Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War O.B.E. group of twelve awarded to Captain H. W. B. Livesay, Royal Indian Marine and Royal Australian Navy

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1919; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-1914 (Lieutenant, R.I.M.); 1914 Star (Lieut., R.I.M.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt-Comdr., R.I.M.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45, this last officially impressed (H. W. B. Livesay, R.I.N.); Coronation 1911; Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937, these unnamed, mounted as worn; together with a mounted set of twelve miniature dress medals, generally good very fine (24) £600-800

O.B.E. London Gazette 18 November 1918. ‘... for distinguished service in connection with military operations in Mesopotamia’ ‘Lieut.-Commander (T./Commander) Waterworth Bligh Livesay, Royal Indian Marine.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 8 March 1918.

Henry Waterworth Bligh Livesay was born in Ventnor, Isle of Wight on 14 February 1884. Apprenticed to Iredale & Porter, Liverpool, he gained his 2nd Mate Certificate in June 1905. Appointed a Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Indian Marine in August 1905, he arrived in India in October that year. Promoted to Lieutenant in August 1909. Serving on Hardinge, April 1910-May 1911, he was one of a small number of R.I.M. personnel awarded the N.G.S. with clasp Persian Gulf 1909-1914 - where he performed the duty of ‘Beach Master’, April-May 1911. His papers record entitlement to the A.G.S. with clasp Somaliland 1908-10 instead. Served with ’A’ Force, September-November 1914, then with H.M. Ships Swiftsure and Proserpine, November 1914-June 1915. In February 1915 Livesay was commended for his ‘excellent work’ in connection with disabling a number of enemy boats intended to be used to cross the Suez Canal - for which he was later mentioned in despatches. After leave on a medical certificate, June-November 1915, he was placed on Special Duty, November 1915-February 1916; served with ‘D’ Force, March-July 1916. Appointed Chief Executive Officer, July 1916-October 1917 and was Temporary Commander, November 1917-January 1919. Promoted to Lieutenant-Commander in November 1917. For his wartime services in the Mesopotamia theatre of war he was awarded the O.B.E. Served as Director of Sea Transport, Basra, January-April 1919; and was Assistant Principal Officer, Calcutta, June 1919-July 1921. Promoted Commander in September 1921. Commanded the old battleship H.M.S. Cornwallis in April 1923 and was Principal Officer, Chittagong, April 1924; Officiating Principal Officer, Aden, August 1928 and Principal Officer, Aden, May 1929. Livesay attained the rank of Captain in September 1929. Once more Principal Officer at Aden, January 1930. Commanded Clive, December 1930-January 1932. Principal Officer, Rangoon, February 1932; retiring on 29 September 1937. Appointed to the Royal Australian Navy in August 1939 and appointed to the Directorate of Sea Transport, Sydney, December 1939. Was Commodore of Convoy US10 to the Middle East, April-August 1941 and allocated to the 1st Malaya Convoy in January 1942. Appointed to the Boats, Harbours and Estuaries Department, September 1942 and to the Navy Wing, Randwick in October-November 1942. His further efforts to be re-appointed were denied, apparently due to health problems.

With a quantity of copied research, including copied service papers. Medals / miniatures in a Gieves, London case.