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TWO SPANISH MILITARY LEATHER AMMUNITION POUCHES, AND A BELT each with enamelled crest

HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY, COLLECTION OF UNIFORM AND INSIGNIA, 20TH CENTURY comprising buttons, badges, patches and further, including the First and Second Life Guards, Blues & Royals, also a Life Guards centenary medal, further related horse guards items including tunic fragments, ammunition pouch, four belt buckles (two belts), pill box cap and a ornamental chain

GROUP OF FOUR HOUSEHOLD CAVALRY LEATHER AMMUNITION POUCHES, CIRCA 1953, 1980, 1991, 2001 each mounted with crestthe largest 18cm wide

Assorted militaria to include: ammunition box, inert hand grenade, clasp knife, US ammunition pouch and brass Miner's/Surveyor's compass/dial marked 'L Caselli, London, Maker to the Admiralty'. (5) (B.P. 21% + VAT)

War department small ammunition box, H&L 1953. UK P&P Group 1 (£16+VAT for the first lot and £2+VAT for subsequent lots)

Action Man - a collection of vintage Palitoy Action Man playset accessories comprising a large assortment of weapons including rifle stand, hats, boots, parachute, ammunition boxes and more.

PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A REPLACEMENT (letter R on the edge) A George VI Military Medal (MM) awarded to Corporal Stanley Lunt for ‘Bravery in the Field’, stamped '5115286 CPL S Lunt AAC'. With copy of document dated 20 October 1944, detailing his action for which he was commended whilst with the 1st Battalion Parachute Regiment. Full details online. https://www.tracesofwar.com/persons/47117/Lunt-Stanley.htmStanley Lunt born 1919, Ellesmere Shropshire (formally Salop).  1st Parachute Battalion was formed on 15th September 1941 from the 11th Special Air Service Battalion that evolved from No 2 Commando.During Operation Market Garden at the Battle of Arnhem on September 17th-25th 1944, this NCO showed outstanding bravery and dash. On the night of the 18th/19th September, collecting together under great difficulties the remnants of his Platoon, he took command of 18 men and henceforth throughout the action controlled them as a solid, offensive, fighting force. On the morning of the 20th September the Battalion was forced to withdraw across open ground from a street position which had been set on fire by the enemy. Corporal Lunt insisted on staying with 5 of his men and a Bren gun to cover this difficult withdrawal. He chose a good field of fire and halted the enemy at the peak of their advance, killing many of them. This action enabled the Battalion to withdraw in good time to proper new positions. Having expended all his ammunition Corporal Lunt led his men back, being wounded en route.In this action he gave a magnificent example of coolness and disregard of danger and, at all times, inspired his men with a fighting spirit of the highest order."Awarded this Military Medal on 9th November 1944 and announced in the London Gazette on 21st December 1944. He was one of only 15,000 people awarded this medal in WWII. In 1993 after a review of gallantry awards the Military Medal was discontinued.

A George V silver and gilt brass mounted ammunition pouch, maker Bent & Parker, Birmingham, 1910, 17cm long.

A WWI brown leather ammunition pouch, maker Hepburn Gale & Ross Ltd. 1914, together with a collection of inert rounds (various calibre's)

A Vintage Wooden Ammunition Box, 105cm wide, Later Monogrammed EW, Two Side Iron Handles

A Crescent diecast military Saladin Armoured Car, Ammunition Limber and Field Gun, together with a tin of plastic soldiers

A large wooden crate/ammunition box

A 9ct yellow gold and enamel British army bomb disposal ammunition pin brooch with red enamelling and a black stone cabochon. Hallmarked AAB, London, 375. L.1.3cm 5.61g gross

WW2 Germany ammunition box

WWI Brown Leather Ammunition Belt.

Approximately five hundred 12, 16 and 20 bore shotgun cartridges in three metal military ammunition tins. PLEASE NOTE THAT A VALID RELEVANT FIREARMS/SHOTGUN CERTIFICATE IS REQUIRED TO HANDLE/PURCHASE THIS ITEM. We are not able to offer our usual postage service for this lot

Ninety five various 12 bore shotgun cartridges including Eley Grand Prix and Lyalvale Express, some in cartridge belts, all in Vulcan Fibre ammunition carrier. PLEASE NOTE THAT A VALID RELEVANT FIREARMS/SHOTGUN CERTIFICATE IS REQUIRED TO HANDLE/PURCHASE THIS ITEM. We are not able to offer our usual postage service for this lot

Over six hundred mainly paper and brass cased collector's shotgun cartridges in three wooden ammunition crates stamped 'Pneumatic Cartridge Co Ltd Edinburgh', 'Remington Shur Shot' and 'Carlton Cartridges'. PLEASE NOTE THAT A VALID RELEVANT FIREARMS/SHOTGUN CERTIFICATE IS REQUIRED TO HANDLE/PURCHASE THIS ITEM. We are not able to offer our usual postage service for this lot

WW2 Glider Pilot Regiment and Somerset Light Infantry interest ephemera for Ronald Greenland including WW2 War Medal and glider pilot cloth insignia, in mounted frame, Royal Air Force Pilot's Flying Log Book, copy of Pay Book, Service Record, Release Certificate, Glider Pilot Regimental Association Rules, notes on Horsa & Hadrian Glider, notes on ammunition, summary of flying and assessment, sequence of instructions for the Hotspur Glider, Army Air Corps embroidered cushion cover, sweetheart brooch, three bound folders of the Eagle and photo of D Y Flight, 68 Course Glider Pilot Regiment etc 

Ammunition grab bag, two camouflage baseball caps, pair of DPM leather gloves and a Sam Browne belt

Four Army metal ammunition boxes, together with another designated a Range Warden's First Aid tin with some contents and a post war Jerry can

A SELECTION OF ITEMS RELATED TO SHOOTING AND CAMOUFLAGE CLOTHING, to include Tetra Gun Pro Smith cleaning rods and accessories, leather shotgun recoil pad, two ammunition wallets one leather, Radar rifle bolt holster, three Hoppers gun bore cleaners and a cased gun cleaning kit, knife sharpening kit, two ammunition belts small, front and rear leather shooter ridge sand bags, two pairs of deer hunter camouflage trousers size 52 and 26, three camouflage scarves, vintage Brady cartridge bag, vintage Brady game bag, Machiavelli genuine leather gaiters unisex, British field sports car badge, (qty), (Condition Report: overall all items are in fair used condition sd to some items no apparent rips or tears on the clothing etc.)

A large collection of Rorke's Drift related figures by Trophy Miniatures and Bygone Era with a building by JG Miniatures The Bygone Era sets to include Zulu War, The Last Bullet, 24th Regiment with Ammunition box and set 2/39, the Trophy Miniatures sets to include Hand to Hand, Advancing Zulus, Taunting Zulus, Wounded Zulu Warriors, Savage Fury, Kneeling Firing Set, Fix Bayonets, Reload, The Firing Set, The Charging Set 24th Regiment and Prone Firing Set, also to include three Rorke's Drift buildings, two sections of sandbagging and six sections of pebble walling and a gun carriage. (qty)

A pair of red painted railway lanterns, together with a military ammunition box Location:If there is no condition report shown, please request

Mixed metals, including ammunition boxes, pans and a bedpan. Not available for in-house P&P

Collection of brass ware includes fly and frog ash trays, blow torches- radius no174, swan planter, crocodile nut cracker, ammunition shells 

Original Radius No 2 stove in tin, British Army helmet shell, ammunition box & selection of door handles etc.

