Box 1: Certificates of service, notebooks, photographs, postcards, newspapers and various other papers including his service record during First World War and Second World War; correspondence concerning permission to use Edwin L. Davies's extracts of his reminiscenes of his career at sea, recorded with Mr. Campbell MacMurray, National Maritime Museum (NMM) for the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) series for Radio Four entitled 'The British Seafarer', for the programme to be on-air on 13 April 1980 (2215 - 2300, GMT). Includes a typescript copy of a lecture given by Davies on the subject of the Dunkirk Evacuation, to the Royal Naval Base, Immingham, 20 March 1941.

Box 2: rolled certificates, notebooks and photographs of vessels at sea and being built.

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Administrative / biographical background
Davies was a captain in the Merchant Service, collier trade and later in the Royal Naval Reserve and served in both World War One and World War Two. He entered into the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Wales Division. Davies was attached to the 5th Battalion from 26 July 1915; from October 1915 he was assigned to 'misc. battalion' and on 1 November 1915 being assigned to the Royal Naval Division as able seaman. He was assigned to the VICTORY I on 2 November 1915, at Portsmouth serving as able seaman and then served in the INFLEXIBLE as able seaman on 4 November 1915. He was appointed sub-lieutenant, RNR, of the STEPHEN FURNESS, February 1916; the PLUMPTON, May 1916; lieutenant, RNR of the GREYHOUND II in May 1918; commanding officer, RNR of the TRING, in April 1919 and lieutenant of the SUTTON in July 1919. He was appointed temporary lieutenant of the HUSSAR on 4 October 1939; temporary lieutenant of the SPARTIATE (add. for HMS WAVERLEY) on 30 October 1939; appointed temporary lieutenant of the BADGER (add. for HMS ORIOLE) on 22 April 1940 and lieutenant-commander of HMS ORLANDO on 11 November 1940. He awarded the mercantile marine ribbon and British medal ribbon on 6 May 1940 for services in the Royal Naval Reserve. His service No. was Z/1646 and his service records can be viewed on the National Archives' Documents Online site, see references: ADM 337/86; ADM 339/1; BT 351/1.