We found 9715 price guide item(s) matching your search

A RARE BOXED .32 (RIMFIRE) BROOKLYN ARMS CO. 'SLOCUM'S PATENT' FIVE-SHOT REVOLVER WITH SLIDING CHAMBERS, serial no. 9017, circa 1864, with tapering round 3in. iron barrel marked 'B.A. CO PATENT APRIL 14TH 1863', bead fore-sight, borderline and scroll engraved silver plated brass frame (losses to plating), blued cylinder with five forward sliding chambers locking at the rear, single action mechanism with spur trigger, smooth rounded gumwood grips (hairline crack forming to lower edge of left), fixed ejector, strong traces of finish, together with its manufacturers card box, the exterior with wear to edges, glued repair to one corner and small covering losses, the interior in good condition with makers label inside lid and compartmented for this revolver and with provision for an ammunition carton (absent), together with a rare retailers label for Robbins of Boston and a possibly later wire brush Sold as an exempt item under Section 58 (2) of the 1968 Firearms Act, to be held as a curiosity or ornament

Israeli Defence Force (IDF) ammunition box (26 x 18 x 10cm) and a second UN tracer rounds box (30 x 19 x 15cm). (2)POA  https://www.bradleys.ltd/quotation-request-form

Quality replica wooden and metal cannon with three accompanying ammunition carts. (4)SHIPPING £48.00 PLUS VAT (UK ONLY)

W142 Mk N2/1 wooden ammunition crate (53 x 30 x 26cm) and a military-issue gas stove, A/F (2)POA  https://www.bradleys.ltd/quotation-request-form

Collection of miliary belts, including a reproduction U.S. Army civil war belt, a tan leather ammunition belt, an Austro-Hungarian officer's belt buckle etc. (Qty)SHIPPING £48.00 PLUS VAT (UK ONLY)

A collection of Military ammunition boxes of mixed size and shape.

A Second War German leather waist belt with alloy buckle supporting a selection of copy German ammunition pouches, a post-war German mountain troops peaked cap, copy arm-band, SS pennant etc

A vintage ship's plaque for H.M.S Liverpool - sold with a decorative brass ammunition shell vase embossed with ivy leaves

A late Victorian black leather light infantry ammunition pouch. Mounted a crowned bugle, with two suspension loops, width 16.5cm.

A Small Collection of Second World War British Army and Other Cloth Insignia and Divisional Patches, including 1st Corps, 50th (Northumbrian) Division, Home Command London District, arm of service strips, an Old Blues RFC badge, London & South West Sector Army Cadet Force embroidered formation sign, Girl Guides Chaffinch bird patrol badge, and a quantity of printed Arms of the County Councils, Towns etc of Britain, all contained in a binder file; also, a file of research material relating to the War Memorial at Middleton St George, a file of fourteen First World War photographic postcards and research material relating to the 62nd (2/West Riding) Divisional Ammunition Column 1915-19. and a white metal plaque engraved by Lance Corporal A Jackson West Yorkshire Regiment as a Memento of the European War (4)

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 Black / 2 x Grey] - Carrying Dismantled Mountain Gun & Ammunition. Generally near Mint overall, contained [partially strung] in a generally Excellent [minor storage wear] ROAN label box. Rare

Ammunition tin containing cartridge belt, uniform components and other mixed items. UK P&P Group 3 (£30+VAT for the first lot and £8+VAT for subsequent lots)

A late 18th or early 19th century William Clark of London Shotgun Case. The mahogany case with brass fittings lined with green baise, a heavily stained label reading "W Clark Gunmaker Holborn London, New Invented Breech Pan", the case made to fit 34" barrels, sold with three shotgun cleaning rods and a contemporary ammunition belt.

Lee Ammunition Reloading Press complete with a tripod stand. Height of stand approx. 99cm. Along with Lee Powder Measure kit, Lee Powder Hopper, etc.

Two ammunition boxes with various tools, planes,"G" clamps, hand saws, drill, etc.

Three empty ammunition boxes.

Three empty ammunition boxes and two canvas bags, etc.

An Ammunition box and contents, chains, microphones, etc.