Britains - Set 2013 - Indian Mountain Artillery - Review Order [1948 Version/Issue], comprising: Mounted British Officer, 2 x Other Ranks Marching at the Trail, 4 x Mule Handlers Marching Empty Handed, 4 x Mules [2 x Brown / 2 x Grey] - Carrying Dismantled Mountain Gun & Ammunition. Generally near Mint overall, contained [strung] in a generally Good [some storage wear] ROAN label box. Rare Issue

Britains - Gun Models Series - Set 9737 [1971-72] - Gun of the Revolution, comprising: 18th Century Field-Piece with Ammunition & Crew. Mint, contained in a generally Excellent [minor storage wear / minor tear to Cellophane] "emplacement " type inner base illustrated window box

An assortment of War Period items, to include webbing, water bottles, campaign fork and spoon set, satchels, ammunition pouches, an entrenching tool with leather carrier and more (parcel)

A military hat box, for Royal Dublin Fusiliers, a knobkerrie, a brown leather ammunition belt, riding whip, a 1942 whistle and more (parcel)Please see additional images for the naming on the hat box, the clasp is broken

A RARE CASED CROSMAN CO2-POWERED .22 AIR-PISTOL MODEL 150 'SK' SHOOTING SET, serial no. 61795, for between 1956-67, the pistol with blued one-piece 6in. barrel, ramp and blade fore-sight, windage adjustable rear-sight, sliding breech-cover and rear-mounted cocking-piece, blued under-barrel reservoir, black crackle-finished frame and mottled cream-coloured chequered plastic grips, tested and appearing little used in its rare 'lunch-box' tin case with internal lidded compartment for the pistol, ammunition and co2 cannisters, the remainder of the case forming a pellet trap (unmarked by pellets) and with target holder, complete with instructions, targets (some later), a period carton of co2 cannisters and a scarce 'spam' tin pellet box with the majority of its contents intact, collector's condition throughout.

Corgi Gift Set 10, Mack Tank Transporter and Centurion Mk.III tank, with ammunition, inner packing, with illustrated box and 909 Quad Tractor, Ammunition Trailer and firing Field Gun, with ammunition, both in near mint to mint boxed original condition, 909 box has edge wear. (2 items)

2 pieces of trench art, 2 webbing belts (one wih ammunition pouch), post war water bottle

Price & Co C & M 1902 Antique military leather ammunition bandolier

2 military vintage ammunition boxes, largest measures approximately 23 x 10.5 inches

A Webley Vulcan Air Rifle plus three assorted sights.****ALL WEAPONS AND/OR AMMUNITION MUST BE COLLECTED IN PERSON - NO POSTAGE. It is an offence for a person under the age of 18 to purchase an air weapon or ammunition for an air weapon, Proof of age will be required on collection which should be by prior arrangement.

A metal army Ammunition box with canvas top, 7" square x 5" high, plus contents including Egyptian style brooch, Timex watch, Mother of pearl burnisher, pens and a gold coloured ring with markings.

Luftdichter Patronenkasten wooden metal lined ammunition box - 48cm x 35cm x 18cm

A selection of wooden boxes, fruit trays, a metal deed box and an ammunition box

THE ASTROLABE, A MODEL SHIP mid 20th century, on stand 80cm long overall Notes: The Astrolabe, a 380-ton corvette, was built by Toulon Shipyard in France and was launched in 1811. The original name of the Astrolabe was Coquille. She was used as a horse transport ship, but was later transformed to carry men and ammunition in 1813. Because of the ship's qualities it was again transformed to carry out scientific, geographic and ethnographic studies during navigation. L'Astrolabe circumnavigated the world three times and the expeditions lasted three years each. As La Coquille, she charted the Eastern Mediterranean and the Black Sea, before making her first scientific voyage around the world in 1822, exploring the southern hemisphere. Renamed Astrolabe in 1825, the corvette sailed for a second voyage of discovery under the command of Captain Dumont d'Urville. She sailed the Australian and Western Pacific Islands and visited 120 islands in total. During this voyage Astrolabe faced many obstacles including torrential storms and almost sank. Then in 1836, the French Emperor Louis-Philippe mounted an expedition to locate the magnetic pole under the command of Dumont D'Urville. During this expedition he discovered a land in the Antarctic to which he gave the name of his wife, the 'Terre Adelie' or 'Adele Landâ'. During her career, the ship helped catalogue and collect a vast amount of knowledge in the field of botany and fauna. L'Astrolabe was finally decommissioned in 1851. The ship is extremely dirty and dusty and will need a major clean. It appears to be mainly complete with some minor damage.

A selection of leather gun & ammunition pockets, handstitched black leather

LOT 306 - A very rare Prisoner of war Rolex 3525 Chronograph wrist watch together with a medal group of 4, Prisoner of War dog tags and war diaries, named to (56590) Captain D S M MacKenzie, Royal Artillery. The watch case number (173365) dates the watch to circa 1942. The Rolex 3525 was offered to officers in POW camps with purchases delivered via the Red Cross.The watch features a stainless steel oyster case, screw down crown and a manually wound Valjoux movement, the black dial reads “Oyster Chronograph” “Antimagnetic” (worn) with luminous hour and minute hands. Approximate case size of 35mm. The outside of the case back is engraved D.S.M MacKenzie R.A. C/O Lloyds Bank Reward 1.The lot also includes an interesting collection of five personal war diaries including German newspaper clippings translated by Mackenzie with notable dates such as the German news of 7th June 1944 as well as a written account of the events leading up to and including his liberation on Sunday 29th April 1945. Also included are; Mackenzie's POW ID dog tags with his prisoner number 1299 and British army metal dog tags together with WW2 and post war medal group of four medals comprising; the 1939-45 Star, 1939-45 Medal with Mention in Dispatches oak leaf, ERII General Service Medal with Near East Clasp (impressed to LT-COL D.S.M.G. MACKENZIE Royal Artillery) and ERII 1953 Coronation Medal, together with medal ribbons. Biography:Douglas Stuart Malcolm Mackenzie was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1933 with the rank of Captain at the outbreak of WW2. He served with the 51st division of British Expeditionary Force in France and in June 1940 was attached to a French cavalry regiment during the final defence of St. Valery, where he was forced to surrender due to the lack of ammunition and the overwhelming power of the German attack. Taken prisoner he then Spent the rest of the War in various POW camps in Germany.Oflag VII C/H Laufen in Bavaria 08/06/1940 - -/10/1941 ,Oflag VI B Warburg nr Kassel - / 10/41 - -/ 10/41,Oflag VII B Eichstat , - / 10/1942 - -/04/45,Stalag VII A Moosburg 14/04/1945 – 29/04/1945During his early time in Oflag VIIC (1940-41) His fellow prisoners made three unsuccessful tunnelling breakout attempts, Douglas who was 6ft 6’ was not allowed to attempt to tunnel out due to his height.One of his war diaries covers in depth the events leading up to and including his liberation. On Saturday 14th April 1945 while marching to Moosburg their column was attacked by two American P-51 Mustang aircrafts having mistaken the column for German troops, they had to take cover in a quarry whilst the aircraft made multiple passes resulting in 6 or 7 men killed and 20 to 30 wounded. Mackenzie then goes on to describe his liberation, writing about heavy fighting and shelling in a town a few miles away from the camp, with stray bullets flying overhead and into their camp, causing them to hide in their huts and take cover in the air raid trenches.On the 29th April 1945 he was liberated by American forces. A excerpt from his diary shows his relief at being liberated “another burst of cheering and another general rush and lots of pointing and by a bit of manoeuvring I got in a position from where I could see the best sight I have ever seen in my life; the ‘stars and stripes’ flying from a factory chimney in Moosburg”. The large parade of marching men and tanks rolling down the road was a sign of victory and that the war was over for Mackenzie. In his diary he mentions how he Managed to get close enough to the tank commander in the lead tank and was able to write his name into the commanders notebook in order to notify his family that he was safe.After the war, Douglas Mackenzie continued serving in the British army as a professional soldier. Serving in the ‘Near East’ during the Suez crisis in 1956, and subsequently in Hohne, Germany. He also held the rank of training major of the 219 TA regiment at Dundonald camp in Ayrshire and after leaving the Army he carried on serving with the Civil Defence.Douglas Mackenzie was gazetted three times and Mentioned in dispatches in October 1945 for Gallant and distinguished service in the field:London gazette 2nd September 1941 – the undermentioned Lts. to be Capts.: —D. S. M. Mackenzie (56590).London gazette 11th October 1945 Mention in dispatches for gallant and distinguished service in the field - Capt. (temp.) D S. M. MACKENZIE (56590).London gazette - The undermentioned Capts. to be Majs. 31st Aug. 1946: —D. S. M. MACKENZIE (56590).

