Lot 522

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Description:

BRITISH WREN NAVAL MEDAL AND DOCUMENT GROUP
A rare pair of medals issued to Eve Barrett [?], a ‘Wren' who served during World War II. The first is a Defence Medal, awarded to citizens for both non-operational military and certain types of civilian war service during the Second World War. It measures 36 mm (1.42 inches) in diameter and is struck in cupro-nickel. The non-swiveling straight bar suspender is attached to the medal with a single-toe claw mount and a pin through the upper edge of the medal. The obverse shows George VI in side profile, while reverse shows a Royal Crown resting on an oak sapling, flanked by a lion and a lioness above stylized waves. At the top left is the year '1939' and at the top right the year ‘1945' with the words ‘THE DEFENCE MEDAL' in two lines. The second medal is quite similar to the first, with George VI bearing a crown, and the reverse showing a lion quashing a dragon, with ‘1939 1945' at top. Both have original, unattached ribbons, and are housed in the original cardboard box in which they were mailed to Mrs. Barrett. Accompanying this lot is an original scrapbook compiled by Eve – whose name we know because it appears on a dedication in a book given to her by her friend, a fellow WREN. Included are many photographs of Eve, her friends and family, newspaper clippings about the work of the WRENs – including some showing women with names identified in her hand – and news about British submarines. Many are annotated in her hand beneath the images. Also included are three original WREN cloth badges, and a formal portrait of Eve in uniform. Together with a 1942 copy of ‘Up, Periscope!' by David Masters (London: Eyre & Spottswoode, 1942), bearing the aforementioned dedication on first free flyleaf to Eve by a friend Kay (who also appears in several photos). At bottom of the dedication Eve has penned-in the submarines on which she worked: ‘W.R.N.S. H.M.S. DOLPHIN April 22nd, 1942', ‘Went on H.M.S. Torbay 1942', and ‘Went on H.M.S. Unbending 1943'. Also included are four original photographs, 8.5 x 6 in. b/w: a portrait of Eve riding a bicycle in uniform; a portrait of WRENs marching in formation; and two images of submarines. Medals are in exceptional condition, retaining original wax-paper envelopes and pristine ribbons. Scrapbook and other ephemera also very good.

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November 29, 2023 10:00 AM EST
Chesapeake City, MD, US

Alexander Historical Auctions LLC

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $499 $20
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 $99,999 $5,000
$100,000 $999,999 $10,000
$1,000,000 $1,999,999 $50,000
$2,000,000 + $100,000