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Auction: 18001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 351

Five: Assistant (Stores) K. Aslan, Merchant Navy, who saw extensive service in escort aircraft carriers

1939-45 Star; Pacific Star, clasp, Burma; France and Germany Star, clasp, Atlantic; War Medal 1939-45, mounted as worn, nearly extremely fine and a rare combination of Stars and clasps (5)

Kenneth Aslan was born in London on 22 January 1924 and, as a Merchant Navy man, signed on for service in the Royal Navy in the summer of 1943. His first such appointment was aboard the escort aircraft carrier H.M.S. Atheling in the period August 1943 to March 1944, and he was to serve in two other escort carriers, namely Biter (March to October 1944) and Arbiter (March 1945 to March 1946). He also served in the ex-Blue Funnel liner Menestheus, which had been requisitioned and converted for use as a minelayer (November 1944 to February 1945).

In the post-war years, Aslan appears to have pursued a career in theatre and music (see below).

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, comprising:

(i)
An extensive photograph album detailing life aboard H.M.S. Arbiter in the final year of the war, including annotated images of the ship on convoy duties, aircraft deck landings, and places visited, among them New York, Norfolk (Virginia), and Gibraltar. Following the cessation of hostilities, the album includes photographs of family and friends, many taken on the Isle of Arran, before a return to a naval theme, this time aboard the escort carrier H.M.S. Biter; the album includes some excellent images of abortive landings and crashed Seafire aircraft aboard carriers and some fascinating shots of a tour of Sydney and Far East, followed by the ship caked in ice on a passage to Nova Scotia. The final third of the album continues with some superb theatre production and stage show photographs, one annotated 'Press Gang of Alan Bush, Rudolf Steiner Hall, 1947/8,' and another 'Helty, Annie Get Your Gun'; particularly impressive are scenes from the 'Annie Get Your Gun' set in the Café de Paris, annotated '1949' and another dated 1946 marked 'Iolanthe, G.S.M., in presence of Princess Elizabeth and Margaret.' It concludes with family photographs, including his son and the 1st XI football team at Salesian College, Chertsey, 1937-38. A business card detailing his stage name is affixed to the back: Riverside 6923. Mr. Kenneth Granville, Baritone - Actor, 56, Ravenscourt Road, London, W.6.

(ii)
A copy of Escort Carrier, by Lieutenant-Commander (A.) John Moore, R.N.V.R., published by Hutchinson, 1944, hardback, missing dust jacket; annotated within by recipient: 'Other Ships I was on: H.M.S. Arbiter, H.M.S. Biter, H.M.S. Atheling, H.M.S. Menestheus (mine layer).'

(iii)
The recipient's Board of Trade Continuous Certificate of Service, with wartime ship appointments, and Naval Pay and Identity Book, with training in anti-gas equipment and inflatable lifebelt entries, H.M.S. Mersey and H.M.S. Asbury, 1943; his Duplicate Naval Pay and Identity Book, stamped 'Mersey' and dated 28 February 1945; Post Office telegram from H.M.S. Athleing (sic), Greenock, dated 21 February 1944; National Registration Identity Card; Clothing Book 1947-48; H.M.S. Arbiter I.D. card; British Legion membership card, showing date of joining 12 April 1946; Norfolk Navy Yard Pass, dated 15 December 1943; Crossing the Line colour presentation certificate, presented to Aslan aboard H.M.S. Arbiter on 17 April 1945; and a charcoal half-length portrait of him at Sasebo, Japan, dated 30 August 1952.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£160