A collection of original typed and copied post-WWII technical and scientific denazification reports from 1945. Including 'Notes on war research and development', restricted report questions such as "What was the history of the "Panther" construction? What was the difference between the H.A.N. and Daimler-Benz designs? Which one was chosen and why?", correspondence from James Purdey & Sons Ltd, a copy of the 1946 'Investigation of the Upper Atmosphere with the A4 Rocket Missile', and more.The vendor's father worked at a factory in Basingstoke making parts for Spitfire, and was recruited as a Disarmament Officer as part of Allied Expeditionary Force and as such was authorised to enter any factory, airfield, ammunition or gas storage establishments, mine or underground area, working in ensuring that war potential therein was eliminated.

Britains boxed set 1727, Royal Artillery Mobile Howitzer unit, 1939, covered Army tender caterpillar type, black rubber tracks and white tyres, driver with peaked cap, ammunition limber with hinged top and 4.5” Howitzer with black treaded rubber tyres, in original green label pictorial box, (excellent condition, some sagging to tubber tracks and minor splits to white tyres, box good some wear to edges and staining), (4). Please Note: We do not offer In house shipping for Toy Soldiers please see shipping information.

A fine Second War ‘Malta operations’ O.B.E., Baltic 1919 Operations D.S.C., Order of St. John group of twelve awarded to Captain E. J. F. Price, Royal Navy The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., hallmarks for London 1919, the reverse privately inscribed, ‘Lieut. E. J. F. Price, R.N., “Baltic”, 1919’; The Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Officer’s breast badge, silver and enamel, with heraldic beasts in angles; 1914-15 Star (Lieut. E. J. F. Price, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. E. J. F. Price, R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Coronation 1937, unnamed as issued; Coronation 1953, unnamed as issued, mounted court-style for display, the earlier awards with contact marks, lacquered overall, otherwise generally very fine (12) £1,800-£2,200 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: R. C. Witte Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, June 2013. O.B.E. London Gazette 6 October 1942: ‘For bravery, endurance and sustained devotion to duty at Malta and at sea during and after the passage of an important convoy’. Seedie’s roll confirms award for ‘Malta Convoy, March-April 1942’. D.S.C. London Gazette 8 March 1920: ‘Honours for services in the Baltic, 1919’. M.I.D. London Gazette 19 August 1941. Seedie’s roll confirms award for services at ‘Fire, Essex, Malta. Edward Joseph Francis Price was appointed a Midshipman in January 1907 and, having enjoyed seagoing experience in the Mediterranean, was serving as a Lieutenant in the destroyer H.M.S. Grampus by the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914. Ordered to the Dardanelles in the following year, Grampus was involved in one of the failed attempts to finish off the stranded submarine E-15 off Kephaz Point, in addition to supporting the landing of the 11th Battalion, Manchester Regiment, in Suvla Bay in early August 1915. Having then served in the cruiser Diamond from January 1916 to June 1918, Price joined the light cruiser Phaeton in August 1919, in which capacity he was awarded his D.S.C. for his services as her Navigating Officer in the Baltic before the year’s end - an award undoubtedly reflecting Phaeton’s part in maintaining the Allied blockade of Libau against German shipping in October-November, during which period she carried out a successful shore bombardment in support of a Latvian contingent. He was also advanced to Lieutenant-Commander in March 1920. Placed on the Retired List as a Commander in June 1933, Price was recalled on the renewal of hostilities and was appointed Sea Transport Officer in Charge in Malta during 1940. And he remained similarly employed throughout the island’s siege, latterly as Divisional Sea Transport Officer in the acting rank of Captain. He was Mentioned in Despatches for his part in the rescue operations of the M.V. Essex on the occasion she was hit by a heavy bomb while being unloaded in harbour - miraculously her cargo of thousands of tons of ammunition did not explode. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in October 1942 for his services as D.S.T.O. during an important convoy to Malta in March and April 1942, and was released from service in early 1945. Sold with copied research.

