THE ORDERS AND MEDALS TO REAR ADMIRAL MORRICE ALEXANDER McMULLEN, C.B., O.B.E. Nine: Order of the Bath, Companion's (C.B.) neck badge, Military Division, silver-gilt and enamel, in Collingwood, London, case of issue, with full neck ribbon; O.B.E., Military; 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, Italy Star, War Medal, with M.I.D. oakleaf, Coronation Medal, George VI, 1937, Coronation Medal, Elizabeth II, 1953. The O.B.E. and WW2 campaign medals mounted court style, for display, C.B. in original case of issue, silver medals attractively toned, O.B.E. and Coronation medals Good Very Fine, WWII campaign medals Almost Extremely Fine.
Medals accompanied by various typed research, along with a WW2 period envelope from the USA addressed to the then Lieutenant Commander Mullen, as Secretary to the Admiral Commanding of the 15th Cruiser Squadron, this postmarked 7th March 1944, plus 5 postcards addressed to Rear Admiral McMullen, these variously postmarked in the 1970's and 1980's, along with photocopies of a Christmas Day menu for a dinner aboard HMS Ajax, 1944 (reverse of this signed by various officers including McMullen), a photocopy of a portrait photograph of Archbishop Macarias, dated 5/3/1945, and with a presentation inscription of the then Commander McMullen, and a photocopy of a one page typed letter from Winston Churchill, dated HMS Prince of Wales, 17/8/1941, thanking the cypher staff of HMS Prince of Wales, in particular for the way they handled the heavy workload necessitated by "the signals exchanged with London during my discussions with President Roosevelt" (this letter dates from the meeting in Ship Harbour, off the coast of Newfoundland, aboard HMS Prince of Wales, between Winston Churchill and President Roosevelt, which led to the signing of the historic Atlantic Charter, perhaps the most significant conference of WW2, which provided a blueprint for the world as it would be after WW2).
Rear Admiral Morrice Alexander McMullen (1909-1990) was born in Hertford on 17/2/1909, and educated at Oakley Hall, Cirencester and Cheltenham College. He joined the Royal Navy in 1927, serving as Paymaster Cadet aboard HMS Erebus. He subsequently served in the South Africa Station, 1929-32, the China Station 1933-36 and as Assistant Secretary the Admiral of the Fleet Sir Ernie Chatfield, First Sea Lord, 1936-38. During WWII McMullen saw active service in the Atlantic, North Sea and Norwegian waters, 1939-45 (mentioned in despatches, O.B.E.), being present aboard HMS Prince of Wales during the battle with the German battleship Bismarck and also during the Atlantic Charter Meeting. Subsequently he was based at HQ, Western Approaches, 1941-43, and was a member of the Allied Anti-Submarine Survey Board, 1943. During 1944-45 Rear Admiral McMullen served in the Mediterranean, taking part in the Anzio landing, re-entry into Greece and the invasion of the south of France. Additionally, from 1941-48 McMullen was secretary to Vice-Admiral Sir John Mansfield. After the war he was appointed Deputy Director Manning (Suez operation) 1956-58 and Captain of Fleet to the Commander in Chief, Far East Station, Singapore, 1959-61, his final appointment being Flag Officer, admiralty Interview Board, HMS Sultan, Gosport, 1961-64. Following his retirement in 1964 Rear Admiral McMullen was Director, Civil defence for London, 1965-68. He was Chairman of the Royal Naval Ski Club from 1955-58. Rear Admiral McMullen married twice, in 1949 he married Pamela (nee May), widow of Lieutenant Commander J. Buckley, DSC, the marriage being dissolved in 1967. McMullen married for the second time in 1972, Peggy, widow of Commander Richard Dakeyne, Royal Navy.
Rear Admiral McMullen was also made a Companion of the Order of the Bath, C.B., in 1964.
Group also accompanied by Rear Admiral McMullen's medal ribbons, these discoloured and somewhat distressed (hence the group being recently re-mounted for display), along with Rear Admiral McMullen's original ribbon bars, full size and miniature, the full size probably pre-1964, since it omits the CB ribbon, but the miniature bar including the CB ribbon.
PROVENANCE:
1) Spink, November 2003, lot 610, hammer price £1,000 (£1,180 including fees)
2) Galerie Numasmatique, Vienna, 10th January 2009, lot 324 (when sold without Admiral McMullen's C.B.)
3) Private UK collection.
The O.B.E. and WW2 campaign medals now court mounted for display by Spink and re-united with a C.B. of the same type and maker, Collingwood, as originally awarded to Admiral McMullen.
