Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry 127
A Great War C.M.G., C.B.E. group of nine awarded to Captain W. B. S. Wrey, Royal Navy, who was promoted to Commander for services as second-in-command of the Naval Brigade at the Relief of Pekin, and served as Principal Naval Transport Officer at Southampton throughout the Great War
The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s breast badge converted for neck wear, silver-gilt and enamels, reverse centre depressed; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) Commander’s 1st type neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 1 clasp, Alexandria 11th July (W. B. S. Wrey. Midn. R.N. H.M.S. “Superb”); China 1900, 1 clasp, Relief of Pekin (Lieut. W. B. S. Wrey, R.N., H.M.S. Barfleur.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Capt. W. B. S. Wrey. R.N.); Khedive’s Star 1882; Belgium, Kingdom, Order of the Crown, Officer’s breast badge, gilt and enamels; United States of America, Navy Distinguished Service Medal, gilt and enamels, these last six mounted as worn; Japan, Empire, Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class neck badge, silver- gilt and enamels, a few very minor enamel chips and light contact marks, otherwise generally good very fine (9)
£2,000-£2,600
C.M.G. London Gazette 4 June 1917: ‘For services in connection with the War.’ C.B.E. (Military) London Gazette 3 June 1919: ‘For services in connection with the War.’ Belgium, Order of the Crown, 4th Class, London Gazette 29 August 1917. Japan, Order of the Sacred Treasure, 3rd Class, London Gazette 7 June 1918. U.S.A., Distinguished Service Medal (Navy), London Gazette 12 December 1919.
William Bourchier Sherard Wrey was born at Holne, Devon, on 2 April 1865, the fourth son of Sir Henry Bourchier Wrey, 10th Baronet. He joined the Royal Navy as a Boy in H.M.S. Britannia on 15 July 1878, and, having passed for Midshipman, joined H.M.S. Superb on 4 October 1880, being confirmed in that rank on 23 March 1881. He was a Midshipman in Superb at the bombardment of Alexandria in 1882 (Medal with clasp and Bronze Star), and afterwards in Carysfort in the Sudan during 1884-85, but not in the period to qualify for the clasp ‘Suakin 1885’ which some sources give. Promoted to Lieutenant in October 1888, he joined Barfleur as Lieutenant, and later Acting Commander, in May 1898.
Wrey was Mentioned in Despatches by Captain Callaghan, and promoted to Commander for his services as second-in-command of the Naval Brigade at the relief of Pekin in 1900. Invalided home with enteric fever in November 1900, he arrived back in England on 23 December 1900, and was found ‘fit’ in February 1901. He was appointed to Hannibal on the Channel station from May 1901 to January 1904. After an inspection of Hannibal, Lord Charles Beresford reported that ‘Commr. Wrey is not sufficiently competent for second in command of a Battleship.’ Nonetheless, his invention shortly afterwards of a ‘Change of Range Indicator’ did draw an expression of Their Lordships’ appreciation. A period in command of Edinburgh from June 1904 to March 1905, was followed by a Signal Course at Portsmouth, after which he held no further commands. He was placed on the Retired List at his own request with rank of Captain on 31 December 1909.
On the outbreak of the war with Germany he returned to duty, and served during the whole period of hostilities as principal naval transport officer at Southampton with the rank of Commodore, being created C.M.G. in 1917 and C.B.E. in 1919, and receiving the American Distinguished Service Medal as well as Belgian and Japanese decorations. Captain Wrey married, in 1897, Flora Bathurst, daughter of Vice-Admiral W. S. Greive, of Ord House, Berwick-on-Tweed. He died on 8 January 1926.
Sold with copied record of service and medal roll extracts including entitlement to single British War Medal.
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