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Auction: 22003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 427

A Post War K.B.E., Second World War C.B. and K. St. J. group of eleven awarded to Surgeon Vice-Admiral Sir C. E. Greeson, Royal Navy

A veteran of the Battles of Heligoland Bight and the Falkland Islands, he also was a Member of the Shanghai Defence Force in 1927; Fleet Medical Officer of the Mediterranean Fleet during the Battle of Cape Matapan, Greeson rose to be Medical Director-General of the Royal Navy, and an Honorary Physician to both King George VI and Queen Elizabeth II

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, K.B.E., Military Division, Knight Commander's set of Insignia, comprising neck Badge, silver, silver-gilt and enamel; breast Star, silver, silver-gilt and enamel; The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B., Military Division, Companion's neck Badge, silver-gilt and enamel; The Most Venerable Order of St John of Jerusalem, Knight's set of Insignia, comprising neck Badge, silver and enamel; breast Star, silver and enamel; 1914-15 Star (Surg. C. E. Greeson. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Surg. Lt. C. E. Greeson. R.N.); 1939-1945 Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Coronation 1937, mounted as worn where applicable, a little enamel flaking to the C.B., traces of lacquer to the Trio, otherwise very fine (11)

K.B.E. London Gazette 8 June 1950.

C.B. London Gazette 18 December 1945.

Clarence Edward Greeson was born on 29 November 1888, the son of a clergyman, being educated at Aberdeen Grammar School and later Aberdeen University. Having graduated in Medicine in 1910, proceeded M.D. in 1913 and became a Surgeon in the Royal Navy in 1914.

During the Great War he served aboard Invincible and was present at the battles of Heligoland Bight, when she got of 18 rounds during the action. He was also present for the Battle of the Falkland Islands, when Invincible, together with her sister Inflexible, sank the armoured cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. She had fired 513 shells and taken no less than 22 hits, but thankfully at little cost.

In 1927, Greeson served in the Shanghai Defence Force with the 12th Battalion Royal Marines, being promoted Surgeon Captain in 1939.

He served as Fleet Medical Officer for the Mediterranean Fleet from 1939-42 and was present at the Battle of Cape Matapan. Advanced Surgeon Rear-Admiral and made C.B. in 1945, he was also made Honorary Physician to The King from 1946-52 and also briefly retained the position with The Queen.

Greeson was advanced Surgeon Vice Admiral and appointed to become Medical Director-General of the Royal Navy at the end of 1948. Further details are taken from his Obituary:

'...when the full effects of demobilisation were being felt and much rebuilding of the naval medical services and reserves was necessary. Under his guidance the best use was made of limited resources, and medical, dental, nursing, and other staffs were deployed in such a manner that failure and breakdown were avoided. Among the problems he dealt with successfully were the pay of medical, dental, and nursing officers and the conditions of service of male nurses in the sick bay staff. He fostered the creation at the atomic section of the R.N. Medical School at Alverstoke, where the Naval Medical Service introduced courses in radiological defence open to practitioners and nurses from the three services and to civilians. He sponsored the recognition of R.N. hospitals at the three home ports as training schools for General Nursing Council qualifications.'

Made K.B.E. in 1950, he retired to Alderney in March 1952 and died on 10 June 1979; sold together with copied research including photographs relating to Shanghai 1927.

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Estimate
£3,000 to £4,000

Starting price
£2700