A Great War D.S.O. group of three awarded to Lieutenant J. Martin, Royal Naval Reserve and Mercantile Marine, who was decorated and commissioned for his zeal and devotion to duty on the occasion that the lightly armed merchantman Caspian was attacked and sunk by the German submarine U-34 in May 1917; the Captain having being killed, he took charge, only abandoning the ship after 23 of her crew were dead and all ammunition was spent - he later commanded the Q-ships Dargle and Fresh Hope 1917-18 Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top riband bar; British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. J. Martin, R.N.R.) good very fine (3) £1,000-£1,400 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- D.S.O. London Gazette 19 December 1917: ‘In recognition of zeal and devotion to duty shown in carrying on the trade of the country during the War.’ James Martin, a native of Sunderland, was born in 1847 and was granted a temporary commission as a Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve on 10 August 1915, aged 68. He was given command of the Admiralty trawler Filey from 30 August, armed with one 12 pounder gun. The following year he was discharged from the Royal Naval Reserve and had his commission cancelled due to misconduct in being drunk on board his ship on 20 January 1916. However, finding employment as Chief Officer of the lightly armed merchantman S.S. Caspian of the Mercantile Marine, Martin was to be redeemed by his actions the following year when on 20 May 1917, the highly successful German submarine U-34 attacked the S.S. Caspian 3.5 miles off Alicante. During an action lasting over two hours, in which the Master, Arthur Douse, and 23 members of the crew were killed, Martin was left in charge of the Caspian and only after all the ammunition was used, the surviving crew members took to the boats. The U-boat then took just three prisoners aboard (the Chief Engineer, 2nd Officer and a gunner) and then proceeded to torpedo and sink the Caspian. Chief Officer Martin was awarded the D.S.O. for his zeal and devotion to duty on this occasion and gazetted a Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve once more, later receiving his award at the hands of the King at Buckingham Palace on 11 September 1918. He was 70 years old at the time of the action and was stated at the time to be the oldest man ever to have won the decoration. Three other crew members received the D.S.C. Martin’s re-appointment as Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve was dated 19 May 1917 and he was given command of the Q-ship Dargle in the following month, a topsail schooner fitted out with a 4-inch and two 12-pounders. Operating out of Lerwick, she certainly had a number of encounters with enemy submarines. In a lengthy patrol report sent to the Admiral Commanding, Orkney and Shetland, on 16 August 1917, Martin expressed his doubts about the Dargle’s suitability for Q-ship operations: ‘It is my opinion that this vessel owing to her uncommon build is marked and suspected by enemy submarines of being armed. Three times in my experience submarines have been in the vicinity and no attempt made to attack us has been made until we had a torpedo fired at us. As a decoy ship she is a failure, and I should recommend her being handed back to her owners, and the guns, engines and material being taken out of her and fitted in a vessel more serviceable.’ Martin’s report swiftly invoked the Admiral Commanding to send a scathing report to the C.-in-C. Grand Fleet: ‘I consider that the present Commanding Officer of the Special Service Vessel Dargle is not suitable for appointment in command of a Special Service Vessel. Lieutenant J. Martin, R.N.R., is of an excitable temperament which is most undesirable. At various interviews he has not impressed me or members of my staff as being a suitable officer for his present command. He is constantly using his motors and does not appear to realise the importance of making his vessel look like a peaceful merchant ship, as will be seen from the letter of the Rear-Admiral, Stornaway ... I am therefore desirous of giving her another trial under a new Commanding Officer and submit that Lieutenant Martin may be relieved.’ As a result, according to Carson Ritchie’s Q-Ships: ‘Martin resigned from his command on the grounds of ill-health, but Captain James Startin, Senior Naval Officer, Granton, who felt that he was a very capable officer, but ‘certainly difficult as regards naval etiquette and discipline’, had him transferred to another vessel. A year later, as commander of the Fresh Hope, another sailing Q-ship, Martin justified this good opinion by bringing the fore-and-aft schooner into an encounter with a U-boat on which he scored four direct hits.’ Lieutenant Martin was placed on the retired list on 28 June 1920 and died in 1929 aged 82. Sold with copied research and medal roll extracts, that shows that the recipient additionally received the 1914-15 Star. Another Lieutenant J. Martin (John Martin) is also on the medal roll of the Royal Naval Reserve, also entitled to a 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal.

