Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A most unusual campaign group of four to Great War Airship pilot, Captain H. C. Randall-Stevens, Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Air Force, who in between the wars became a professional singer and ‘Mystic’. Claiming to channel information from an initiate of Ancient Egypt, Randall-Stevens went on to have four books published on the subject, and also managed to re-engage for service with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve for the Second War!

British War and Victory Medals (Cap. H. C. Randall-Stevens. R.A.F.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45, BWM partially officially renamed, good very fine (4) £200-£300

Hugh Clayton Randall-Stevens was born in September 1896, and was educated at Banstead and Malvern College. He began to study medicine at St. Thomas’ Hospital, but his studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the Great War. Randall-Stevens joined the Royal Naval Air Service as a Temporary Flight Sub-Lieutenant (On Probation) in February 1916.

He carried out training as an Airship Pilot at R.N.A.S. White City, Crystal Palace and Kingsnorth. He was stationed at the latter from June - November 1916, and is mentioned for this time by Captain George Meager, A.F.C. in his book My Airship Flights 1915-30:

‘We juniors lived in the Gun Room and were occasionally honoured by a visit from ‘Jimmy-the-One’ - the First Lieutenant - when there were high revels, usually a rugger scrum in the Mess. I remember one case in particular when Jimmy-the-One was as tight as a lord and fighting everyone. He must have been a good boxer in his younger days, for he put Barr and Randall-Stevens out for the count, and was himself escorted back to the War Room absolutely paralytic. Altogether, we managed to enjoy our courses!’

Randall-Stevens advanced to Acting Flight Lieutenant, and saw further postings for flying duties at Howden. He transferred to the Royal Air Force, was posted to East Fortune as an instructor in June 1918, and was demobilised the following year. Randall-Stevens became a professional singer after the war, and subsequently turned ‘Mystic’ claiming that he channelled information from an initiate of Ancient Egypt. He became a member of The Order of The Knights Templars of Aquarius, and went on to publish several works including: The Book of Truth; The Chronicles of Osiris; The Wisdom of the Soul; and Atlantis to the Latter Days.

Randall-Stevens applied to joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve in July 1940, and was commissioned Pilot Officer in September of the same year. He advanced to Flight Lieutenant in January 1943. In later life he resided at Julian Hill, Byfleet Road, Weybridge, Surrey.

Sold with a copy of Atlantis to the Latter Days by the recipient, and copied research.