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Auction: 22003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 471

Family group:

'Looking back over 65 years I'm amazed to find that I was involved in major historical events whilst working closely with real historical figures. At the time we were so busy getting on with our jobs that we were largely unaware of the historical significance of the work of the organisation that we served … '

Joyce Pitchford, a secretary employed at the Combined Operations Headquarters (COHQ) at Whitehall, reflects on a job well done; see the 'Combined Ops' website.

A rare Second World War B.E.M. awarded to Sergeant Josephine Rudder, Auxiliary Territorial Service, for her services at the Combined Operations Headquarters at Whitehall

British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R., 1st issue (W/178061 Sgt. Josephine R. Rudder, A.T.S.), mounted on Lady's riband bow, good very fine

The Second World War campaign group of four awarded to Private C. A. Rudder, South African Forces, who was taken P.O.W. at Tobruk in June 1942

1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45; Africa Service Medal, all officially named to '138443 C. A. Rudder', the last officially re-impressed, good very fine (4)

B.E.M. London Gazette 1 January 1946.

Josephine Ruth Rudder (nee Evenden) was born in Croydon, Surrey on 1 February 1920.

In common with the above quoted Joyce Pitchford, she also served at the Combined Operations Headquarters (COHQ) at 1a Richmond Terrace, off Whitehall. The location, close to Churchill and Downing Street, was no accident.

Moreover, her end of war B.E.M. would suggest that she was employed in that capacity for a protracted period. Indeed, she may well have served under all three heads of Combined Operations, namely Admiral of the Fleet Roger Keyes (July 1940-October 1941), Lord Louis Mountbatten (October 1941-September 1943), and Major-General Robert Laycock (October 1943-1947); the latter must surely have approved the award of her B.E.M.

As such, Rudder undoubtedly came into daily contact with a remarkable cast of characters, from 'top brass' and high-ranking politicians, through to assorted Intelligence Officers and a resident S.O.E. Liaison Officer. So, too, with visiting Commandos and members of the Combined Operations Pilotage Parties (COPPS). In fact, 1a Richmond Terrace - and its extensive underground facilities - positively buzzed with such operatives.

In July 1945, Josephine married Carden Anzac Rudder (1919-2004), a South African ex-prisoner of war, who had been liberated from a P.O.W. camp earlier in the year. An accompanying newspaper cutting takes up the story:

'Sergeant Josephine Rudder, A.T.S., daughter of Mr. and Mrs. H. S. Evenden, of "Windy Ridge," 7, The Woodfields, Sanderstead has been awarded the B.E.M. Military Division for services with Headquarters Combined Operations, Whitehall. Mrs. Rudder is the wife of a South African ex-prisoner-of-war and leaves England to re-join her husband in Durban in early February.'

Carden Anzac Rudder, Josephine's future husband, was born at Port Elizabeth, South Africa on 25 April 1919 and enlisted in the Union Defence Force in September 1940.

Embarked for Suez as a member of a motor transport unit in May 1941, he was posted missing at Tobruk on 20 June 1942, but was subsequently confirmed as a P.O.W. in November of the same year; a message of goodwill to his family in South Africa was transmitted by Vatican City Radio.

He was originally interned at Campo 85 at Tuturano, near Brindisi and, following the Italian capitulation, he was moved to Stammlager VIIIA, south of Gorlitz in Lower Silesia. He was later transferred to Stalag Luft 344 at Lamsdorf, from which camp he was finally liberated in May 1945.



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Sold for
£400

Starting price
£180