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Auction: 24111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 633

'This 65-metre superyacht - the Shemara - built in the 1930s, was rescued from decay and completely rebuilt in Britain by British businessman Charles Dunstone. Built by Thorneycroft in Southampton in 1938, she served in World War Two as an anti-submarine training ship with the Royal Navy. Shemara became famous in the 1950s for the many lavish parties hosted by the gracelessly gaudy Lord and Lady Docker. In 1954 the nation's eyebrows were raised when 33 Yorkshire miners were invited to Southampton for a cocktail party on-board Shemara.

In 1965, Shemara was put up for sale for £600,000, and passed to the ownership of the reclusive property tycoon Harry Hyams for £290,000. He left her sitting in Lowestoft for 20 years where, according to rumour, crew prepared lunch for Hyams each day just in case he arrived, which he never did.

Charles Dunstone, the man behind Carphone Warehouse, is an avid sailor who enjoys racing sailing yachts. He decided Shemara would make a fitting mothership for him to attend and race in superyacht sailing regattas around the world. Having purchased her, the yacht arrived in Portsmouth and spent over a year in a multi-million-pound rebuild that saw her relaunched in a condition that far exceeds that of when first delivered in 1938 … '

The Gentleman's Journal, refers.

A well-documented Second World War campaign group of four awarded Stoker Petty Officer (Engineer) A. V. Woods, Royal Navy, who sailed in the Shemara under rather different circumstances in 1943-44

1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, in their original addressed O.H.M.S. card forwarding box, good very fine (4)

Alan Victor Woods was born in Ovington, Norfolk on 8 December 1924 and joined the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in December 1942. Posted to the anti-submarine training base H.M.S. Nimrod, at Campbeltown on the Kintyre peninsula, he joined the armed yacht Shemara in April 1943, and remained similarly employed until March 1944. He was thus present at the loss of H.M. Submarine Untamed on a training exercise on 30 May 1943.

Woods subsequently served in a minesweeping trawler - from April 1944-February 1945 - and gained advancement to Warrant Engineer. He was released 'Class A' in December 1946.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including the recipient's parchment Certificate of Service, Order for Release from Naval Service and National Registration Identity Card, together with his pocket diaries for 1945 and 1946.


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Sold for
£40

Starting price
£40