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2,000 - 4,000 GBP
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Lot closed
Lot location
Stowmarket, Suffolk
Second World War Royal Navy White Ensign, attributed to the Cruiser H.M.S. Ajax and believed to have been flown on D-Day, bunting material, multi piece construction, rope halyard to hoist, edge marked 'WHITE ENSIGN' other markings rubbed but possibly '8-ROS', approx. 330 cm x 175 cm, (approx 100cm x 40 cm section missing from bottom fly corner and tattered at fly end), the ensign was gifted to Commander John Simpson R.N. by Barnie Drake, Torpedo Officer on Ajax, both were serving on the ship after the war and became close friends, according to his family, the ensign was carried by John Simpson throughout his service and treated with great reverence, the box in which it is contained has a sticker marked in his handwriting, 'White Ensign (Precious), Almost certainly D Day Battle Ensign from HMS Ajax, Provenence - from Barnie Drake Torpedo Officer of Ajax at the time', HMS Ajax service at Normandy on D-Day and beyond is descibed in the booklet 'The Story of H.M.S. Ajax' dated January 1946, which is included in this lot and includes ' 'Ajax' formed part of the bombarding force which supported the assault by the 50th British Infantry Division at the extreme Western end of the British area between Port en Bessin and Arromanches. The approach to the French coast was uneventful and the ship was in position for her initial task at 0528, on D-Day, 6th June 1944, opening fire at 0530 on Longues Battery. This consisted of four 150 mm guns with 7ft thick concrete casements. Fire was opened at a range of 12,000 yards and the battery was silenced by 0620 after the expenditure of 120 rounds of 6 inch ammunition.', also included in this lot is a pair of glass tumblers, painted with the ships crest and main Battle Honours, 'Punto del Este 13.12.39' (Battle of the River Plate), 'Cabo Matanan 30.3.41' (Battle of Cape Matapan), 'Normandia 4.6.44' (D Day, Normandy- painter remiss with date!), in Spanish, and last part of each stanza of 'Rule Britannia', these were believed to have been produced in Montevideo and presented to the officers of H.M.S. Ajax by the crew of the German Pocket Battleship Graf Spee when Ajax was detailed to repatriate them back to Germany after the war, a facsimile copy of a speech given by the Vice President of the Republic of Uruguay, Dr Alberto Guani on the occasion of the visit by HMS Ajax, Radio City, January 8th 1946, a transcription of the record of service of Commander Simpson as compiled by himself, ships served on include, HMS Malaya, Warspite, Coventry, Barham, Ambrose, Daedalus, and Ajax,' H.M.S. Ajax was a Leander Class Cruiser, made famous by her involvement in the Battle of the River Plate as part of Force 'G' with the cruisers Achilles and Exeter against Graf Spee, she also served in the Mediterranean at the Battles of Crete and Matapan, on the Malta Convoys, the Aegean, Normandy and South France (all items attributed to Commander Simpson come directly from the family)
COMMANDER (S) JOHN RUSSELL SIMPSON, ROYAL NAVY (31.03.1919 – 04.04.2020)
John Simpson was a former pupil at Framlingham College. This abridged extract is taken from his obituary, which was published in the 2019/2020 edition of The Framlinghamian:
John Simpson joined the Royal Navy in 1936 as a Cadet-under-training in the cruiser HMS FROBISHER. He passed out third on the list of Paymaster Cadets and joined HMS SUSSEX as Paymaster Midshipman in the Mediterranean Fleet. During this time, in 1937, he saw action in charge of an armed Naval Patrol, manning a roadblock outside Haifa in Israel during the period of Palestinian/Jewish unrest that followed Partition in that year. During the war he served ashore and at sea, in Scotland, in the Northern Approaches and at Lee-on-Solent, Portsmouth. After the war, in 1946, while serving as Supply Officer Lieutenant in HMS AJAX, the ship returned to Montevideo in Uruguay, the scene of her earlier involvement in the Battle of the River Plate in 1939. This voyage was undertaken to repatriate German Naval prisoners-of-war who had been incarcerated in neutral Uruguay throughout the War following the scuttling of the German battle cruiser, the Admiral Graf Spee. John often recalled the extraordinarily warm Civic Welcome that the ship’s company received from the Deputy President of Uruguay in a formal ceremony, just before HMS AJAX’s return voyage to Kiel in the Baltic. Following a Staff Course in the UK, John was based in Malta from 1948-50, returning to a further shore training post in Wetherby before being appointed Secretary to Rear Admiral John Cuthbert, who was Deputy Controller of the Navy at the time, and under whose command John had served in HMS AJAX. John was paid a considerable compliment (in Service terms) by Rear Admiral Cuthbert, who requested that John should continue as his Secretary for the Admiral’s next three appointments, the final one being Flag Officer, Scotland and Northern Ireland, from 1956-58, after which Vice Admiral Sir John Cuthbert retired. John was promoted to Commander in 1955. Three years later, the family moved back to Suffolk and John returned to sea as Supply Officer in the light cruiser HMS BERMUDA, once again in the Mediterranean, before taking up his final Service appointment in 1960 as a Staff Training Officer at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. He retired from the Royal Navy in 1962
Live
Venue address
19 Charles Ind. Estate
Stowmarket, Suffolk
IP14 5AH
United Kingdom
Military and Medals - 19th November 2021
Military and Medals - 19th November 2021
Auction dates
19 Nov 2021 10:00 GMT
Viewing dates
17 Nov 2021 09:30 - 16:00 GMT
18 Nov 2021 09:30 - 16:00 GMT
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(b) confirm that you are authorised to provide these credit card details to Bishop & Miller Auctioneers through www.the-saleroom.com and agree that Bishop & Miller Auctioneers are entitled to ship the goods to the card holder name and card holder address provided in fulfilment of the sale.
Please note that any lots purchased via the-saleroom.com live auction service will be subject to an additional 4.95% commission charge + VAT at the rate imposed on the hammer price
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Post 1950 Furniture
All items of furniture included in this sale are offered for sale as works of art. The items may not comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) Safety Regulations 1988 and for this reason, they should not be used in a private dwelling.
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