An H83 MK2 steel ammunition box, pencil details Ammunition Smoke, green hand sign, smoke orange L55, etc., 15cm x 18cm.

Four: Chief Gunner Charles Davidge, Royal Navy, who was mentioned in despatches and specially promoted for services at the capture of the Hsi-ku Armoury in 1900 China 1900, 1 clasp, Relief of Pekin (Act. Gunr. C. Davidge. R.N. H.M.S. Centurion); 1914-15 Star (Ch. Gnr. C. Davidge. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Ch. Gnr. C. Davidge. R.N.) mounted as worn, extremely fine (4) £1,000-£1,400 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Charles Davidge was born at Trinity-in-Darlington, Co. Durham, on 26 October 1871, and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd class in February 1887, becoming Petty Officer 1st Class in May 1897. He was promoted to Acting Torpedo-Gunner of Centurion in February 1900 and took part in the Pekin relief expedition as part of the naval brigade under Sir Edward Seymour. The force, some 2000 strong, attempted to relieve Pekin proceeding there by rail from Tientsin. Succesful actions were fought at Lang-fan but at length they were compelled to retreat in the face of vastly superior numbers of Boxers and Chinese regulars. Retreating towards Tientsin they captured the formidable arsenal of Hsi-ku on 22nd June and held it until relieved on 26th June. This armoury was said to contain some £3,000,000 worth of warlike stores, including a million rounds for .303 inch Maxims, which fitted the British rifles, and much Mauser ammunition. The Russians and Japanese, being out of their own ammunition, were thereupon re-armed with Mausers from the Armoury. With the arrival of the relief column under the Russian Colonel Shirinsky, composed of forces of the various nations, Sir Edward Seymour made provisions for the evacuation of the Armoury. The wounded were taken back across the river that afternoon, the whole force following later and bivouacked on the river bank for the night. It only remained for him to order the destruction of the Armoury and its immense and valuable stores. This last work he entrusted to Lieutenant Lowther-Crofton and Acting Torpedo-Gunner Charles Davidge, both of the Centurion, who alone remained behind for the purpose. Admiral Seymour in his despatch from Tientsin, 27th June, 1900, says:- “After the return march had commenced, Lieutenant Lowther-Crofton, and Mr Charles Davidge, Acting Gunner, remained behind to set fire to the ammunition and other storehouses in the Armoury. Fires were set in five separate places, and judging by the great volume of smoke continually rising, with occasional explosions, the destruction must have been fairly complete. After doing their work, these officers crossed the river, mounted ponies which were waiting for them, and rejoined the main body”. Davidge was promoted to Chief Gunner on 6 February 1913, “specially for services during the operations in China.” During the Great War he commanded various gunboats at Portsmouth, and in 1919 was appointed to H.M.S. Vernon as Commissioned Gunner for service on the staff of the Captain Superintendent of Contract Built Ships, Clyde District. Promoted to Lieutenant in April 1920, he was placed on the Retired List in 1924, and promoted to Lieutenant-Commander on the Retired List. He died on 13 August 1960 at the age of 89. Sold with copied record of service and some further research including a quantity of copy photographs of various ships that Davidge served aboard during his career.

The Yangtze incident group of six awarded to Leading Seaman T. S. Mullins, Royal Navy, who was ‘blown clean off’ the gun platform of X-Gun aboard H.M.S. Amethyst but immediately ‘jumped back on’ to continue the fight 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Yangtze 1949 (D/JX129448 T. Mullins. Ldg. Smn. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (JX. 129448 T. S. Mullins. A.L.S. H.M.S. Drake) mounted as worn, good very fine (6) £3,000-£4,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Thomas Stanislaus Mullins was born in Queenstown in November 1911, and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in September 1924. Gaining advancement to Ordinary Seaman in September 1929 and to Able Seaman in May 1931, he served throughout the Second World War, his ship appointments including the Battleships Rodney and Duke of York. Further advanced to Acting Leading Seaman in late 1942, and awarded his L.S. and G.C. Medal in October 1944, Mullins joined the Ship’s Company of the Frigate Amethyst in March 1948. An experienced Rating, he was appointed to the command of X-Gun, his subsequent services in the Yangtze Incident earning him a Commendation for ‘courage and devotion to duty’ from the Naval C.-in-C. (Special Order of the Day 22 December 1949 refers). Very probably this distinction stemmed from his bravery on 20 April 1949 during the initial Communist bombardment, as recorded by Lawrence Earl in his book Yangtze Incident: ‘Shells were thudding into the ship all the time. There seemed to be a great deal of disorganized running to and fro on the decks and passage ways ... X-Gun, firing independently, had got away 30 rounds. Boy Dennis Roberts, a Plymouth lad, had taken cover underneath the Bofors gun on the port side, just behind the funnel. He was looking aft when he saw the bright yellow flash of a hit on the X-Gun flare. Leading Seaman Mullins was blown clean off the gun-platform and on to the deck by the blast. Astonishingly, he was unhurt. He jumped back on to the gun. Several Ratings were handing out ammunition to supply the gun. The automatic hoist wasn’t working. Roberts later reported: “I saw the shell burst directly on X-Gun then, and splinters flew around like hail”. That second hit on the gun killed Ordinary Seaman Dennis Griffiths and Ordinary Seaman Battams, X-Gun’s trainer. Splinters wounded Albert Rimmington, Amos Davies and Gwilyn Stevens. One of the men was killed where he sat, his hands frozen to the training-handle. He appeared to still be on the job. “Train around!” Mullins yelled at him. “Train around!” Then he saw that the man was dead. There was a cloud of black smoke shrouding X-Gun and it was out of action for good’. Sold with contemporary Post Card photograph captioned ‘Amethyst after action’, Dockyard Pass ‘on the occasion of the return to Devonport of H.M.S. Amethyst from China on 1st November 1949’, and copied record of service including ‘Special Order of the Day’ mentioned above; together with related mounted group of six miniature medals.

