Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pangbourne Nautical College Founder’s Medal, obverse: an attractive scene of a clipper under sail; reverse: within a laurel wreath, ‘Founders’ Medal, The Nautical College Pangbourne’ (Cadet V, G. K. Webster) 45mm., silver, in F. Phillips, Aldershot fitted case of issue, extremely fine £80-100

Ex Spencer Collection, D.N.W. 6 July 2004, lot 951.

Pangbourne Nautical College near Reading was founded in 1917 by two members of the Devitt family, senior partners in the shipping company Devitt & Moore. Their aim was to produce better educated officers for the Merchant Navy. In 1969 the College became a public school and the name was changed to Pangbourne College.

Victor George Kennersley Webster was born in Fairlight, Sussex on 15 December 1925. Living in Sevenoaks, Kent, he entered the College in 1940, leaving in 1943 to join the Merchant Navy. He served as an apprentice to the Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company until 1946. He was subsequently employed by the Port Line Steam Company, Orient Line Ltd and Royal Mail S. & N. Co. Ltd.

With copied British Seaman’s Identity Card, service papers and other research.