Medals from the Collection of the late Eric Smith

Royal Naval Wireless Auxiliary Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (Seaman N. Thomas, R.N.W.A.R.) nearly extremely fine, scarce £160-200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of the late Eric Smith.

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In 1932 the Admiralty formed the Royal Naval Wireless Auxiliary Reserve. Its members were civilian auxiliary reservists who provided their own equipment, were not provided with any uniform but who were taught Naval Operating procedures. Having no legal foundation, members of the R.N.W.A.R. were told in time of war that they were to hold themselves in readiness for service ashore or afloat but that they were not subject to a general mobilisation. On 1 January 1939 the R.N.W.A.R. were officially reconstituted as the Wireless Section of the R.N.V.R. and became subject to provisions of that unit and on 5 January 1939 the Admiralty Board created the Royal Naval Volunteer (Wireless) Reserve - composed initially of existing members of the R.N.W.A.R. - the newly constituted Wireless Section of the R.N.V.R.

Although the formation of the R.N.W.A.R. is mentioned in The Naval Long Service Medals, by Kenneth Douglas-Morris, no mention is made in the chapter dealing with the Royal Naval Volunteer (Wireless) Reserve L.S. & G.C. of any specific medals to the R.N.W.A.R. It was stated that, ‘Since former members of the RNWAR were not fully qualified ‘Reservists’ within the meaning of the ‘Naval Forces Act, 1903’, they were unable to count their ‘auxiliary’ time towards the RNV(W)R LS.& GC ....’