Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Lieutenant-Commander R. B. Poland, Royal Navy, who served as one of Queen Elizabeth’s Gold Staff Officers during her 1953 Coronation

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1945-48 (Lieut. R. B. Poland. R.N.); Coronation 1953, unnamed as issued, very fine or better (6) £140-£180

Richard Bengt Poland was born in London in June 1923 and was a resident of Seal, Kent. He was the great grandson of Sir W. H. Poland, Sheriff of London and son of Commander John A. Poland, R.N., City Marshal of London. He entered the Royal Navy as a Midshipman in 1940 and saw operational service during the Second World War, serving aboard the light cruiser H.M.S. Edinburgh, the battleship H.M.S. Malaya and destroyer H.M.S. Eggesford. Following the war he was on the crew of the destroyer H.M.S. Venus, which between 1946 and 1949 was part of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, based in the Mediterranean. The ship was involved in Royal Navy patrols preventing illegal Jewish immigration into Mandatory Palestine. In 1951 he was serving aboard the frigate H.M.S. Loch Quoich.

Poland was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander in March 1952 and was selected to act as one of the 400 Gold Staff Officers on duty during Queen Elizabeth’s 1953 Coronation. These men were appointed by the Duke of Norfolk, hereditary Earl Marshal, to act as ushers responsible for admission and seating of the 8,000 guests at Westminster Abbey. Poland’s Gold Staff Officer appointment is confirmed in the 1953 Coronation Medal roll. A photograph of Poland in full dress uniform at his wedding, wearing his medals, was published in the 31 March 1954 edition of The Tatler. He died in April 1996, aged 72.