Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An Interesting Second War C.B.E., Order of St. John group of eleven awarded to Acting Surgeon Captain W. I. Gerrard, Royal Navy, late Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, who was awarded the Russian Order of St. Anne for his services in H.M.S. Jupiter in 1915, and the Chinese Order of the Brilliant Jade whilst serving as Professor of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) Commander’s 2nd type neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with full neck riband, in Garrard, London, case of issue, this lacking insert; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Officer’s (Brother’s) breast badge, silver, with case of issue; 1914-15 Star (Surg. W. I. Gerrard. R.N.V.R.); British War and Victory Medals (Surg. Lt. W. I. Gerrard. R.N.V.R.) VM officially re-impressed; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Jubilee 1935, unnamed as issued; Coronation 1937, unnamed as issued; Russia, Empire, Order of St. Anne, Civil Division, Third Class breast badge, by Keibel, St. Petersburg, gold (56 zolotniki) and enamel, with maker’s mark to reverse and gold marks to suspension ring, significant enamel damage to reverse lower arm; China, Republic, Order of the Brilliant Jade, Fourth Class neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with central blue stone, the reverse officially numbered ‘121’, lacking reverse rivet, with neck riband, in lacquered box of issue, generally good very fine (11) £3,000-£4,000

Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, September 2002.

C.B.E. London Gazette 14.6.1945.

O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1930.

Order of St. John, Officer London Gazette 4 January 1938.

Russian Order of St. Anne London Gazette 19 November 1915.

William Innes Gerrard was born in Aberdeen on 13 May 1884 and was educated at Robert Gordon’s College and Aberdeen University. Following the outbreak of the Great War he entered the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in August 1914 and subsequently served in H.M.S. Jupiter at the time of her epic ice-breaking voyage to Archangel in early 1915. As the only port through which Great Britain could supply Russia with munitions and equipment, until the Dardanelles could be opened, it was vital to force a channel through the icefields. In his Official History of Naval Operations in the Great War, Sir Julian Corbett records that, ‘the regular ice-breaker had broken down and the old battleship Jupiter established as one of many records of the War, so far as was known, by being the first vessel that had reached Archangel during February.’ She remained there until the first week of May and later saw service in the Mediterranean. Among those Officers and ratings subsequently decorated by the Tsar was Surgeon Gerrard.

Remaining in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve throughout the 1920s, Gerrard retired in 1929, whilst holding the rank of Surgeon Lieutenant-Commander, upon being appointed Professor of Medicine at the University of Hong Kong, and for his services was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the following New Year’s Honours’ List. While in Hong Kong he established himself as a successful teacher and consultant and played an active part in developing the clinical professorial unit in the new Queen Mary Hospital. A member of the All-China Medical Association, he was awarded the Chinese Order of the Brilliant Jade. Recalled for service with the Royal Navy during the Second World War, he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his services at the Royal Naval Hospital at Kingseat. He finally retired with the rank of Acting Captain. He died on 7 March 1956.

Sold with copied research, including various Obituaries from Medical journals.