A 'Special Combined Operations' Naval Officers medal group of 5 with Malaysian Order & Archive: Ronald Stewart Buck, A.D.K., Land and Surveys Department, Sabah, Malaysia (formerly British North Borneo) late Lieutenant Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

- The 1939-1945 Star
- The Atlantic Star. With clasp France & Germany
- War Medal
- Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Medal. GVI 1st issue (Ty. Lieut. R. S. Buck, R.N.V.R.)
- Malaysia. Sabah State: Order of Kinabalu. 4th Class Member

Order of Kinabalu: Members silver gilt and enamel neck badge (62mm). 1st type by 'Spink' of London. 62mm

The R.N.V.R. LS&GC Medal with official correction to single letter 'R' at end of unit naming, and exactly as issued. The medal retaining it's original long length of silk riband

Sold together with a large archive of mostly ephemera, far too much to itemize, but including:

- Plush titled hinged leatherette case of issue for the Sabah Order. This with Spink of London logos on inside silk panel
- Named bestowal document for the Sabah A.D.K. order
- Quantity of official documents, protocols, investiture order of precedence, newspaper cuttings etc all pertaining to the A.D.K. award & investiture
- Named card box of issue for WW2 medals addressed to Lieutenant Buck
- Original transmittal letter for the WW2 medals from the Admiralty marked for 4 x medals (sic) 1939-45 & F&G Stars & WM
- Silk ribands for the campaign stars, with a silver rosette attached to the Atlantic Star riband
- Named white metal naval officers 'Identity Bracelet'
- Form S.43A 'Sailors Pay Book and Identity Book'
- Royal Naval Reserve Certificate of Service
- Royal Naval Volunteer Special Reserve (R.N.V.S.R.) Plymouth & South Western Unit ID Book dated 1949
- National Registration Identity Card
- Various British, British North Borneo, Sabah & Brunei, ID cards, membership cards & driving licences
- Photographs including the recipient wearing his Sabah Order (A.D.K.)
- Typed record by the recipients wife pertaining to the investiture at the 'Isatana' in Sabah, for presentation of the A.D.K.
- Typed record by the recipients wife pertaining to the visit of Queen Elizabeth II to North Borneo (now Sabah), Malaysia

Survivor of Enemy U-Boat Attack and Sinking of H.M.S. Dunvegan Castle: Ronald Stewart Buck was a member of the Merchant Armed Cruiser H.M.S. 'Dunvagen Castle', when the ship was torpedo attacked and sunk while part of Convoy that was attacked in the 'Western Approaches' on, June 1940

H.M.S. Dunvagen Castle: Was a Harland & Wolff, Belfast built, UK ocean liner that was converted into an armed merchant cruiser (AMC) in the Second World War. Ronald Buck served continuously aboard the ship on all of her numerous convoy duties to and from Africa, including the final fateful voyage of the ship when H.M.S. Dunvagen Castle was an escort ship to Convoy S43. The ship was attacked and 'hit' on 3 x separate attacks on during the evening of 27 August 1940, each attack being carried out by the same U-Boat U-46, which latter was credited with the eventual sinking of the 'Dunvagen Castle' on the following day, 28 August 1940. 27 of the crew (3 x officers & 24 x ratings) were killed during the attacks and subsequent sinking. 249 x survivors of the crew, including Ronald Stewart Buck, were rescued by H.M.S. Harvester & H.M.S. Primrose, on 28 August 1940

Medals verification: All medals and clasp for Second World War service confirmed as entitled per accompanying service records. Recipient was also entitled to the Defence Medal, which riband he had worn, but which medal was never physically issued or sent to him. The award of the Malaysian Order, was

- The 1939-1945 Star: Service afloat Atlantic H.M.S. Dunvegan Castle 20/09/1939 - 29/08/1940
- The Atlantic Star. With clasp France & Germany: While with Special Combined Operations (H.M.S. almost certainly present at D-Day)
- Defence Medal (entitled but never issued): Special Combined Operations 41-45 at following: Ulster Monarch; Dorlin, Folist III; Cricket; COPRA
- War Medal: Automatic after 28 days service (served continuously throughout WW2)
- Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Medal: 1st engagement 10/02/37 & still serving with Royal Naval Volunteer 'Special' Reserve in 1949
- Malaysia. Sabah State: Order of Kinabalu. 4th Class Members Badge (published per Notice 902 in Sabah Gazette issue of 16 December 1971

Ronald Stewart Buck, third son of Henry James Buck (Bank Messenger) and Kathleen Emily Buck (nee Kirkham) was a native of the parish of St. Pancras, London, England, where he was born on, 31 March 1918. At the time of his baptism the family was residing at, 25 Burton Street, St. Pancras. Ronald had four other siblings, comprised of two older and two younger brothers.

Ronald, described as a 'Clerk', first joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on 10 February 1937. Mobilized for 'War Service' from 3 September 1939, After seagoing 'Atlantic Convoys' service in 1939-1940, and surviving the sinking of the Armed Merchant Cruiser H.M.S 'Dunvagen Castle' - sunk by enemy U-Boat - he was commissioned as 'Temporary Lieutenant'. From 1941 through to the end of the Second World War, Lieutenant Buck was assigned to Special Combined Operations, specifically the training of combined operations from 'Landing Craft'. His pay-records show a series of continuous postings throughout this period including to Ulster Monarch; Dorlin, Folist III; Cricket; COPRA. The inclusion of the 'France & Germany Star' clasp (shown wrongly as the 'France & Germany Star' on his medal transmittal letter) indicates that he served along the coastline of North West Europe in 1944-45, and considerng his solid service with Special
Combined Operations, was most likely present on D-Day - the largest ever amphibious sea-borne invasion involving 'Landing-Craft'

From around the late 1950's through to the 1980's, Ronald Buck lived and worked as an expatriate in Malaysia and latterly Brunei. Initially he was employed as a Surveyor (later a Chartered Surveyor), firstly in Kuala Lumpur, before being posted to the British Crown Colony of North Borneo (now Sabah, Malaysia), where he was employed with the Lands & Survey's Department. Ronald was a created a rare 'British' recipient of the Order of in 1966. During his many years in Sabah, Ronald was a well known member of the expatriate community, serving variously as Club Captain of the Sabah Flying Club (he had gained his pilot's license in Sabah), and the Sabah Yacht Club. Latterly employed in a private business capacity, the Buck's relocated to neighbouring Brunei, where they were living in 1980. The Buck's appear to haver retired to the United Kingdom sometime in the 1980's, where they settled in North Walsham, Norfolk. Ronald Stewart Buck is recorded to have died at, North Walsham, sometime during the second quarter of 2001

The postage and packing charges quoted reflect the size and weight of this lot - it is large and heavy. The postage quoted is fixed for UK delivery only. Overseas clients should first contact us to inquire about shipping costs to their respective
countries

An extremely scarce grouping, with an unusually rich archive of ephemera, including original award bestowal document (large), official investiture programme, award protocols etc for the Order of Kinabalu

Condition EF

Code: 23625