Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Sub. Lieutenant R. Gray, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, late Royal Navy

1914 Star, with clasp (170535 P.O., Howe Bttn. R.N.D.); British War and Victory Medals (S. Lt., R.N.V.R.); Delhi Durbar 1911, unnamed as issued; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (170535 P.O. 1 Cl., H.M.S. Implacable), contact wear and edge bruising, about very fine or better, the fourth scarce to a naval recipient (5) £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals for Services at Sea from the Collection of the Late Oliver Stirling Lee.

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Rupert Gray was born at High Roothing, Essex in October 1877 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in November 1892. A Petty Officer 1st Class aboard H.M.S. Medina by the time of the Delhi Durbar in 1911, he was landed to form part of the R.N. Guard of Honour at Delhi, thereby qualifying for the appropriate Medal, one of approximately 175 awarded to officers and men of the R.N. - he did, however, claim a duplicate of the same in August 1915. On the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, Gray was appointed to the Howe Battalion, Royal Naval Division, and, embarked for Antwerp shortly afterwards, he was one of the lucky ones to avoid capture, returning home that December. His Battalion went on to serve in the Gallipoli campaign and in October 1915 he was commissioned as a Temporary Sub. Lieutenant in the “Wavy Navy”, presumably going on to witness further action in France with the R.N.D. in the same capacity.