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Auction: 24112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 701

The group of eight awarded to Chief Superintendent R. Butfield, Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals

R.S.P.C.A. Queen Victoria Medal, silver issue (R. Butfield); bronze issue (2) both unnamed; Long Service Medal (C/Supt. R. Butfield 1974); For Special Service Medal, gilt metal; Silver Jubilee 1977 (CH/ Supt. R. Butfield); For Special Service Medal, bronze issue, unnamed; R.S.P.C.A. bronze medal For Humanity (2) (Oil Pollution 1967) engraved, with a further unrelated medal For Humanity for the Winter Emergency Medal 1962-3 (Insp. G. Smith) engraved, extremely fine overall (9)

Ronald Butfield began his career with the R.S.P.C.A. in 1946. To begin with he worked in the Clinics Division and in particular the Rescue League before transferring to the Inspectorate. He worked in a number of locations in the U.K. until 1959 when he reprented the Society in Gibraltar and also spent some time in North Africa. He returned to England in 1960 and was made Senior Inspector in the Medway towns where he was later promoted to Chief Inspector. In 1969 he was appointed to headquarters and this time as Acting Superintendent. Within the year he was travelling again and was Travelling Superintendent until 1 March 1971, when he was appointed to the position of Chief Superintendent.

His service saw him perform many rescues including that of a cow from beneath Waltham Abbey. The river runs under the Abbey and the cow had become trapped there. In September 1966 there was the infamous oil disaster on the River Medway when a tanker spilt some thousands of tons of oil. Butfield organised a fleet of sixty boats to help the thousands of birds that were affected by the oil. He retired in 1978.

The lot comes with the following archive:

i) Certificate for the Bronze medal for rescuing a cow from an underground culvert at Waltham Abbey, Essex on 27 December 1951.

ii) A letter from the Kent Trust for Nature Conservation to the Secretary of the R.S.P.C.A. commending Inspector Butfield for his work on the crude oil spill on the 18 September 1966.

iii) Letter from the Kent Trust for Nature Conservation offering him honorary membership dated 17 February 1967.

iv) Letter from Richard D. Ryder Chairman of the R.S.P.C.A. Council wishing him a long and happy retirement.

v) Framed Certificate for his courage and humanity in rescuing oiled swans and birds from the polluted River Medway, Kent, between 19/26th September 1966.

vi) R.S.P.C.A. Legal Handbook for Inspectors, 1972.

(vii)

Certificate of Merit, dated 21 September 1978

(viii) Minor paperwork, and copied certificates.

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Sold for
£250

Starting price
£200