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Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry 53


A Northern Russian Expeditionary Force ‘honorary’ M.C. group of six awarded to Marquis V. Vivien de Châteaubrun, a Russian national who served with the Slavo-British Allied Legion from July 1918


Military Cross, G.V.R.; British War and Victory Medals (2.Lieut. V. Vivien de Chateaubrun.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; France, Third Republic, Croix de Guerre 1914 1916, mounted court-style, good very fine (6) £1,400-£1,800


Recommendation for M.C. dated 17 January 1919 and signed by General Needham, Commander-in-Chief, Northern Russia Expeditionary Force:


‘This officer joined the S.B.A.L. as one of the earliest volunteers on 7 July 1918, and took part in the original landing at Archangel on August 2nd, proceeding to the Railway front 6 days later. While with Colonel Guard’s force his behaviour both in command of troops and on special service carrying important despatches was always of the utmost gallantry: On one occasion, disguised as a peasant he carried an urgent cipher message to General Finlayson’s Headquarters through 80 miles of hostile territory in face of great natural difficulties and obstacles. His health broke down owing to these exertions, but he nevertheless continued to carry out patrol work of the utmost value until November 23rd, when he was ordered to return to Archangel for duty with General Savvitch. The conduct of this Officer has throughout been of an order demanding the highest courage, determination and energy.’


As an ‘honorary’ award to a foreign national this M.C. was not announced in the London Gazette. His Medal Index Card indicates that he applied for the British War and Victory Medals through the Russian Embassy on 30 September 1919, and that he was issued with a duplicate M.C. in December 1924.


Marquis (Victor) Vivien de Châteaubrun was born at Gatchina, near St. Petersburg in 1896. He served as a page to the Empress Alexandra and became an Officer in the Imperial Russian Grenadier Guards where he was decorated for bravery on numerous occasions. Following the Revolution he became one of the earliest volunteers to join the Slavo-British Allied Legion. He went to England following the Civil War, became a British national in 1940 (London Gazette 13 June 1940) and served with the Rifle Brigade during the Second World War. After the war he took over the Blue Cockatoo restaurant in Cheyne Walk, Chelsea. He died in 1976.


A ribbon bar as worn by Marquis Vivien de Châteaubrun was sold by Morton & Eden in their sale of 30 November 2010. It comprised ribbons representing the Military Cross, British War and Victory Medals, French Croix de Guerre, Order of St Anne, Order of St Stanislaus, Order of St Anne, Order of St Vladimir, Tercentenary Medal 1913, and Battle of Poltava commemorative 1909, and was accompanied by a framed copy of his M.C. citation, as above, a Military I.D. Card with photograph of 1942, and a typed letter from Colonel N. Abaimoff listing his Russian awards, dated 14 July 1923.


54


An Order of St John group of four awarded to Divisional Superintendent A. G. Ryder, Caterham St John Ambulance Brigade


The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Serving Brother’s breast badge, silver and enamels, the reverse engraved ‘Sopt. A. G. Ryder, Caterham Division S.J.A.B. 24th July 1942’; Defence Medal; Coronation 1937; Service Medal of the Order of St John, silver, straight bar suspension with four additional service bars (16814 D/Supt. A. G. Ryder. Caterham Div. No. 8 Dis. S.J.A.B. 1937) mounted for display, very fine (4)


£140-£180 Order of St John, Serving Brother, London Gazette 1 January 1943.


Alfred George Ryder was born on 27 June 1901, and joined the Caterham Division of the St John Ambulance Division as a Private on 12 December 1922, and was promoted to Corporal in February 1927. At this time Superintendent ‘Riley and his enthusiastic band did not of course possess motor (or even horse) ambulances. When they were notified of an illness or accident, two men would leave the Ambulance Station pushing between them a wheeled litter. This was a strange looking trolley which supported a stretcher covered with something like a pram hood and running on solid wheels. At that time the Caterham and District Hospital was the nearest General Hospital and admitted accident cases. Normally there was no resident physician, but a local G.P. was called in to give whatever treatment was necessary.


This means of transport survived until 1928 when the first motor ambulance was obtained. The move was precipitated by an accident where a girl was knocked down and quite seriously injured in War Coppice Road. George Ryder and Mr Smith were called out and ran pushing the litter all the mile and a half - uphill nearly all the way - only to find that when they arrived a passing car had taken the casualty away.’ (A copied typescript history of the Caterham Division, included with the Lot, refers.)


George Ryder was promoted to Ambulance Officer in June 1933, and became Divisional Superintendent of the Caterham Division in May 1934. Ryder was in charge of the A.R.P. Ambulance Section during the 1939-45 War. Headquartered at the Ambulance Station at the beginning of the war, he later moved his H.Q. to Waterdene. When the A.R.P. became Civil Defence, Ryder continued to run this after the war until his death. In 1947, the Surrey Ambulance Service was formed and some St John Stations were to become part of the Service, George Ryder being one of them, a position he held until his death in February 1962.


Sold with an extensive file of research including several copied photographs. www.dnw.co.uk all lots are illustrated on our website and are subject to buyers’ premium at 24% (+VAT where applicable)


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