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

An important “Captain of Industry” family group to the 1st and 2nd Baron Rootes, the famous British motor car manufacturers

The G.B.E. group of eight awarded to the Lord William Edward Rootes, 1st Baron of Ramsbury, who served as a Sub. Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in the Great War

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, G.B.E. (Civil) Knight Grand Cross, 2nd type set of insignia, comprising sash badge, silver-gilt and enamel, and breast star, silver, with silver-gilt and enamel centre; British War and Victory Medals, naming erased; Defence Medal 1939-45; Coronation 1937; Coronation 1953; U.S.A. Medal of Freedom, with bronze palm, together with Ministry of Aircraft Production, “1940 Club” Membership Medallion, gold, by Spink and Son Ltd., London, the reverse engraved, ‘Lord Rootes’, 57mm., Commemorative Medallion for Churchill’s 80th Birthday, bronze, unnamed, 36mm., and a set of related miniature dress medals (7), generally extremely fine

The Second World War group of four awarded to Lord William Geoffrey Rootes, 2nd Baron of Ramsbury, a Major in the Royal Army Service Corps

1939-45 Star; Africa Star, clasp, 8th Army; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, together with Institute of Motor Industry Incorporated, Lord Wakefield of Hythe Commemorative Medallion, gold, by Garrard, London, the reverse engraved, ‘The Rt. Hon. Lord Rootes, F.I.M.I., 1974’, 45mm., and a set of related miniature dress medals (5), including Order of St. John (Lot) £1600-1800

William Edward Rootes was born at Hawkhurst, Kent in 1894 and took up an apprenticeship at the Singer Motor Company at the age of fifteen, following his attendance at Cranbrook School. Wartime service as a Sub. Lieutenant in the R.N.V.R. intervened, however, or at least until 1917, when he came ashore to work on aircraft production, but also found time to create Rootes Ltd. Thereafter, he quickly established himself as one of the biggest names in the car industry, achieving the accolade of being the country’s largest distributor by 1925. Indeed such was the scale of his success that he soon found that his sales were outstripping those of the actual manufacturers, and accordingly he set about acquiring a number of well-known “names”, Hillman, Humber, Commer, Talbot, Sunbeam and Singer among them, the whole becoming part of the Rootes Group.

By 1940 Rootes was ready to expand into aircraft production, and by the War’s end his empire had built 16% of the R.A.F.’s bombers, and some 60% of the military’s armoured vehicles. His expertise was also put to good use by Churchill during the “Blitz”, who placed him in charge of reconstructing Coventry’s shattered industry following the devastating enemy raid of November 1940, a feat that was achieved in record time, and which, in 1942, was rewarded with a K.B.E. Interestingly, his task to help rebuild the city’s output was sometimes hindered by union-led work forces, the latter including the city’s bus drivers who refused to work after 6.30 p.m. - not much use for the transportation of factory workers (or, for that matter, the country’s war effort). Rootes also forged a good working relationship with the Americans in his capacity as Chairman of the Supply Council from March 1942 to May 1945, and was awarded the Medal of Freedom in August 1946, for ‘exceptionally meritorious achievements’ that assisted the ‘prosecution of the war against the enemy in Continental Europe’.

The Unions would eventually bring the famous Rootes Group to its knees in the post-war era, but during the 1950s and early 1960s Rootes was able to lead Britain’s export drive as Chairman of the Export Council, and was especially noted for his promotion of stronger ties with the U.S.A., work that resulted in him being created a G.B.E. in 1955 and created Baron Rootes of Ramsbury in 1959. “Billy” Rootes, one of the great names of British industry, died in December 1964, sadly not before witnessing a string of damaging strikes by his work force, Union-led disruption that would lead to a takeover by the U.S. Chrysler Group in 1967.

William Geoffrey Rootes was born in 1917, the year in which his father was turning his hand to aircraft engineering and production as part of the country’s war effort. Educated at Harrow and Christ College, Oxford, he witnessed active service in the 8th Army in North Africa and Italy, serving as a Major in the Royal Army Service Corps. Returning to the Rootes Group at the end of hostilities, he became Managing Director in 1962, Deputy Chairman in 1965 and Chairman in 1967, the latter appointment also including “Chrysler United Kingdom”, following the U.S. Group’s takeover. He had, meanwhile, succeeded to his father’s title, and was created a Knight of the Order of St. John in 1988. He died in 1992.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including official correspondence regarding the award of the 1st Baron’s K.B.E. in 1942 and G.B.E. in 1955, the latter including a letter from Anthony Eden (dated at Downing Street, 16 May 1955); certificates for his Coronation 1937 and 1953 Medals; citation for his U.S.A. Medal of Freedom, on H.Q., American Forces, European Theatre notepaper (dated 9 August 1946); and assorted programmes, letters, etc., appertaining to Order of the British Empire Services of Dedication at St. Paul’s Cathedral.