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Auction: 25112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 953

(x) FRENCH MEDALS FROM THE COLLECTION OF THE LATE STAFF-SERGEANT RAYMOND TREMBATH, NEW ZEALAND ARMY & FRENCH FOREIGN LEGION (Lots 953-1022)

France, Republic (6), Order of Agricultural Merit; yellow and white metal with enamel; Medal of the Industrial Society of the East, with laurel leaf badge on riband, marked silver, housed in card box; Medal of Honour of Labour, rosette on riband, with hallmarks; Medal of Honour for Physical Education and Sports; Medal of the Paris Hairdressing School; Renaissance Francaise Medal, marked bronze, some scratches to Merit Order enamel, otherwise generally very fine overall (6)

An online source states:

'Ray Trembath was born in 1955 and joined the New Zealand Army in 1972 as an Infantry soldier, serving in Singapore. His platoon commander was a young Jerry Matapare – later New Zealand CDF and Governor General of New Zealand. They remained friends and once when Jerry was Governor General he excused himself from the officials he was with as he had spied Sergeant Trembath and went off for a chat. He left the army in 1986 and travelled to the US, which he rode across on a push bike. He travelled to South Africa where he attempted to enlist in 32 Batt which was not possible due to his New Zealand citizenship.

He then made his way to France where he joined the French Foreign Legion with whom he served from 1989 to 1994. He qualified as a sniper parachutist, soon finding the action he sought in Rwanda, Somalia and Djibouti and Chad. When he was done he rode his motorbike home to New Zealand through Africa.

He was interviewed many times by media about his service, life and travels. Once saying “When you've got a whole lot of bullets coming into your position it's quite exhilarating. It's alright shooting targets, rabbits and deer, but when the targets, rabbit and deer shoot back it's even more fun.” The “fun” was not without consequence, with his unit suffering casualties, but he said nonchalantly that was part of the job. A chat with Trem was an experience and you ran the probability of hearing a great deal more about his exploits than you needed or wanted to know.

Having an interest in surveying he undertook casual work on some of the projects in Auckland but his true passion was the military and he served in both our Regular and Territorial Forces.

In 1999, he walked the length of the country, stopping an artillery live firing exercise at Waiouru when he walked through the training area. In 2000, hearing we were sending troops overseas, he enlisted in New Zealand’s territorial forces and was deployed to East Timor – one of a handful of New Zealanders there with previous combat experience despite his low rank. He later served in the Solomon Islands (where his father had served during the Second World War), Timor Leste and the Sinai -his favourite deployment, before retiring as a Staff Sergeant in 2015.

At about the same time he developed prostate cancer, suffering greatly but bravely until his death in 2022. Trem was a character and a legend in both the New Zealand Army and the French Foreign Legion.'

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£55

Starting price
£40