A first world war medal group with documents awarded to Stanley Hugo Robert Burgess, a Merchant Sailor who was employed on mine clearance duty. 

British War Medal named to S.Lt. H.S.R. Burgess. R.N.V.R. 
Mercantile Marine War Medal named to S.H.R. Burgess 
WW1 Victory Medal named to S.Lt. H.S.R. Burgess. R.N.V.R. 

The medals are in good condition and are individually mounted as worn. The Mercantile Marine Medal is named in the style typical of those issued via the New Zealand roll. 

Accompanying the medals is:

• The Mine Clearance Service sleeve badge with backing plate and pin, 
• Box of issue for the British War Medal and Victory Medal
• Board of Trade Continuous Certificate of Discharge (which includes a period photograph)
• Letter from Admiralty regarding British War and Victory medals, 1922
• New Zealand Mercantile Marine Medal issue slip, issued to Stanley on 9th December 1925
• Letter from New Zealand Marine Department regarding despatch of Mercantile Marine medal, 25th March 1927 
• Letter from New Zealand Marine Department regarding authority to wear the Mercantile Marine medal, 7th May 1927 
• A handwritten note with the file, evidently from someone who knew Stanley, states: “This arm badge was one issued to members of the Dover Patrol 1914-18. It was given to only 600 officers and men in the navy. Stanley was very proud of this”

Stanley, his preferred name, Burgess was born 1896 at Salford, Surrey. After the First World War he went to New Zealand, living in Carterton, Napier and Taupo, and worked as a farmer, mail contractor, dredge operator and painter. He died in 1961 at Napier.

His Mercantile Marine service was with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessel “Scotol”, 1917-1918. Thereafter, he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in 1918 before the Armistice.

From the RNVR, Stanley went on to work in the high-stakes business of post-war mine clearance, presumably in the English Channel. It is for this latter work he earned the coveted Mine Clearance Service sleeve badge.