The Collection of Medals Formed by Bill and Angela Strong

A rare Second World War blockade runner’s B.E.M. group of three awarded to Supernumerary A. G. Bradley, Merchant Navy, who, having volunteered for service in the Russo-Finnish War 1939-40, participated in “Operation Performance” in April 1942, when his ship was sunk by enemy aircraft in the Skagerrak

British Empire Medal, (Civil) G.VI.R., 1st issue (Albert George Bradley); Finland, Russo-Finnish War Medal 1939-40, clasp, Kotijoukot; Norway, King Haakon VII’s War Medal, and related screw-back enamelled Volunteers’ uniform badge, generally good very fine (4) £1200-1500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

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B.E.M. 1 September 1942 - not gazetted owing to secrecy.

Albert George Bradley, who was born in June 1902 and a packer from Walworth, volunteered in London for service in the Russo-Finnish War, and became one of 227 such men to reach Finland prior to the Armistice in March 1940 - see The Volunteers, by Justin Brooke, for an excellent account of the British contingent’s subsequent experiences. And, as verified by Foreign Office records, Bradley was indeed awarded the Russo-Finnish War Medal, with ‘Home Forces’ clasp (T.N.A. FO 372/3411 refers).

In common with many of the volunteers, he remained in Finland for many months, but at some stage was enrolled as a supernumerary in the motor vessel Rigmor at Gothenburg, one of ten vessels selected to carry pig iron, special steels, ball bearings and machine tools from Sweden to the U.K. in April 1942, the whole as part of one of Commander Sir George Binney’s clandestine blockade-running operations. But heavy German opposition resulted in the loss of eight of the vessels employed, including Rigmor:

‘The dangers encountered by Newton are made all the clearer by the fate of the gallant Rigmor. She put out from the Swedish coast on 1 April at 6 a.m. in apparently favourable conditions but the weather soon cleared, revealing an enemy patrol. Rigmor quickly turned back towards the coast, only to be hailed by a Swedish destroyer which endeavoured to force her out to sea again. At about 10 a.m. the weather again appeared favourable and Rigmor put to sea. Visibility was intermittent and it was not until after 5 p.m., when Rigmor was only 180 miles from the Scottish coast, that one of the numerous German planes scouring the Skagerrak found her and came in to attack at low level. Two incendiary bombs were dropped. One ripped open the centre tank and badly damaged the railing on the storm bridge, the other fell into the sea. The plane continued to circle and made several further attacks until 8.15 p.m., when darkness finally enveloped the ship. Captain Gilling, who was on the bridge, had been shot in the thighs, and the wireless room was damaged. But they sailed on safely through mist and rain until at 9 a.m. they saw first one and then a second British plane. But these had to depart, and shortly after midday a German plane appeared, followed by a second.