Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Attributed to Acting Temporary Lieutenant-Commander R. C. Hewson, Royal Naval Volunteer (Wireless) Reserve
1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn, very fine

Five: Attributed to P. F. St. John, Royal Navy
1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45, with Admiralty enclosure, very fine (9) £80-£100

Ronald Charles Hewson was born at Westcliff on Sea, Essex in 1911. He joined the Royal Navy as a Telegrapher with service number C/WRX688. Having ‘Passed Out’ from H.M.S. King Alfred he was appointed Temporary Sub-Lieutenant on 15 November 1940. In 1942 the Navy List records him as serving in H.M.S. Valkyrie. He was promoted Temporary Lieutenant on 1 September 1942, and by October 1943 is noted as serving in H.M.S. Rodney. In 1945 he is recorded as serving in H.M.S. Collingwood and at the R.N. Radar School and was holding the rank of Acting Temporary Lieutenant-Commander. He was released from Naval Service on 4 January 1946.

Sold with the recipient’s Official Royal Navy Identity card in the name of Temp. Sub. Lieut. Ronald Charles Hewson, with photograph, and dated 28 November 1940,; Original parchment Royal Naval Volunteer (Wireless) Reserve Certificate of Service; original ‘Passing Out’ certificate from H.M.S. Royal Alfred having been examined for the rank of Temp. Sub-Lieutenant; original wartime commission certificate as Temp. Lieutenant, dated 29 May 1941; original annual report as to his conduct at the R.N. Signal School, in 1941; various press cuttings; several naval photographs of warships including H.M.S. Rodney at sea and in action shelling the German coastal defences at Alderney; various wartime naval dinner menu cards; several photographs of the recipient in uniform, both alone and in groups; personal travel expenses ledger; and a scruffy ex-library copy of ‘H.M.S. Rodney at War’ by Kenneth Thompson.



Peter Francis St. John was born in Plymouth, Devon in 1922. Research notes with the medals indicate that he served in the Royal Navy in the Second World War in H.M.S. Prince of Wales, but 6 months prior to H.M.S. Prince of Wales being sunk by the Bismark he transferred to another ship, possibly H.M.S. Exeter. The research notes also indicate that the recipient played soccer for Torquay United and Totnes Town. He died in Plymouth in 1997.

Sold with a hand written note from the previous owner stating that the medals were a gift directly from the family; a family photo album containing several photos of the recipient and other family members, some in uniform; a group photo of four seamen in uniform stated to include the recipient and several loose family photographs; and a South Hams, Plymouth and District runners up hallmarked silver-gilt prize medal 1949-50, in box with hand written inscription to ‘P. F. St. John’ in the lid.