Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Commander W. J. Bright-Barton, Royal Navy

1914-15 Star (Lieut. W. J. B. Barton. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Lt. Commr. W. J. B. Barton. R.N.); Egypt, Kingdom, Order of the Nile, 4th Class breast badge by Lattes, silver, silver-gilt and enamels, mounted as worn, good very fine (4) £240-£280

Order of the Nile, 4th Class, London Gazette 15 June 1920.

Walter Jeremy Bright-Barton was born in Preston, Lancashire, on 20 June 1888. He was appointed Midshipman on 30 January 1905; Sub Lieutenant, 30 March 1908; Lieutenant, 30 March 1910, and, in March 1912, joined his first surveying unit Daisy, tender to Hearty, as an Assistant Surveyor 4th Class (H4). On 1 January 1914, he advanced to H3, and in the same month gained a Board of Trade certificate as Master. On 6 March 1914, he transferred to Mutine (a surveying sloop), but in August 1914 was appointed to Suffolk (addl. for surveying at Bermuda) and in September 1914 to London in the Grand Fleet and later in the Mediterranean but not, seemingly, in a surveying role.

In May 1916 he went to Hearty until October 1916, having advanced to H2 on 1 August, and then spent 11 months in Powerful before joining Grafton, a cruiser, on 17 September 1917 ‘for staff of Rear-Admiral’ for surveying duties until June 1919, where he succeeded Haselfoot as the producer of local surveys, charts and Notices to Mariners. This ship was the flagship of Rear-Admiral, Egypt, with staff ashore in Ismalia from May 1918. He was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander on 30 March 1918. In January 1919, Rear-Admiral Jackson wrote that he had ‘done very useful work in Egypt and maintained ex[cellent] relations with the Egyptian civil servants.’

From June 1919 to 1929, he was a Naval Assistant in the Hydrographic Department as the Jacketting Officer, and was placed on the Retired List at his own request with rank of Commander on 4 August 1931. On 1 January 1940 he was appointed inside Admiralty with Hydrographer but in what role is not recorded. Released on 31 December 1945, he reverted to the Retired List and died on 5 May 1946. Sold with copied record of service.