A Post War O.B.E. and Second World War D.S.C. group of eight to Lieutenant Commander D.A.R.M.Ramsay,
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A Post War O.B.E. and Second World War D.S.C. group of eight to Lieutenant Commander D.A.R.M.Ramsay, Royal Navy,
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E., Military Division, type 2; Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R. dated 1944; 1939-1945 Star; Atlantic Star; Pacific Star with Burma Bar; Italy Star; War Medal; Naval General Service 1915-62, one bar, Minesweeping 1945-51, with MID Oakleaf (Lt.Cdr D.A.R.M.Ramsay. R.N.). Mounted as worn. Some contact wear and polishing throuhout, otherwise good fine or perhaps better. (8)
Sold for £3,642 inc. premium

Footnotes

  • O.B.E. London Gazette 31.5.1956
    D.S.C. London Gazette 20.6.1944
    M.I.D. London Gazette 12.6.1947


    David Ramsay went to school at Pangbourne and after three years there, left to join the Merchant Navy aiming to get a second mate's certificate with a view to going into the Royal Indian Navy. In 1932 he found no vacancies and then went out to China where he obtained an appointment with the Chinese Government Preventitive Service engaged mainly in smuggling and anti piracy patrols. He had his first command at 24. During the Sino-Japanese war, he was blockaded in Pagoda Anchorage so long that he applied for leave, returned to England and gained a commission as a sub-lieutenant in the Royal Navy. In 1939 he was appointed to H.M.S. Revenge on Atlantic convoys and later in 1940 was serving on H.M.S.Wessex when she was sunk by a German Stuka dive bombers off Calais on May 24th 1940. He survived the sinking and his next ship, a destroyer H.M.S. Impulsive was involved in mine laying off enemy coasts. From 1941 to 1943 he served on the cruiser H.M.S. Enterprise in the Far East, the Indian Ocean and the Pacific, escorting the last convoy into Singapore. He also took part in the invasion of Madagascar in May 1942, and assisted other ships in picking up survivors of H.M.S. Cornwall and H.M.S. Dorsetshire which had been sunk by Japanese carrier based aircraft. His next ship was another cruiser, H.M.S. Spartan, and when he was on her when she was bombarding the beaches at Anzio in support of infantry landing craft. She was struck by an aerial torpedo and Spartan sank about an hour later. He was in hospital for about 12 months as he lost his left leg. He recovered and whilst convalescing he presuaded a friend in command of a destroyer H.M.S. Duncan to let him go to sea. Having proved he was fit enough to stand a watch at sea and backed up by his friend he was given command of H.M.S. Sharpshooter, and from then on, mainly working in destroyers and minesweepers off the North Sea and off Southern Ireland. He was awarded an MID for Minesweeping duties and served another 13 years before being placed on the retired list in 1957.

    He was an active sailor and competed at Cowes as well as taking command of the Benjamin Bowring which was involved in an expedition to make the circumnavigation of the world longitudinally and also did scientific studies in the Polar regions, a trip which lasted 15 months.

    Sold with original Warrant for the O.B.E. and various photocopied articles and research.

Category: Coins / Coins and Banknotes

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