Watch List notes:

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Civil Division, 2nd type Commander's neck badge, in silver, gilt and enamels, with original box of issue by Garrard and original neck ribbon, toned, extremely fine. C.B.E.: London Gazette: 11.06.1942 – 'Superintendant Engineer, Union Castle Mail Steamship Company.' Mr James Gray, C.B.E., was Superintendent Engineer with the Union Castle Mail Steamship Company. This lot is offered with a portrait photograph of the recipient and another with his family at Buckingham Palace, and a newspaper extract taken from the 'New Milton Advertiser, 27 January 1968, reporting Mr Gray's death as follows: "Mr James Gray, C.B.E., of 31, Barton Court Avenue, New Milton, died on Saturday at a Barton nursing home. Ninety years of age, he had been ill since early December last year. He was born in 1877, the son of the late John Gray of Edinburgh, and educated at the Merchant Venturer's School and the Merchant Venturer's College, Bristol. He was at Bristol University and received his BSc in 1910. Mr Gray was chief superintendent engineer of the Canadian Pacific Ocean Services from 1913-1915, and became general manager of Harland & Wolff in 1925 which post he retained until 1929 when he became a director until 1935. Joining the Union Castle Steamship Company as chief superintendent engineer in 1935, he was in charge of their re-engining programme until its completion in 1938. He joined the board of the company in 1949. Mr Gray was made a C.B.E. in 1942. He was a Member of the Institute of Civil Engineers and of the Institute of Naval Architects."