A Telegraphist's Tale
Lieutenant Charles Victor Kempster Royal Signals, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and Sea Cadet Corps
The Man Charles Victor Kempster was born during the final quarter of 1911 in Lanchester, his mother’s maiden name was Peace. In February 1929 aged 17 he joined the British Postal Service as a Certified Wireless Operator, also called Telegraphists, who were employed to send, receive, and interpret telegrams which were sent by Morse Code and most probably to /from ships. During the final quarter of 1936 Charles married Phyllis Marjorie Crompton in Manchester and utilising his wireless skills enlisted into the Royal Signals, Territorial Army at about the same time with service number 2570484. At the outbreak of World WarII he was mobilised, seeing service in North Africa and awarded the 1939-45 Star, Arica Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 and Efficiency Medal ‘Territorial’. Charles later enlisted into the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as a Telegraphist with service number WR 2161 and awarded the RNVR Long Service and Good Conduct Medal after 12 years. He later transferred to Royal Naval Reserve with the Sea Cadet Corps and appointed Sub Lieutenant on 28th March 1958 and promoted Lieutenant two years later in 1960. Charles and Phyllis lived at 24 Centre Road, Soham, Cambridge and it seems they had no children. No other detail is known or could be found about Charles Kempster.
The Story The group of medals awarded to Charles Victor Kempster were acquired from the Dix Noonan Webb online auction on 21st May 2020. They were of interest due to the Efficiency Medal and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal combination, the first such in this collection and following the theme of double long service. They also help slowly close the gap of all possible Efficiency Medal plus another Long Service Medal combinations. Even with an unusual name very little information was available on Ancestry.UK and at the time of writing no trace of Charles’ death could be found. However an unusual combination demonstrating long service over a lengthy period of Charles’ life.
Medal Details:
- 1939-45 Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Africa Star: Unnamed as awarded.
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded
- War Medal 1939-45: Unnamed as awarded.
- Efficiency Medal 'Territorial': 2570484 CPL C.V.KEMPSTER. R.SIGS.
- Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal: WR.2161 CV.KEMPSTER. TEL. R.N.V.R
This page last updated 31 May 20