The Great War ‘Irish Rebellion’ D.S.C. group of four awarded to Lieutenant W. H. A. Bee, Royal Naval Reserve, who was awarded a D.S.C. and an M.I.D. for his command of H.M.T. Lord Heneage, which ship played a vital part in the capture of the German Auxiliary Cruiser Aud off the south-west coast of Ireland where she was due to rendezvous with Sir Roger Casement to deliver her cargo of 20,000 rifles, 1,000,000 rounds of ammunition and ten machine-guns to aid the imminent Easter Rising Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., hallmarked London 1918; 1914-15 Star (Lieut. W. H. A. Bee. R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieut. W. H. A. Bee. R.N.R.) mounted for display, some contact wear, therefore nearly very fine (4) £4,000-£5,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- D.S.C. London Gazette 27 June, 1917: The original recommendation submitted by the Vice-Admiral at Queenstown states: ‘Assisted in the capture of the S.S. Aud on 21/22 April 1916.’ M.I.D. London Gazette 21 April 1917. The original recommendation states: ‘Capture of German auxiliary off coast of Ireland on 21 April 1915. Did good work in keeping the vessel in sight until she was brought to by the Bluebell.’ In April 1916, information had been received at the Admiralty that a landing of arms was to be expected on the west coast of Ireland for the Sinn Feiners, and that Sir Roger Casement was believed to be on his way to meet with the arms ship. Casement, the ex-British official who was the prime instigator of German supported rebellion, was bound for Ireland in U22 to rendezvous with the steamer Aud, a German ship disguised as the Norwegian steamer of the same name. The rendezvous where Aud had arranged to meet Casement's submarine was one mile north-west of Inishtooskert, an uninhabited island at the north-west end of Tralee Bay, Co. Kerry, and here the steamer, with her cargo of arms arrived in the late afternoon of 20 April, 1916. Here the Aud waited and waited but nothing happened. No submarine. No Casement. Finally, at 1.30 am, Aud anchored in the shadows of Inishtooskert to await the dawn of Good Friday. Meanwhile, on the Thursday night Lieut-Commander Weisbach in U22 with Casement reached the Inishrooskert rendezvous, and from a distance sighted the dark outline of the anchored Aud, however, unfortunately for them, the submarine mistook this outline for a British destroyer and withdrew. Finally, Casement despairing of Aud's arrival acted independently and was landed with two companions on the beach by means of a small collapsible boat which had been secured to the submarine's upper deck. Early on Good Friday the deserted boat, wherein lay revolvers and ammunition was discovered by a local man and within hours Casement had been captured. Meanwhile, earlier that morning the Aud was approached by the armed trawler Setter II (Skipper John Donaldson, R.N.R.) which came alongside and boarded. Unfortunately, Donaldson was bluffed by Lieut. Karl Spindler of the Aud and his subsequent search revealed only pots and pans as shown in the cargo manifest. Soon after 1 pm Spindler had another shock when he saw a small steamer approaching at speed with a gun on the forecastle. This was the armed trawler Lord Heneage, commanded not by a skipper, but by Lieutenant W. H. A. Bee, R.N.R., a 56 year-old veteran of the Merchant Service. Bee had learnt from Loop Head signal station that a steamer was hovering suspiciously about the entrance of Tralee Bay and flying the signal ‘Stop at once’ immediately gave chase to the Aud which had hurriedly weighed anchor and got under way to the westward in something of a panic. The Aud was fleeting for her life and exceeding the limit of safety. 'More steam!' ordered Spindler. 'Captain,' replied his Chief Engineer, 'if we go on like this the boilers will burst. The steam is long past the red mark.' She was doing two or three knots more than Lord Heneage so that whilst the latter opened fire at long range, nothing could be done to stop the fugitive heading clear of land into the wide Atlantic. However, at 4.30 pm, a signal from Lord Heneage was received by H.M.S. Zinnia and H.M.S. Bluebell and these two ships hastened towards the spot from different points of the compass. Bluebell at last sighted the Aud and at 6.15 pm caused her to stop and ordered her to proceed to Queenstown. Spindler complied but not before testing the patience of Lieut. Hood in Bluebell who was compelled to drop a shell over the German's bow. Next day, however, when these two vessels were just outside Queenstown Harbour the Aud suddenly stopped engines and lowered boats into which every German clambered after which followed an explosion, the gun-runner bursting into flames and fragments till she sank. Spindler had used the bombs and fuses which had been destined for the Sinn Feiners to destroy his own vessel. The associated capture of Sir Roger Casement is well documented and resulted in his being removed to London, tried and hanged for treason. Lieutenant William Henry Askew Bee was born in Liverpool on 26 April 1860 and served more than 36 years at sea. He joined the service in 1884 as a Deck Hand and by 1888 passed as Master of Home Trade Passenger Ships. From 1890 he served consistently as Master on more than a dozen ships. Following the Aud incident, Lieutenant Bee served with Galway Trawlers in mine-sweeping and patrol and rescue operations (Swept Channels refers). He retired after the war to live in Barrow-in-Furness and died on 9 March 1940. Sold with two large files of research including detailed articles on Lieutenant Bee’s exploits published in the OMRS Journal and Medal News.

The outstanding Second War ‘withdrawal from Crete’ C.G.M. group of five awarded to Able Seaman Rodney Bridge, Royal Navy, for gallantry when the destroyer H.M.S. Havock came under heavy air attack on 23 May 1941, he continued to man his gun ‘after having half his back shot away, and refused to be looked at’ Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, G.VI.R. (C/SSX.28291 R. Bridge. A.B. H.M.S. Havoc) officially impressed naming; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, 1 clasp, North Africa 1942-43; War Medal 1939-45, mounted for display, contact marks, otherwise very fine (5) £8,000-£10,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- C.G.M. London Gazette 8 January 1942: ‘For outstanding gallantry, fortitude and resolution during the battle of Crete: Able Seaman Rodney Bridge, C/SSX. 28291, H.M.S. Havock, who stood by his gun, though grievously wounded by an enemy bomb, and went on firing without thought for his injury.’ Rodney Bridge was serving as a gun layer on Havock’s ‘A’ gun at the time of the above deeds. As part of Force ‘E’, the destroyer, and three of her consorts, had accompanied the cruisers Orion and Ajax on a patrol off Heraklion, Crete, on the night of 21-22 May 1941, entering the Aegean via the Kaso Strait. The patrol was uneventful but on returning to Alexandria on the 23rd, the force was dive-bombed for five hours. A glimpse of Bridge’s stoicism is to be found in the following account of the engagement by Derek Napper, a Midshipman who was aboard Havock on that fateful day: ‘Friday 23 May: This was the beginning of the attack. To start with, we were bombed by Ju 88s and Heinkels, with no result. It was annoying, but hardly dangerous. Then they disappeared and 6 Stukas arrived on the scene. Each destroyer was dived at in turn, sometimes by 3 aircraft together, sometimes by less. We had to be very careful with our 4.7-inch ammunition as we had exhausted a large percentage of it, but our supplies of .303 were limitless. I myself had a Bren gun, with which I tried to hit the aircraft when they got too low for our 4.7-inch to elevate to the required angle. Some of the tracer bullets seemed to be going straight into the propellers. One aircraft crashed into the sea soon after and the pilot bailed out. Two others went away very low over the water with smoke pouring from them. At last after 5 hours of spasmodic bombing, we had a very near miss, which flooded the boiler room and killed several people including a man on my gun who was standing just next to me and had a piece of shrapnel through the head. I had my cap blown off and sat down hard on the deck but was otherwise unhurt. For a few moments we were stopped completely while the boiler was changed over and from then until we finally reached Alexandria, we left a trail of fuel oil behind. In addition to the rating killed on my gun, one was badly wounded and another slightly, so that I had to take over as gun layer for the latter part of the firing. My job was fairly easy, as by this time the aircraft were diving and it was only a question of keeping the telescope on the target and not below. The last visit we had was about 11.30 when an 88 dropped a stick close ahead. Making good 25 knots we reached Alexandria at 2000 and went alongside 46 shed to disembark the wounded. After this we shifted to alongside Resource, where we were given hot baths, food and beds. Throughout the bombing the men behaved very well, especially one man on my gun [Able Seaman Rodney Bridge, subsequently awarded the C.G.M.], who went on doing his job (gun layer) after having half his back shot away, and refused to be looked at.’ Happily, Bridge survived his wounds and received his C.G.M. from King George VI at an investiture held on 24 March 1942.