Five: Bombardier C. West, Royal Field Artillery 1914 Star, with copy clasp (30341 Gnr: C. West. R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (30341 A-Bomb. C. West. R.A.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Iraq (30341 Bmbr. C. West. R.A.); Army L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (1045228 Bmbr. C. West. R.F.A.) heavy contact marks, heavily polished and worn, nearly fair (5) £100-£140 --- Charles West attested for the Royal Field Artillery and served with the 7th Divisional Ammunition Column during the Great War on the Western Front from 6 October 1914. Sold with copied medal roll extracts.

A rare Second War armed merchant cruiser operations D.S.M. group of eleven awarded to Leading Seaman L. R. V. White, Royal Fleet Reserve, late Mercantile Marine and Royal Navy, who was decorated for his gallant deeds in the famous South Atlantic clash between the Carnarvon Castle and enemy raider Thor. He was subsequently Mentioned in Despatches for his bravery when L.S.T. 422 was lost in a mine-field during a violent storm off Anzio on 26 January 1944 with the loss of over 450 lives Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (P.J. 49705 L. R. V. White, L./S., H.M.S. Carnarvon Castle); British War Medal 1914-20 (J. 49705 L. R. V. White, A.B., R.N.); Mercantile Marine War Medal 1914-18 (Leonard R. V. White); Victory Medal 1914-19 (J. 49705 L. R. V. White, A.B., R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, coinage bust (J. 49705 (PO. B. 17439) L. R. V. White, L.S., R.F.R.) minor official corrections to naming on the first and last, the three Great War awards with edge bruising and polished, thus fine, the remainder good very fine and better (11) £1,800-£2,200 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Strong Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, May 2011. D.S.M. London Gazette 6 June 1941: ‘For great courage and devotion to duty in action against an armed merchant raider.’ The original recommendation states: ‘On the occasion of the action between H.M.S. Carnarvon Castle and a German armed raider on 5 December 1940, with all lights out, owing to the circuits being cut by a shell, and a hit just over the magazine causing a fire, he carried out his duty with the utmost courage, in the most trying conditions.’ M.I.D. London Gazette 1 August 1944. The original commendation from the Commander-in-Chief states: ‘It has been brought to my notice that on 26 January 1944, when L.S.T. 422 was lost by enemy action, the officers and ratings named above displayed great courage and devotion to duty in remaining aboard their ship, endeavouring to save her although she was heavily on fire and known to be carrying petrol and ammunition. The officers and ratings concerned are to be commended on their behaviour which was in accordance with the highest traditions of the Service.’ Leonard Richard Vincent White was born in Southampton, Hampshire in February 1900 and entered the Mercantile Marine as boy seaman in 1915, in which year he served in the Essequibo, Soudan and Walmer Castle. Transferring to the Royal Navy in February 1916, he served as a Boy 1st Class in H.M.S. Patia from May 1917 until January 1918, and, with the exception of three months ashore in early 1918, as an Able Seaman in H.M. Yacht Vanessa until the end of hostilities, his service record noting that he shared in the prize bounty for the destruction of a U-Boat - most probably the U-107 which fell victim to a depth-charge attack delivered by the Vanessa off the Yorkshire coast on 27 July 1918, confirmation of her “kill” including the headless body of a German sailor. Transferring to the Royal Fleet Reserve as a Leading Seaman in February 1930, White was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in April 1933 and mobilised in his old rate on the renewal of hostilities in September 1939, when he joined the armed merchant cruiser Carnarvon Castle, in which capacity he was still serving at the time of her famous clash with the German raider Thor in the South Atlantic on 5 December 