italy London Gazette 25 April 1922: ‘Commissioned Boatswain Edward Hunter Wilder, Royal Navy, in recognition of services during the war.’

Edward Hunter Wilder was born at Portsea, Hampshire, on 1 May 1871, and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in H.M.S. St Vincent on 26 May 1886. He joined H.M.S. Scout as an Able Seaman on 1 October 1895, and served aboard her until 19 December 1898, being advanced to Leading Seaman in October 1896, to P.O.2 in April 1897, and to Petty Officer 1st Class in November 1897. He was promoted to Acting Boatswain on 1 February 1902, confirmed in that rank one year later, and was promoted to Chief Boatswain on 1 February 1917. He served as Assistant to the King’s Harbour Master at Gibraltar throughout the war and, according to an accompanying letter from his daughter, he ‘took hundreds of prisoners by firing over the bows of ships out in the Straits, to bring them into Harbour and he transported the prisoners to South Barracks... As another point of interest his Sea Scouts caught three German spies at Tarifa during the war.’ He retired with the rank of Lieutenant R.N. on 12 August 1922, and died at Haslar Hospital on 2 September 1930.