The unique Boer War C.S.C. group of seven awarded to Lieutenant-Commander E. Lowe, Royal Navy,thrice mentioned in despatches for his services as a ‘Gunner R.N.’ in the Naval Brigade, Lowe particularly distinguished himself the battle of Graspan, near Belmont, on 25 November 1900, when ‘he charged to the top of a hill, gallantly leading his men, all the time under a heavy fire’ Conspicuous Service Cross, E.VII.R., the reverse hall marked London 1901; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 8 clasps, Belmont, Modder River, Paardeberg, Driefontein, Johannesburg, Diamond Hill, Belfast, Relief of Kimberley (Gunner E. E. Lowe: R.N. H.M.S. Monarch) small erasure or correction to colon after surname; 1914-15 Star (Lieut. E. E. Lowe, D.S.C., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieut. E. E. Lowe. R.N.); Coronation 1911; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension, impressed naming (E. E. Lowe, P.O. 1st Cl., H.M.S. Severn) good very fine (7) £20,000-£24,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Alan Hall Collection, June 2000. The Conspicuous Service Cross was instituted in 1901 and converted to the Distinguished Service Cross in 1914. During its short life, only eight awards of the C.S.C. were made: five for South Africa, two for China 1900 and one for Somaliland in 1904; Lowe’s C.S.C. is only the third provenanced example to have appeared at auction. Lowe was one of only two Royal Navy officers to receive the Q.S.A. medal with 8 clasps. C.S.C. London Gazette 2 July 1901. Ernest Lowe was born in Lowestoft, Suffolk on 12 October 1866 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in January 1882. His subsequent seagoing appointments included H.M.S. Canada on the North America and West Indies stations in the early 1880s, when he served as ‘hammock man’ to the Duke of York, afterwards King George V. When King Edward VII was pinning the C.S.C. to Lowe’s tunic at St. James’s Palace many years later, the Duke, who had a wonderful memory, turned to King Edward and said, “This is the fellow who used to throw me out of my hammock in the Canada.” Lowe also attended extended courses at the shore establishments Excellent and Vernon, scoring highly for torpedo gunner, and was duly appointed to the warrant rank of Acting Gunner in April 1897. Then in May 1898, he joined the Monarch at Simonstown and he was likewise employed at the outbreak of hostilities in South Africa in October 1899. Among those selected for services ashore in the Naval Brigade, he was given charge of a 12-pounder and joined the Lord Methuen’s column for the relief of Kimberley. The Naval Warrant Officers Journal (January, 1951) takes up the story: ‘Mr. Lowe was present with this column at the battles of Belmont, Graspan (where he was mentioned in despatches), Modder River and Magersfontein. After a stay of some weeks at Modder River, the Brigade joined Lord Robert’s column and was present at the following operations: capture of Jacobsdal; engagements at Klip Drift; Paardeburg (capture of Cronje’s force); Osfontein; Driefontein; occupation (after several forced marches) of Bloemfontein. After staying a while at the capital of Orange River Colony, they advanced north and took part in the actions of Vet River, Land River, occupied Kroonstad, passage of Vaal River, action and capture of Johannesburg and Pretoria (mentioned in despatches), action at Diamond Hill, occupation of Middleburg and action at Belfast (Bergendale). After that the Brigade joined General Gordon’s column and was present at the Tafel Kop and occupation of Barberton, returning to Capetown on 12 October 1900.’ In fact, Lowe was mentioned in despatches on three occasions: Lord Methuen’s despatch dated 25 November 1899, for the battle of Graspan: ‘Gunner Lowe and Midshipman W. W. Silem charged to the top of a hill, gallantly leading their men all the time under a heavy fire and are deserving of special mention.’ Captain Bearcroft’s despatch to Rear-Admiral Sir R. Harris, dated at Pretoria on 9 June 1900, reporting on the engagement of 4 June 1900: ‘Mr. Lowe, Gunner (T.) Monarch, for zeal and energy shown in keeping up an adequate supply of ammunition near the guns and looking after the safety of the remainder.’ And Captain Bearcroft’s despatch to Rear-Admiral Sir R. Harris, dated at Simonstown on 17 October 1900: ‘Mr. Lowe, Gunner (T.), this officer has performed the duty of Quartermaster to the Brigade while landed with ability and untiring zeal and energy.’ Graspan was surely the hottest of his engagements, for on what became a unique occasion, the Naval Brigade advanced as infantry, arriving opposite the Boer positions after a night march at 7 a.m. The Boers had burnt all the grass for 2,000 yards in front to allow them to pick up our khaki, in addition to marking ant hills to give the range. Lowe and his comrades duly set off under a blazing sun, advancing by 25-yard rushes, each half company passing the other half company. As the range closed to 600 or 700 yards, the Boer fire got much hotter, and the casualties began to mount. Captain Darwin, R.N., the Brigade’s senior officer, was severely wounded and Commander Ethelston killed. The Midshipman attached to Lowe’s company was also killed, as was Major Plumb of the Marines. Notwithstanding the loss of such senior officers, Lowe and his Tars charged to the top of the hill, under heavy fire, and managed to dislodge the enemy, who retreated to their horses on the other side. He then teamed up with Captain Marchment of the Marines and helped to drive off a small force of Boers on another hill nearby. Lowe, who returned home in December 1900, was awarded the Conspicuous Service Cross and also became one of just two Naval Officers to receive an 8-clasp Queen’s South Africa medal. He was also recommended for special advancement to Chief Gunner on attaining 12 years seniority, a promotion that was confirmed in April 1910. In the interim, in 1902, he added the Coronation Medal to his accolades, most likely for ceremonial duties in connection with the participating Naval Detachment. Having then been advanced to Lieutenant in June 1912, Lowe was appointed to the command of Torpedo Boat 116 in December 1914, and he remained similarly employed for the duration of the Great War. He was mentioned in despatches ‘for good services in Destroyer Patrol Flotillas during the period ended 30 September 1916’ (London Gazette 23 May 1917, refers), an accolade that probably stemmed from his action in defending an important convoy from Canada in October 1915. Spotting an enemy submarine off Culver Cliff in the Isle of Wight, he steamed for her at full speed, firing on her and only missing ramming her by a few seconds. Lowe was advanced to Lieutenant-Commander in June 1920 and finally hung up his sea boots in October 1921, after 39 years of continuous service. He retired to Grayshott in Surrey, near Hindhead, where he won the Village Billiards Championship in 1945, aged 79. He died in October 1954. Sold with copied record of service and other research.

