Militaria

Lot 4137    SESSION 10 (9.30AM FRIDAY 27TH NOVEMBER)    Militaria

Estimate $4,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $4,400

KING'S GOLD MEDAL (RAN COLLEGE), (GVR type 1 wearing Admirals' uniform), 1921, in gold (22ct; 56.31g; 44.5mm) (see Shooting Awards and Prize Medals to Australian Military Forces by J.O'Connor, pp165/7), edge inscribed '1921. William Edward James Eames.', in case of issue. A few light hairlines, otherwise uncirculated.

William Edward James Eames, was born 21 February 1904 at Melbourne, Victoria. He was appointed Cadet-Midshipman (P.N.F.) on 1 January 1918 and entered the Royal Australian Naval College from where he graduated in 1921 and was awarded the King's Gold Medal. His appointment with the RAN was terminated on transfer to the Royal Navy on 31 December 1921. He served as a Midshipman on HMS Hood on its world cruise 1923-24 and later in 1936, as a Lieutenant Commander, he was captain of HMS Sandpiper, the smallest of the river gunboats in China. On 6 September 1938 the Japanese attacked the Sandpiper at Changsha on the Xiang River and although damaged, there were no casualties. Lieutenant Commander Eames then assumed the role of Consul and made arrangements for all Europeans to leave the area. He was recognised for his service with an early promotion to Commander.

During World War II Commander Eames was drafting commander at the RN Barracks at Devonport where he implemented mobilisation plans; Executive Officer of the aircraft carrier, HMS Argus; from early 1941 until September 1942 he commanded escort groups in the North Atlantic including on the destroyer, HMS Veteran 6 July 1941 to 19 August 1942; from September 1942 to June 1943 he served on the Admiralty staff as advisor on convoy escorts; participated in a delegation to Washington; and from July 1943 until war's end he commanded escort groups in the Atlantic and Mediterranean including on the sloop, HMS Pheasant 20 January - December 1944.

Post World War II some of his appointments included with the Admiralty and in Malta and he was also Naval Attache to Belgium and the Netherlands 1949-54. Commander Eames retired in 1954. He was recognised with an award of a Distinguished Service Cross on 23 January 1942, a Netherlands Orange Order in 1951 and made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 5 June 1952 in the Queen's Birthday Honours. William Eames died on 27 April 1967.