A Small Collection of Medals to Naval Surgeons

A Great War O.B.E. group of four awarded to Surgeon Rear-Admiral R. W. G. Stewart, Royal Navy

The Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) 1st type; The Order of St John of Jerusalem, Officer, silver and enamel; British War and Victory Medals (Surg. Commr. R.N.) good very fine (4) £250-300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Small Collection of Medals to Naval Surgeons.

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O.B.E. London Gazette 22 August 1918: ‘For valuable services in the Medical Department, Admiralty, London.’

Robert William Glennan Stewart was born on 17 September 1874 and entered the Royal Navy as a Surgeon in February 1900. He was promoted to Staff Surgeon in 1908, to Surgeon Commander in 1916, and to Surgeon Captain in 1924. He was awarded Sir Gilbert Blane’s Gold Medal in 1905 whilst serving aboard H.M.S. King Edward VII. During the Great War he served in the Medical Department at the Admiralty and in March 1919 was appointed, successively, to H.M. Ships Ajax, Canada, Vivid, Benbow, and Empress of India. In April 1922 he was appointed to R.N. Hospital, Chatham, and in April 1925 to R.N. Hospital, Plymouth. He was finally employed as Professor of Medicine at R.N. Hospital, Haslar, from February 1927 until his retirement as Surgeon Rear-Admiral in December 1929. His son, Robert James Stewart, was Chaplain of H.M.S. Hood, and went down with the ship when it was sunk in action with German battleships in May 1941.