1940. Kenneth Poolman’s Armed Merchant Cruisers takes up the story: ‘Twenty minutes after the first shots had been fired the range was down to 14,000 yards, which gave Carnarvon Castle’s old guns a chance. Soon both ships were within range of each other. The German turned to port. Carnarvon Castle’s electrical fire control communications were badly shot up, making salvo firing difficult, but her gunners thought they had made hits on the enemy’s stern. The raider turned to starboard, made smoke and retired behind it, then reappeared again and opened fire with her starboard battery in four-gun salvos. At 8.38 p.m. Carnarvon Castle was rapidly closing the range when two torpedoes were sighted from the bridge, their white tracks on slightly diverging courses. Hardy turned the big A.M.C. under full helm to starboard and steered between them, and they passed harmlessly fifty yards away on either beam. Four minutes later the range was down to 8,000 yards. Thor, with the British shells going over her, turned right round to bring her port battery to bear once more, and hit Carnarvon Castle’s upperworks repeatedly, setting her on fire in several places. At ten minutes past nine Hardy decided to open the range and get the fires under control behind a smoke screen. All his fire control circuits were disabled and his guns in individual control. The haze had increased, and the enemy was continually turning smoke on and off, making spotting through the splashes of her shots very difficult and hitting a matter of luck, but from Carnarvon Castle they saw a shell burst under the enemy’s bridge at the extreme range of 14,000 yards. After that the A.M.Cs shells were falling short, while the German 5.9s were pitching round her. The raider continued firing until the range had opened to 18,000 yards. Hardy altered course to try and keep in touch, but the enemy disappeared behind his smokescreen and the ever increasing haze, steaming at 18 knots towards the north-east. Thor’s old guns were giving trouble with leaking recoil cylinders and barrels that would not train properly, but the Carnarvon Castle was in a far worse condition. It was 11.15 before she had put out all her fires. In view of her extensive damage Captain Hardy decided to steer for Montevideo. Commodore Pegram, who had succeeded Harwood in command of the South American Divison at the end of August, met Carnarvon Castle on 6 December in the cruiser Enterprise, inspected her damage and ordered her into Montevideo for repair, then sent Enterprise north to look for her opponent, but the raider had disappeared. Carnarvon Castle buried her six dead and reached Montevideo at 7 p.m. on 7 December with her sick bay full of wounded. Asturias returned to the South American Division once more, as her relief. The ship was too badly damaged to go into action again immediately, though there was no immediate need to dock her. The Uruguayan authorities granted her seventy-two hours to make immediate essential repairs. In contrast to the cold reception given to the Graf Spee a year previously when she had sought refuge from Admiral Harwood’s squadron, local repair firms were eager to offer their services to the British A.M.C., and some of the plates cut from the pocket battleship’s scuttled hulk out in the estuary were actually used to patch up Carnarvon Castle’s shell holes. With temporary repairs completed, Carnarvon Castle left for Table Bay, Cape Town. She was saluted by a special guard of honour as she passed through the harbour entrance.’ White, whose actions prevented the magazine blowing-up, was awarded the D.S.M., one of five ratings from Carnarvon Castle to be gazetted for the same distinction in June 1941, and he received his decoration at a Buckingham Palace investiture in April 1942, taking with him his wife and son to Buckingham Palace. As he late wrote: ‘It was shortly before that my wife lost all her family in an air raid.’ Departing the armed merchant cruiser in the following month, he served at the gunnery establishment Vernon and the Greenock base Orlando...