The rare Siberia 1919 ‘Kama River Flotilla’ M.S.M. group of four awarded to Private F. J. Williamson, Royal Marine Light Infantry, H.M.S. Kent 1914-15 Star (PLY. 15043. Pte. F. J. Williamson. R.M.L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (PLY. 15043. Pte. F. J. Williamson. R.M.L.I.); Royal Naval Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R. (PLY/15043 Pte. F. J. Williamson. R.M.L.I. “Kent” Kama River May 1919.) mounted for wear, nearly extremely fine and rare (4) £600-£800 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- M.S.M. London Gazette 5 March 1920 'Honours for services in Siberia.' H.M.S. Kent relieved H.M.S. Suffolk at Vladivostock in January 1919. Williamson had been serving with the Armoured train manned by parties from the Suffolk, but with the arrival of Kent he transferred to that ship. It was decided to take the 6-inch gun and the four 12-pounders out of the armoured trains and place them in two ships of the Russian Naval Flotilla at Perm. Volunteers were called for from the Royal Marine Detachment of H.M.S. Kent and at the beginning of April, Captain T. H. Jameson and 34 Royal Marines, one mate, one surgeon-lieutenant, one warrant officer, one armourer and one sick berth attendant, Royal Navy, proceeded to Perm arriving on the 27th April on which day the ice broke and started to flow down the river. The Naval Mission remained first at Perm and then at Omsk whilst the Naval Force under command of Captain Jameson, R.M.L.I. joined the Flotilla. Practically all the ice had disappeared by the 1st May and they were introduced to Admiral Smirnoff, C.M.G., in command of the Russian Flotilla and were handed the two ships to be gunned and manned by the British. The British Force were allotted to the Third Division of the Flotilla, commanded by Captain Fierdoroff; the ships allotted to them were a fast oil driven tug and a barge. The 12-pounders were mounted in the tug which was christened the Kent and the 6-inch in the barge named Suffolk. Throughout May and June Kent and Suffolk were constantly and heavily engaged in fighting against Bolshevik forces, both on the river and providing artillery support for the land forces. All was to no avail, however, with the front troops falling back daily from the advancing Bolsheviks, and it was therefore decided to disarm the First and Third Divisions, the Second remaining at the front. On the 26th June Kent proceeded to the magazine, near which was the British Naval armoured train and commenced to dismantle, placing armour, guns, ammunition and stores in the train; on this day the Suffolk engaged the enemy in the Veltanka district, and again the next day at the village of Stralka she routed large numbers of the enemy at close range. She fired 256 rounds and having expended all her amunition was recalled to Perm, arriving at Motavaileka Works on the 28th. As no workmen could be obtained the crews of the two ships were obliged to dismantle the ships themselves and to load the material, all 225 tons of it, onto railway trucks for which they had no engine. Perm was expected to fall that night, confusion was everywhere, the station overflowing with refugees and every train was loaded to the fullest extent. As a last resort they searched the repair shop for an engine and took the only one available, which the Russians reluctantly gave them; it was only just capable of drawing the train and they eventually left Perm at 6 a.m. on 29th June, having sunk Kent and Suffolk the previous afternoon. The party of 37 of all ranks was crowded into two wooden trucks and travelling was very slow; their rations consisted of the biscuits and beef of their reserve rations. On arriving at Omsk they volunteered to form the British Naval Armoured Train but the Admiralty decided to withdraw the Force completely. Accordingly, they proceeded in two waggons to Vladivostock arriving there on 18th August, having taken 52 days to complete the journey from Perm. They were taken on board H.M.S. Carlisle and transferred at Shanghai to H.M.S. Colombo, reaching England on 10 November 1919. This gallant band of men received the following awards for their part in this remarkable episode: 1 D.S.O., 2 D.S.C.’s, 1 D.S.M. and 8 M.S.M.’s. Frank James Williamson was born on 24 December 1891 in the village of Freethorpe in Norfolk. He earned his living as a footman prior to joining the Plymouth Division of the Royal Marines on 10 August 1910. After recruit training at Deal he joined H.M.S. Hawke in February 1912, transferred to Merlin in March 1913 and returned to shore early in 1914. He next joined Benbow in October 1914 and served in this battleship until January 1917, taking part in the Battle of Jutland. He joined Suffolk in May 1917 and landed in Siberia for active service with Suffolk’s Armoured Train in August 1918 on the Ufa front. He transferred to Kent in January 1919 and landed as part of the Kama River Naval Expeditionary Force from which he returned to england via Carlisle and Colombo. He returned to the Plymouth Division in November 1919 and joined Valiant, his last seagoing ship, in May 1920 and remained with her until June 1922 when he was discharged having completed 12 years. He joined the Royal Marine Police where he served until discharged on 15 December 1945. Sold with full research including a copy of Captain Jameson’s ‘Report on the proceedings of the British Naval Force acting with the Kama River Flotilla.’

The Great War ‘Falklands 1914’ D.S.M. and Italian Al Valore Militare group of six awarded to Shipwright 1st Class A. E. N. England, Royal Navy, who was decorated for his gallantry in the cruiser H.M.S. Glasgow Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (341971 A. E. N. England, Shipt. 1 Cl. H.M.S. Glasgow); 1914-15 Star (341971 A. E. N. England, D.S.M., Shipt. 1, R.N.); British War & Victory Medals (341971 A. E. N. England. Ch. Shpt., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (341971 A. E. N. England, Car. Mate H.M.S. Glasgow); Al Valore Militare, bronze, unnamed as issued, mint mark crowned ‘Z’ over ‘F.G’, light contact wear, otherwise good very fine (6) £3,000-£4,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- D.S.M. London Gazette 3 March 1915: ‘The names of the following are specially mentioned … To receive the Distinguished Service Medal: Shipwright, 1st Class, Albert N. E. England, O.N. 341971, H.M.S. Glasgow.’ The original recommendation states: ‘This Shipwright was stationed at the upper end of the fore ammunition hoist and when one man was killed and another of his party disabled, continued by his extraordinary exertions to keep up a rapid supply of ammunition to the guns.’ One of 12 D.S.Ms for the battle of the Falklands and the only one to H.M.S. Glasgow. Al Valore Militare London Gazette 17 November 1917. Albert Edward Newton England was born at Landport, Hampshire on 13 November 1876 and entered the Royal Navy as Carpenter’s Crew in April 1898. A Shipwright 1st Class in the cruiser H.M.S. Glasgow on the outbreak of war, he quickly saw action at the battle of the Coronel on 1 November 1914, when Vice-Admiral Graf von Spee overpowered a squadron under Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock, sinking the Good Hope and Monmouth with heavy loss of life. For her own part, Glasgow duelled inconclusively with the Leipzig and Dresden, and is estimated to have had around 600 shells fired at her. Remarkably, however, she suffered only light damage from five hits and lived to fight another day. As it transpired, that day was the occasion of Vice-Admiral Sir Frederick Sturdee’s celebrated victory off the Falklands on 8 December 1914, when England distinguished himself on one of Glasgow’s ammunition hoists. Having cleared Port Stanley harbour at 0945 hours, Glasgow was ordered by Sturdee to shadow von Spee’s squadron and report on any significant actions. Once the remaining British cruisers had caught up, a general engagement commenced and Glasgow opened fire on Leipzig at a range of 12,000 yards, getting in one good hit but suffering two in return. She nonetheless stuck to her adversary when the German squadron scattered, and was in at Leipzig’s end; Glasgow and Cornwall managed to rescue just 18 German sailors in the darkness. In addition to his subsequent award of the D.S.M., his service record notes that England also received the Italian Al Valore for like services in November 1917. His subsequent wartime appointments comprised the shore establishment Fisgard (January 1916-February 1917), the battleship Canada (February-October 1917), and the cruiser Minotaur (October 1917-February 1919). Having also been awarded the L.S. & G.C. medal in March 1918, he was pensioned ashore in May 1920. Sold with named card lids for Great War medals and two old ribbon bars, together with copied research.

