Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria, to include the Brian Ritchie Collection (Part I)

A Second World War troopship operations B.E.M. awarded to Electrician G. W. Goulden, Merchant Navy

British Empire Medal, (Civil) G.VI.R., 1st issue (George William Goulden), one or two edge bruises, good very fine £140-160

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the collection of Angela and the late Douglas Bertram.

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B.E.M. London Gazette 11 June 1942.

George William Goulden, who was born at Egham in December 1888, was decorated for his services aboard the S.S. Strathallan, the ex-P. & O. liner (Seedie’s refers). He was still serving in her at the time of her loss:

‘The liner Strathallan, Captain J. H. Biggs, C.B.E., left the Clyde on 11 December 1942 for Algiers, with 4408 troops and 248 nurses on board. At 2.30 a.m. on the 21st she was torpedoed by a German submarine about 40 miles N. of Oran. Fire broke out in the engine room and spread to a hold containing ammunition. Six of the crew and a few passengers were killed; the remainder were taken off and a salvage tug took the ship in tow, but she sank 12 miles from Oran at 4.20 a.m. on the 22nd’ (A Dictionary of Disasters at Sea refers).

Goulden went on to serve in the S.S. Monowai between June and October 1943, and in the Strathmore from the latter date until the end of the War, earning entitlement to the 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, Africa Star, with clasp ‘North Africa 1942-43’, Italy Star, Pacific Star and War Medal 1939-45 (official records refer). He finally retired from the Merchant Navy in February 1949.