The rare Scinde campaign medal for the battle of Meeanee awarded to Acting Master W. T. Cole, Indian Marine, commanding the Honourable Company’s Vessel Planet Meeanee 1843 (W: T: Cole Act. Mr. Com. H:C:V: Planet) officially impressed naming, fitted with original German silver bar suspension, small edge bruise and minor contact marks, otherwise good very 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 --- --- Provenance: Glendining’s, May 1963; Brian Ritchie Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, March 2005. Only 32 medals with the Meeanee reverse issued to European recipients aboard the Planet (16), with Cole in command, and the Satellite (16). Of these, four recipients from the Planet and five from the Satellite failed to claim their medals. These were returned to the India Office and probably melted down, leaving as few as twenty-three medals actually issued. Cole’s medal was despatched to India in 1850. W. T. Cole was appointed Acting Master in the Indian Marine on 31 January 1841, and placed in command of the Honourable Company’s Vessel Planet on 31 March 1842. The Planet, a 397-ton iron river gunboat built at Bombay in 1840, was employed with the Indus Flotilla of six vessels, under Captain A. H. Nott, Indian Navy. The flotilla was used to convey Sir Charles Napier’s army from Sukkur to the left bank of the Indus. Thereafter, the 60 horse-power Planet, together with the H.C.V. Satellite, was detached to accompany the army on its march to Hyderabad and prevent hostile bands from cutting communications. On 15 February 1843, the Planet was moored on the river about five hundred yards from the British Residency at Hyderabad, when the building was attacked at about nine o’clock in the morning by 8,000 Baluchis with six guns under Meer Shahdad Khan, one of the principal Amirs of Scinde. The Residency was defended on three sides by the Light Company of the 22nd Regiment, under Captain Thomas Conway, while on the fourth or river side its approaches were covered by Planet’s two 6-pounder pivot guns. Although heavily outnumbered and limited, according to the Resident, Major James Outram, to fifty rounds per man, the defenders in the Residency compound held off repeated attacks assisted by Cole, who directed a flanking fire from the Planet, for three hours. It was hoped that the Satellite would come up with reinforcements and ammunition, but when the vessel appeared, it was ascertained that she carried neither. At about 11 a.m., Outram told Conway that he required one hour in which to destroy important papers, and once this was completed the order was given to retire to the steamers. Covered by a small rear guard, Outram’s Escort, carrying their dead and wounded with them, fell back across the marshes to the vessels. On reaching the river bank, Outram ordered the Satellite to proceed up stream to the ‘wood station’ to procure a sufficiency of fuel lest the enemy should arrive there first and set fire to it. Cole’s Planet meanwhile took in tow a barge moored to the shore. ‘This’, wrote Outram later that day in his report to Napier, ‘being a work of some time, during which a hot fire was opened on the vessel from three guns which the enemy brought to bear on her, besides small arms, and requiring much personal exposure of the crew (especially of Mr Cole, the commander of the vessel). I deem it my duty to bring to your favourable notice their zealous exertions on the occasion, and also to express my obligation to Messrs. Miller [commander of the Satellite] and Cole for the flanking fire they maintained on the enemy during their attacks on the Agency, and for their support during the retirement and embarkation of the troops’ (London Gazette 7 April 1843). Both vessels were harried by the enemy, who pursued for about three miles and occasionally opened up their guns, but at length, the steamers got clear and reached Napier’s camp at Hala. Next day, Napier, having decided to attack the enemy at Meeanee on the 17th, detached a force of 200 Sepoys under Outram in the Planet and the Satellite to set fire to a wood in which the enemy’s left flank was thought to be posted. The operation was carried out at about 9 o’clock without difficulty, although it was later learnt that the enemy had moved some eight miles to the right during the night. Nevertheless, Napier considered the incendiarism had ‘some effect on the enemy’. Between January 1844 and April 1846, Cole was employed at Bombay.

