Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Birks Memorial Bar ‘Lieut. R. M. Lawrence R.C.N. Died in his Country’s Service 29 Apr. 1944’, extremely fine £100-£140

Ralph Miles Lawrence was educated at the Royal Military College, Kingston, and enlisted in the the Royal Canadian Navy in 1939. He trained at Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was chosen to go to the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, where he distinguished himself by winning the King’s Dirk. He was seriously wounded whilst serving in H.M.S. Nelson, and was killed in action when H.M.C.S. Athabaskan was torpedoed and sunk in the English Channel on 29 April 1944 with the loss of 128 lives. He is commemorated on the Halifax Memorial, Canada.