Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Mercantile Marine War Medal 1914-18 (Alfred G. Williams) extremely fine £80-100

Captain Alfred Guy Williams was born in Tonbridge, Kent on 5 November 1892. He entered the Merchant Naval Service in 1918 and served during the war, being awarded the British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals. He subsequently served during the Second World War and was Commended for Brave Conduct (London Gazette 8 June 1943) when his ship, the M.V. Empire Macandrew, encountered the enemy in the Atlantic. At the end of the war he was awarded the O.B.E. (London Gazette 9 January 1946) for his services as the Master of the Empire Macandrew. Entitled to the 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, Africa Star and War Medal.

The Empire Macandrew was built by Denny, launched on 3 May 1943 and completed in July 1943. The vessel was a Merchant Aircraft Carrier (MAC) conversion from a grain ship. These merchant ships (bulk grain carriers), built with flight decks, served as bare minimum aircraft carriers as an emergency measure pending the availability of U.S.-built escort carriers. These ships operated with civilian crews, under merchant navy colours and carried their regular cargo whilst serving as aircraft carriers. Their aircraft were primarily meant to attack enemy long range reconnaissance aircraft, to prevent the tracking of convoys. The Empire Macandrew served in the Atlantic as a convoy escort. After the war she returned to merchant service and was renamed Derryheen in 1947, Cape Grafton in 1951 and Patricia in 1964. She was sold for scrapping in China in 1970.

With copied service records and gazette extracts.