The Second War ‘Battle of Crete 1941’ D.S.M. group of eight awarded to Leading Seaman F. M. Waite, serving aboard H.M.S. Kelly under Captain Lord Louis Mountbatten Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (C/JX.142954 F. M. Waite, L. Smn. H.M.S. Kelly) impressed naming; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn, good very fine (8) £1,400-£1,800 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Douglas-Morris Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, February 1997. D.S.M. London Gazette 8 January 1942: ‘For outstanding gallantry, fortitude and resolution during the Battle of Crete.’ Three D.S.M.s were awarded to Kelly, including Leading Seaman F. M. Waite. The destroyer Kelly, under the command of Captain Lord Louis Mountbatten, was badly damaged in June 1940. She was hit by a German torpedo boat in foggy weather, the torpedo exploding under the bridge and blowing a huge hole in her side which almost broke her in two. She was taken in tow but with small chance of survival as a gale sprang up shortly afterwards. For four days and nights she was at the mercy of the seas, and on some occasions had to be temporarily abandoned by her crew. During this time there were frequent attacks by enemy aircraft to be contended with, all of which were successfully beaten off. She was eventually brought safely to harbour and repaired. On the night of 22 May 1941, in company with the destroyer Kashmir, Kelly was bombarding German positions on the island of Crete. At daybreak the next morning, they destroyed two caiques carrying troops and ammunition. This action brought upon the two destroyers the unwelcome attention of German dive-bombers and from 5.30 a.m. they were repeatedly attacked. The Kashmir was struck amidships by a 1,000-pound bomb and sank immediately. The Kelly was hit soon afterwards and sank with great rapidity, taking with her nine officers and 119 ratings. Eight officers, including Captain Lord Louis Mountbatten, and 120 ratings were picked up by the destroyer Kipling, which also saved a number of the crew of Kashmir. Frank Moore Waite entered the Navy in 1934 and specialised in Gunnery. He joined the newly commissioned H.M.S. Kelly in August 1939, and as one of the most experienced gunners in the service he was made captain of Kelly’s eight-man pom pom crew and witnessed her first wartime operation, conveying the Duke and Duchess of Windsor out of France.

The Second War ‘Fall of Singapore’ D.S.M. group of six awarded to Stoker P. A. H. Dunne, Royal Navy, for a motor launch versus Japanese destroyer action of “Li Wo” proportions: few escaped the resultant carnage inflicted by several point-blank hits on H.M.M.L. 311’s hull and upper deck and those that did had to endure over four years as a P.O.W. of the Japanese, the wounded Dunne amongst them Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (Sto. P. A. H. Dunne, P/KX 132616); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Pacific Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted as worn, minor contact marks, good very fine or better (6) £4,000-£5,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- D.S.M. London Gazette 19 February 1946: ‘For great gallantry, although wounded, in keeping the engine room services of H.M.M.L. 311 in action after an attack by a Japanese destroyer on 15 February 1942.’ The original recommendation states: ‘During the engagement between H.M.M.L. 311 and a heavy Japanese destroyer on 15 February 1942, when the remainder of the Engine Room personnel had been killed, and heavy damage sustained in the Engine Room, the above rating continued to keep the Engine Room services in action, under the most trying conditions. Throughout the engagement, being himself wounded in the leg, Stoker Dunne worked in close proximity to blazing petrol tanks, and in additional danger from pans of live Lewis gun ammunition bursting into flames, some of which penetrated the Engine Room. He remained carrying out E.R. duties until the order to abandon ship was received.’ Percy Albert Holmes Dunne, a native of Whitley Bay, Northumberland, who was born in November 1921, was recommended for his immediate D.S.M. by Commander V. C. F. Clarke, D.S.C.*, R.N., in October 1945, when the latter, the senior surviving officer from H.M.M.L. 331, submitted his official report of the action to Their Lordships: ‘I have the honour to submit the following report of the passage of H.M.M.L. 311 from Singapore to Banka Straits and her sinking there by enemy action. This report is forwarded by me, as Senior Naval Officer on board, in the absence of her Commanding Officer, Lieutenant E. J. H. Christmas, R.A.N.V.R., whose subsequent fate is unknown. I embarked on H.M.M.L. 311 on the afternoon of 13 February 1942, as a passenger. Orders were later received from R.A.M.Y., through Commander Alexander, R.N., to embark about 55 Army personnel after dark, then proceed to Batavia via the Durian Straits ... At daylight on the 15th, we sighted what appeared to be a warship from 2 to 3 miles distant, almost dead ahead, in the swept channel, at a fine inclination, stern towards us and to all appearances almost stopped. We maintained our course, being under the impression that this was probably a Dutch destroyer. When about a mile away the destroyer altered course to port and was immediately recognised by its distinctive stem as a Japanese destroyer of a large type. At Lieutenant Christmas’ request, I took command of the ship and increased to 18 knots, maintaining my course, to close within effective range. The enemy opened fire and, with the first salvo, scored two hits, one of which penetrated the forecastle deck, laying out the gun’s crew, putting the gun out of action and killing the helmsman. Lieutenant Christmas took the wheel, and I increased speed to approximately 20 knots, and made a four-point alteration of course to starboard to open ‘A’ arcs for the Lewis guns, now within extreme range. This brought me on a course roughly parallel and opposite to the enemy enclosing the Sumatra shore, which, in the almost certain event of being sunk, should enable the crew and the troops to swim to the mainland. On my enquiring, after the alteration, why the 3-pounder was not firing, I was informed it was out of action. By constant zig-zagging further direct hits were avoided for a short time, during which the light guns continued to engage the enemy. The enemy, however, having circled round astern of me, was closing and soon shrapnel and direct hits began to take their toll both above and below decks. The petrol tanks were on fire, blazing amidships, and there was a fire on the messdecks. The engine room casing was blown up and two out of three E.R. personnel had been killed, whilst the third, a Stoker [Dunne], was wounded in the leg. The port engine was put out of action. The E.R. services as a whole, however, were maintained throughout the action. Finally, Lieutenant Christmas at the helm reported the steering broken down with the rudder jammed to starboard. We began circling at a range of about 1000 yards. Further offensive or defensive action being impossible, with all guns out of action and the ship ablaze amidships, I stopped engines and ordered ‘abandon ship’. Casualties were heavy. I estimate that barely 20 men, including wounded, took to the water. The Japanese destroyer lay off and, although the White Ensign remained flying, ceased fire but made no attempt to pick up survivors. I advised men to make for the mainland shore but a number are believed to have made for the middle of the Strait in the hope of being picked up. The action lasted about ten minutes. The captain of the Mata Hari (Lieutenant Carson), who witnessed the action, states that the Japanese ship fired 14 six-gun salvoes. There were four, or possibly five, direct hits, and, in addition to the damage from these, most regrettable carnage was caused on the closely stowed upper deck by bursts from several “shorts”. The ship sank not long after being abandoned, burning furiously.’ Other than Dunne, no other officer or rating appears to have been decorated for the action, Clark’s D.S.C. and Bar having stemmed from acts of gallantry in the Second Battle of Narvik and during earlier air attacks off Singapore; sadly the fate of Lieutenant E. J. H. Christmas, R.A.N.V.R., was never fully established, and he is assumed to have died on 15 February 1942. Sold with the recipient’s original Buckingham Palace returning P.O.W’s message, dated September 1945, together with a quantity of related research, including copied recommendation, Japanese POW card, and a copy of Commander Victor Clark’s memoirs, Triumph and Disaster, in which he describes the demise of H.M.M.L. 311 in detail.

