Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria including the collection to Naval Artificers formed by JH Deacon

An impressive C.M.G., Second World War O.B.E. group of nine awarded to The Rt. Rev. H. R. Gough, an Honorary Chaplain to the Forces 2nd Class who was wounded at the Battle of Alamein when serving as Chaplain to the London Rifle Brigade

The Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels; The Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) 2nd type; The Order of St. John, Commander’s neck badge, silver and enamel; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Efficiency Decoration, Territorial, G.VI.R., the reverse dated 1950, together with companion set of nine miniature medals, the second with worn gilt and the third with a badly chipped and crudely rapaired arm, otherwise good very fine (18) £1000-1200

C.M.G. London Gazette 1 January 1965.

O.B.E. London Gazette 13 December 1945. The recommendation states: ‘The Rev. Gough has acted as Senior Chaplain of the Corps through almost the whole of the campaign in Italy. His enthusiastic work for the spiritual and moral welfare of all the units of the Corps has been of a very high standard over this period of more than 18 months. He has given unsparingly of himself and set a fine example to the Chaplains of the Corps. I strongly recommend that his good services be suitably recognised.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 29 November 1945.

Hugh Rowlands Gough was born in September 1905 and was educated at Weymouth College and Trinity College, Cambridge. Afterwards attending the London College of Divinity, he was ordained in 1928 and served as Curate of St. Mary, Islington between 1928-31; as Perpetual Curate of St. Paul, Walcot, Bath between 1931-34; and as Vicar of St. James, Carlisle between 1934-39.

A pre-war Chaplain to the Forces (Territorial), Gough had served as Chaplain to the 4th Battalion, Border Regiment between 1937-39. On the outbreak of hostilities, however, he was ordered to join the 7th Battalion, The Rifle Brigade (London Rifle Brigade), with whom he served in the Western Desert and Tunisia until May 1943, when he was appointed Senior Chaplain to 1st Armoured Division. During his time with the London Rifle Brigade Gough was seriously wounded in the legs by a mine explosion during the Battle of Alamein.

Departing the 1st Armoured Brigade in November 1943 to take up position as Deputy Assistant Chaplain-General to 10 Corps, Gough served with further distinction throughout the Italian campaign and was mentioned in despatches. In April 1945, General McCreery, G.O.C. Eighth Army, wrote to Gough in the following terms:

‘Now that we are on the eve of final victory over the Germans, I wanted to take this opportunity of thanking you for the magnificent work you have done, as Eighth Army Padre, towards the victory. During this Italian campaign I have had many opportunities of seeing the great gallantry of the Padre not only on the field of battle, but during those long intervals when spirits flag. You have by your courage, endurance and humanity, done wonderful work by helping to keep up morale and by bringing comfort and encouragement to many soldiers ...’

Gough finally returned home in mid-1945, when appointed D.A.C.G. to the North Midland District and was awarded the O.B.E. at the end of the year. He was also granted the rank of Honorary Chaplain to the Forces 2nd Class.

In the post-war era Gough served as Suffragan Bishop of Barking and as Archdeacon of West Ham, and in 1959 he was appointed Archbishop of Sydney and Primate of Australia, which offices he occupied until his retirement in 1966, a year after having been awarded the C.M.G. Gough also occupied a number of other offices within the Church at large, including that of Chaplain and Sub-Prelate to the Order of St. John of Jerusalem between 1959-72. He was latterly a resident of Hampshire and died in late 1997.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including C.M.G. warrant and statutes, with accompanying citation from the Governor-General of Australia; O.B.E. warrant; M.I.D. certificate; the recipient’s ‘Calling Out Notice’, dated 3 September 1939; two hospital discharge certificates appertaining to the recipient’s wounds from a mine explosion in the Battle of Alamein; and several wartime photographs, in addition to more recent images taken at the time of H.M. the Queen’s visit to Sydney in March 1965.