Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine K.C.B., K.C.V.O., O.B.E. group awarded to Paymaster Commander Sir Dudley Colles, Royal Navy, Deputy Treasurer to King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, and Assistant Keeper of the Privy Purse

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, K.C.B. (Civil) Knight Commander’s neck badge, silver-gilt, hallmarked 1948, and breast star in silver with gold and enamel appliqué centre, complete with neck cravat in its Garrard case of issue;; The Royal Victorian Order, K.C.V.O., Knight Commander’s neck badge and breast star, silver, gilt and enamels, both pieces officially numbered ‘K632’ and ‘632’ respectively, complete with neck cravat in its numbered Collingwood case of issue; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) 1st type breast badge, hallmarked 1919, with replacement suspension ring; 1914-15 Star (Ast. Payr. E. D. G. Colles. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Payr. Mr. Commr. E. D. G. Colles. R.N.); Defence Medal; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Coronation 1953, the last eight mounted as worn, good very fine (12) £2800-3200

Ex Sotheby, March 1982.

K.C.B. (Civil) London Gazette 1 June 1953: Deputy Treasurer and Assistant Keeper of the Privy Purse.

K.C.V.O. London Gazette 1 January 1949: Secretary of the Privy Purse and Deputy Treasurer.

C.V.O. London Gazette 2 June 1943: Secretary of the Privy Purse and Deputy Treasurer.

M.V.O. London Gazette 5 February 1936; Secretary of the Privy Purse and Registrar of the Royal Victorian Order.

O.B.E. London Gazette 11 June 1919: ‘For valuable services in the Cameroons, Russia and the Plans Division.’

Ernest Dudley Gordon Colles was born in 1889 and educated at Arnold House, Llandullas and Winchester. He entered the Royal Navy in 1906 and served as a Naval Paymaster for 26 years. He was latterly Secretary to the 3rd and 2nd Sea Lords, and to the Commander-in-Chief, West Indies Station. Retiring as a Paymaster Commander in 1932, he joined the Royal Household as a Secretary of the Privy Purse. Ultimately rising to become Deputy Treasurer to King George VI, 1941-52, and to Queen Elizabeth, 1952-58, Colles became an Extra Equerry in the latter year. Sir Dudley Colles died on 13 July 1976.

Colles was additionally awarded the following foreign orders: Denmark, Order of the Dannebrog, Knight Commander; Portugal, Order of Christ, Grand Officer; Sweden, Order of the North Star, Knight Commander; Ethiopia, Order of Menelik, Knight Commander; France, Legion of Honour, Commander; Netherlands, Order of the House of Orange, Commander; and Italy, Order of Merit, Commander.

Sold with his original warrants for K.C.B., K.C.V.O., C.V.O. and M.V.O.