The post-War G.M. awarded to Lieutenant-Commander Albert Edward Burton, Royal Navy, for gallantry in attempting to rescue a wounded man buried under debris from an explosion at a building containing ammunition at Marsa, Malta, in July 1954 George Medal, E.II.R., 1st issue (Lieut.-Commdr. Albert E. Burton, R.N.) in its Royal Mint case of issue, nearly extremely fine £3,000-£4,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- G.M. London Gazette 21 December 1954: ‘Lieutenant-Commander Albert Edward Burton, R.N., H.M.S. Barova. At 1100 on 24th July, 1954, a large explosion occurred in a building containing ammunition at Marsa Coal Wharf, Malta. Although the building was burning fiercely Lieutenant-Commander Burton and a civilian Assistant Salvage Officer immediately went to the aid of a badly injured man who was buried in the debris. Throughout the time they were working, the fire raged and there were signs that a further explosion might take place. Lieutenant-Commander Burton and the Salvage Officer nevertheless remained until they had successfully freed the injured man and removed him from the danger area. Lieutenant-Commander Burton’s bravery and determination and his complete disregard of his own safety in his efforts to save the injured man, who later died of his injuries, were in the best traditions of the Royal Navy.’

The First and Second War group of seven awarded to Commander R. H. D. Lane, Royal Navy, a veteran of Dunkirk who commanded the destroyer Wryneck in the evacuation of Greece, and was among those lost when she was sunk by enemy aircraft in April 1941 - he was last seen sliding off a raft, badly wounded and covered in oil 1914-15 Star (S. Lt. R. H. D. Lane, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. R. H. D. Lane. R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Coronation 1937, mounted as worn, good very fine and better (7) £500-£700 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Robert Henry Douglas Lane, who was appointed a Midshipman in September 1913, was serving aboard the battleship H.M.S. Africa on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914. Transferring to the Hindustan as an Acting Sub. Lieutenant in November 1915, another ship of the 3rd Battle Squadron, he afterwards completed his wartime service in destroyers, namely the Nonpareil and the Patriot, latterly as First Lieutenant. Remaining a regular between the wars, Lane gained advancement to Lieutenant-Commander in October 1925 and was serving as Naval Provost Marshal in Hong Kong on the renewal of hostilities. Returning to the U.K. in early 1940, he was given command of the ancient freighter Moyle, one of three blockships ordered to Dunkirk on the last night of the evacuation on 3-4 June 1940. Lane and his crew rammed her into the west pier and scuttled her, prior to becoming among the very last to be evacuated from the battered port. He was subsequently among those men mentioned in despatches in The London Gazette of 10 October 1940, for ‘good services when carrying out blocking operations in enemy occupied ports.’ In July 1940, Lane was appointed to the command of the destroyer Wryneck, in which ship he served with distinction in the Mediterranean, and more particularly during the evacuation of Greece. Having assisted in the withdrawal of troops from Megara on 25 July 1941, and in rescuing survivors from the lighter A.19, Lane was ordered to take the Wryneck on a similar mission two nights later. On this occasion, however, ‘tragedy began to pile on tragedy’, for Wryneck and her consorts departed Navplion at too late an hour to avoid enemy attention in the first hours of daylight. And at 7 a.m. 30 enemy dive bombers commenced a devastating attack on the Wryneck and the Diamond (another destroyer), in addition to the Dutch Slamat, the latter vessel being laden with evacuated troops. First to be sunk was the Slamat, the two destroyers moving in to pick up her survivors. Soon afterwards, and now with several hundred troops aboard, the Wryneck and Diamond similarly fell victim to a succession of heavy bombing attacks: ‘Wryneck, meanwhile, had been equally unfortunate. Taken unawares in the same way as Diamond, a bomb had struck the foc’s’le near ‘A’ gun, killing or wounding everyone at the gun, on the bridge and in the sick bay, shattering the stokers’ mess deck and killing numbers of stokers and soldiers. Another fell down the engine room hatch bursting all the steam pipes, and a third bomb struck aft setting an ammunition locker on fire. With the ship moving at about 18 knots, with a heavy growing list to port, an E.R.A. managed to open the safety valves; then, with others, he got a whaler away which was practically undamaged, and released the rafts before abandoning ship ...’ But, as confirmed in Greek Tragedy, worse was to follow in the water: ‘Where the destroyers had gone down a huge patch of dark brown oil spread like a pall over the blue water of the Gulf of Nauplia. And in it floated the torn corpses of the dead, wrecked and upturned boats, balks of timber, lifebelts, sodden loaves of bread, broken oars, rolled hammocks and shattered pieces of furniture. In it swam those who were still alive and those who were soon to die by drowning. Hundreds of men coated in oil. Men crying for help, coughing and retching to free their bursting lungs of the bitter crude oil that choked them. Men screaming in terror. Men praying to live. Men longing for death to release them from the agony of burning oil seeping into their wounds. Men clutching at chunks of wreckage that slipped from their grasp. Men of high courage, who without a thought for themselves, fought to save their wounded shipmates ... There were a number of rafts and Carley floats drifting in that growing patch of oil, and few of them carried survivors. On one of them was Commander Lane of the Wryneck, with two of his R.N.V.R. Sub. Lieutenants, Jackson and Griffiths, and his Midshipman, Peck. Able Seaman Taylor helped to haul them on to the raft. They were all badly wounded and coated in oil. For a little while they clung to the raft. As it rolled in the rising sea, they slipped off it, too weak to hold on any longer ...’ When at length a handful of Wryneck’s men were eventually picked up, the senior surviving rating was asked to complete a report. He ended it thus: ‘The men of the Wryneck wish me to add that we have lost a fine ship, fine officers and a magnificent Captain.’

A steel gun cabinet with slots for five guns plus ammunition storage above, with two keys, 35 cm x 30 cm x 145 cm

A steel gun cabinet with slots for five guns plus ammunition box above, with two keys, 35 cm x 30 cm x 145 cm

A collection of mostly shooting accessories including Manufacture Francais D'Armes et Cycles (French arms and cycles, later Manufrance) to include powder, Gevelot ammunition cartridges and unmarked rifle stock.

FIVE BOXES AND LOOSE BOOKS, FRAMED PICTURES, MISCELLANOUS, to include a large map of Staffordshire 1924 edition, Olivetti Lettera 32 cased typewriter, box of LPs and 45 R.P.M, approximately eighty, fifteen being LPs, artists to include Jim Reeves, Tom Jones etc., named ceramics, Wade, Royal Albert etc., magazines subjects being history of World War Two, home computing, vintage ammunition tin, Marilyn Monroe memorabilia, framed pictures include country scenes, large tiger print, etc., vintage Robinsons bone handled carving set in a black case, books include National Geographic photos, The Queen Elizabeth Coronation Souvenir 1953, etc. (sd), (5 boxes + loose)

An early 20th Century brown leather gun holster and ammunition belt