Beschreibung:

Family group: A C.B., Second War ‘1943’ O.B.E., ‘1942’ D.S.C. group of ten awarded to Rear-Admiral K. St. Barbe Collins, Royal Navy, who was a specialist in Hydrographic Surveying and served as Hydrographer to the Navy, 1955-60 The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s, neck badge, silver-gilt enamel, minor white enamel damage, in Collingwood case of issue; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type, breast badge, silver-gilt; Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated ‘1942’, hallmarks for London ‘1940’; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, 1 copy clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Coronation 1953; Haiti, Republic, Order of Honour and Merit, 2nd issue, Commander’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, minor blue and white enamel damage, breast awards mounted court-style as originally worn, generally very fine unless otherwise stated A Great War Bristol F.2b Gunner Ace’s campaign pair awarded to Lieutenant V. St. Barbe Collins, Royal Flying Corps and Royal Air Force, who was credited with 10 ‘Victories’ flying with 48 and 22 Squadron, shooting down 2 enemy aircraft on one day on two separate occasions. He was killed in action on the Western Front, 2 September 1918 British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. V. St. B. Collins. R.A.F.) traces of verdigris, nearly extremely fine (12) £2,000-£3,000 Footnote C.B. London Gazette 1 January 1959. O.B.E. London Gazette 17 December 1943, the original recommendation states: ‘Fleet Hydrographic Officer - By collating data furnished by special reconnaissance surveys and preparing charts to a special scale used in Operation Husky this officer has made a vital contribution to the success of the landings in Sicily. He has combined meticulous accuracy with intensive hard work over a considerable period, which included the charting of occupied harbours in Tunisia and Tripolitania, apart from his ordinary Fleet duties.’ D.S.C. London Gazette 1 January 1942. M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1943. Haiti, Order of Honour and Merit, Commander, Permission to wear, London Gazette 20 November 1956. Kenneth St. Barbe Collins was born in 1904, and was the son of Colonel C. B. St. Barbe Collins, C.M.G., D.S.O.. He was educated at Osborne and Dartmouth Naval Colleges, ‘and he specialised in hydrographic surveying in 1926, and until 1938 served mostly overseas including two years each in H.M.S. Ormonde, Herald and Endeavour, mostly in the unsurveyed waters in south-east Asia, where, because of his slightly built figure, he acquired his affectionate nickname “Kitchie” from the Malayan word ‘ketchil’ or ‘little’. When World War II broke out he was the meteorological officer in the seaplane carrier H.M.S. Albatross, based on Freetown and operating against the Graf Spee squadron. Promoted to Commander in 1940, he commanded H.M.S. Scott, providing the accurate positioning for a minelaying squadron between Iceland and the Faroes for which he was awarded the D.S.C. From 1942 to 1944 he was on the staff of the Allied Naval Commander Expeditionary Forces, Europe - Admiral Ramsay - involved in planning landings in North Africa, where his specialist surveying knowledge was extremely useful and for which he was appointed O.B.E. After a spell on the hydrographer’s staff, he commanded H.M.S. Seagull, surveying the west coasts of Scotland and England, being one of the first to use radar ranges to establish the position of his ship whilst surveying. Promoted to Captain in 1947, he took command of H.M.S. Dampier, one of four frigates, converted to a surveying role, surveying in south-east Asia. After two years as the Superintendent of Charts at the Hydrographic Department, Cricklewood he took command of H.M.S. Cook, surveying the west of Scotland; in the ship he furthered his interest in oceanography, and took a university expedition to Spitzbergen. His last seagoing command, the new ship H.M.S Vidal, was the first H.