British Groups

Lot 4004    The J.J.Atkinson Collection    British Groups

Estimate $6,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $11,000

GROUP OF THIRTEEN TO VICE ADMIRAL SIR ARCHIBALD DAY, Royal Navy Order of the British Empire (KBE); Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB); Distinguished Service Order (1945); 1914-15 Star; British War Medal 1914-18 (S.Lt. A.Day. R.N.); Victory Medal (S.Lt.A.Day. R.N.); 1939-45 Star, Burma Star, Defence Medal; British War Medal 1939-45; Jubilee Medal 1935; Coronation Medal 1937; Coronation Medal 1953. First World War medals only named, impressed, others unnamed. Good very fine.

KBE: London Gazette 1 January 1954.

CB: London Gazette 7 June 1951. 'On the occasion of the Celebration of His Majesty's Birthday.'

DSO: London Gazette 20 November 1945. 'For courage, efficiency and devotion to duty whilst commanding HMS White Bear in the establishment of navigational aids in the approaches to the Rangoon River, in minesweeping and in the survey of the River prior to the assault on the city, May 1945.'

Together with official biography of recipient; official photograph of recipient in uniform; copy of Who was Who entry; extract from the 'Antarctic Pilot' and chart of Day Island on the Graham Coast, Antarctica.

Archibald Day (1899-1970) was born in 1899 third son of Donald Day FRCS of Norwich. Day's naval career began as a cadet aboard HMS Conway followed by further study at Dartmouth until mobilisation in 1914. Initially Day served as a midshipman on Lowestoft, Britannia and Courageous in the North Sea. In 1917 he was promoted to sub-lieutenant serving on the destroyer Welland in the Mediterranean theatre. At the conclusion of the war Day took a brief respite which included two terms at Cambridge University.

In 1920 Day reentered naval service, volunteering for hydrographic surveying - a field that would occupy him throughout the rest of his career. From this time until 1932 Day was in HMS Endeavour (north coast, Egypt, 1920-22), Fitzroy (east cost, England, 1922-24), Iroquois (South China Sea and Malaya, 1925-28) and Endeavour again (Red Sea and Palestine Coast, 1929-1932). During this period Day also furthered his training as a hydrographer. Taking his first command in 1932 Day sailed aboard the Fitzroy and Ormonde. His commission aboard the latter saw him promoted to Commander however his commission was terminated short of completion due to the Abyssinian war of 1935. Day subsequently became Fleet Hydrographic Officer stationed in Alexandria (1936) and then Superintendent of Charts (1937).

When war broke out in 1939 Day was immediately transferred to Dover, first serving as Staff Officer and then Chief Staff Officer in 1940 after promotion to Captain. In 1941 Day was awarded the CBE. From 1943-44 Day contributed to the logistical support of the Sicily and Normandy landings. Taking the position of Assistant Hydrographer, Day played a lead role in the production of newly introduced chart maps. In 1945 Day was in charge of surveys and minesweeping for the invasion of Rangoon and was awarded the DSO (see citation).

Following the war Day continued as Assistant Hydrographer, commanding the Dalrymple in the Mediterranean before being promoted to Rear Admiral serving as Flag Officer British Naval Forces Germany at Hamburg from August 1949 until becoming Hydrographer in June 1950. As Hydrographer in the post-war period Day's accomplishments included moving the hydrography headquarters back to Whitehall, updating and standardising chart schema, finding and surveying a location for Britain's first atomic detonation test and dining with Queen Elizabeth II after her coronation. Day was made Vice Admiral and KBE in 1953 and was bestowed an honorary D.Sc. in 1954 by Durham University. He died on 17 July 1970 and his name was later given to an island near Graham Island, Antarctica.