Description

A vintage naval single draw Officer of the Warch telescope by H. Hughes and Son Ltd, London and engraved to the barrel, ‘No 6325’ and ‘E.G.A. Clifford’. Constructed in nickel silver, it measures  63 cms fully extended and just shy of 46 cms when closed.

In very good overall condition with little wear, the leather barrel is in lovely condition with woven rope grip.

E.G.A. Clifford – Vice Admiral Sir Eric George Anderson Clifford, KCB, CBE (1900 – 1964) who was a Royal Navy officer who served as Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff from 1954 – 1957.

Clifford was educated at the Thames Nautical Training College and aboard HMS Worcester. In January 1917 he joined the Royal Navy Reserve as a midshipman, and then entered the Royal Navy. He served in the First World War on the battleships HMS Iron Duke and HMS Colossus and then specialised in navigation. He was appointed Fleet Navigating Officer for the China Station in 1938. He served in the Second World War as Commanding Officer of the destroyers HMS Mackay and HMS Salisbury and then as Naval Assistant Secretary to the War Cabinet from 1941 – 1953. In the closing stages of the war he commanded the cruiser HMS Diadem.

After the war Clifford became Chief of Staff in Hong Kong and then was given command of the Navigation School in 1947. He went on to Command the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious in 1949 before becoming Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff in 1951 and Flag Officer, commanding the 5th Cruiser Squadron and was Flag Officer Second in Command of the Far East Fleet in 1952.

In the latter role he saw action during the Korean War. He was made Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff and a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty in 1954. He retired in 1957.

The telescope gives excellent, clear images and comes with a later wooden display stand with engraved name plate.