Rare WW1 Era Bicorn Hat & Epaulets Royal Naval Surgeon Orwin.

A very rare opportunity to purchase a historic piece of Royal naval dress uniform. It includes an Officers Bicorn Hat with all the gold bullion trimmings and the epaulets in gold bullion and sterling silver anchor highlighted with silver bullion. The whole set is made by Gieve, Mathews and Seagrove Ltd, London, Portsmouth and Devonport. It also comes in its original fitted and named tin to Royal Navy Surgeon Commander James Steward Orwin M.B. Ch. B.
J. S. Orwin was educated at Edinburgh University and qualified in 1909. I am not sure when he joined the Royal Navy, but it must have been soon after. It looks like his first ship was HMS Clio from July 1911 serving as Ships Surgeon.
During the first world war he spent a short time at HMS Vivid shore establishment and then served on HMS Illustrious as surgeon from 1st August 1914. In late July 1914, the Royal Navy began a precautionary mobilisation, as war seemed imminent. The Majestic-class ships were by then the oldest and least effective battleships in service in the Royal Navy. At first, it was planned that Illustrious would pay off to provide crewmen for the new dreadnought battleship HMS Erin, but instead she was placed in full commission to serve as a guard ship for the Grand Fleet once World War I began in August 1914. She began guard ship duty at Loch Ewe on 23 August 1914, transferring to Loch Na Keal on 17 October 1914, to the Tyne in November 1914, and to Grimsby on the Humber in December 1914. She remained on guard ship duty on the Humber until November 1915. From December 1916 he was the Lieutenant - Commander Surgeon on board HMS Concord.
He served all through WW1 and stayed with the Navy in the inter-war years and around 1929 he was promoted to Commander Surgeon and during WW2 he served as a Surgeon Captain.
I have not been able to obtain his service records as they are still listed as ‘Restricted’ and cannot be viewed. They are at the National Archives in Kew and I think they can be viewed at Kew but no copies taken, so all the information above come from the Royal Navy Officers lists, which are included.
Just a superb lot which comes in amazing condition, the hat and epaulets look hardly worn and almost as good as new. The tin however has worn to the outside and signs of its age it has his name painted to the top and the Gieve, Mathews and Seagrove brass plaque also on the top. Inside it is all good and fitted to hold the hat and epaulets in red velvet. Just beautiful.

Code: 28902