The important Great War D.S.O., D.S.C. and Bar, Second World War O.B.E. group of nine awarded to Group Captain B. D. ‘Billiken’ Hobbs, Royal Canadian Air Force, late Royal Naval Air Service, who, in a matter of months, was credited with the confirmed destruction of the Zeppelin L. 43, the sinking of the UC-6 and the probable sinking of another enemy submarine - the whole as a pilot of Large American Seaplanes operating out of Felixstowe’s famous ‘Spider’s Web’ His family having moved to Canada in 1900, he was taught to fly at his own expense in 1912 by a certain Orville Wright, became the most decorated pilot of the ‘Aero Club of America’ to have joined the British flying services, and went on to complete the first trans-Canada flight before becoming a founder member of the Royal Canadian Air Force Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamels, with integral top ribbon bar; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar, hallmarked London 1917, the reverse privately engraved, ‘Flt. S. Lieut. Basil D. Hobbs, D.S.O. R.N.A.S. 22 June 1917’; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Flt. Lt. B. D. Hobbs, R.A.F.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Canadian Voluntary Service Medal 1939-45, with overseas clasp; War Medal 1939-45, silver, mounted court-style as worn, the first with loose obverse centre, otherwise generally good very fine (9) £16,000-£20,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards formed by R. C. Witte, Dix Noonan Webb, December 2007. D.S.O. London Gazette 20 July 1917. O.B.E. London Gazette 14 June 1945. The original recommendation states: ‘Group Captain Hobbs has served with distinction throughout an extensive period of war service. As Commanding Officer of Royal Canadian Air Force Station, Patricia Bay, he has carried out his duties in an exemplary manner. At all times he has given his best to the service and all personnel under him have profited by his experience, good judgement, and fine leadership. This officer's record throughout his career has been outstanding. By his splendid devotion to duty, initiative, and efficiency he has rendered highly meritorious service to the Royal Canadian Air Force.’ D.S.C. London Gazette 22 June 1917. Bar to D.S.C. London Gazette 30 November 1917: ‘For services in action with enemy submarines.’ Basil Deacon ‘Billiken’ Hobbs was born in Reading, Berkshire on 20 December 1894, and was educated at the Public and High Schools of Sault Saint Marie in Ontario, where his family had settled as farmers in 1900. A keen student of early aviation, he obtained lessons from Orville Wright at Dayton, Ohio, paying the master pilot a rate of one dollar a minute for his expertise, and notching up a grand total of four hours’ flying time before enrolling as a trainee in the ‘Aero Club of America’. With the advent of hostilities in August 1914, he made his way to the U.K. and joined the Royal Naval Air Service, and qualified for his “Wings” in December 1915. Having then been commissioned as a Flight Sub-Lieutenant, he qualified on American Large Seaplanes and went operational out of Felixstowe in early 1917, gaining his first D.S.C. for a U-Boat claim on 12 March. Indeed his ensuing operational career with Felixstowe’s famous ‘Spider Web’ seaplane patrol would witness several highly successful encounters with the enemy, but none would match up to the magnitude of the results he achieved on the night of 14 June: ‘I have the honour to submit the following report of a Zeppelin patrol carried out in Large American Seaplane No. 8677 this morning. In accordance with your orders, we proceeded at 5.15 a.m. B.S.T. and at 7.30 a.m. after making good course 72 magnetic, we sighted the Dutch coast at Vlieland, where we altered course for Felixstowe. At 8.40 a.m., we were again over Vlieland at 500 feet when we sighted a Zeppelin five miles away on our starboard bow at about 1,500 feet, steering due North. Its approximate position was 53 20 N. 4 40 E. We at once proceeded to attack at full speed, climbing 2,000 feet. Flight Lieutenant B. D. Hobbs was piloting the machine, Sub-Lieutenant R. F. L. Dickey manned the bow gun, W./T. Operator H. M. Davis (A.M. II, 20254) manned the midship gun, and A.M.T. (Engineer) A. W. Goody (F. 12237) manned the stern gun. As we approached the Zeppelin, we dived for her tail at about 100 knots. Her number L. 43 was observed on the tail and bow, and also a Maltese Cross in a black circle. The midship gun opened fire with tracer ammunition, and when about 100 feet above Sub-Lieutenant Dickey opened fire with Brock and Pomeroy ammunition as the machine passed diagonally over the tail from starboard to port. After two bursts the Zeppelin burst into flames. Cutting off engines we turned sharply to starboard and passed over her again. She was by this time completely enveloped in flames and falling very fast. Three men were observed to fall out on her way down. Flames and black smoke were observed for some time after wreckage reached the water. We then set course for Felixstowe arriving at 11.15 a.m.’ (Hobbs’ official report, refers). So ended the three-month career of Zeppelin L. 43, Hobbs being awarded the D.S.O., Dickey the D.S.C., and Davis and Goody D.S.M.s. On 17 June, once more in American Large Seaplane No. 8677, with Flight Sub-Lieutenant R. F. L. Dickey as 2nd pilot and gunner, Hobbs probably destroyed an enemy seaplane off the coast of Vlieland: ‘The hostile machine maintained a continuous machine-gun fire and circled round attempting to get under the rail of our seaplane, which, however, successfully outmanoeuvred the enemy machine, and opened fire with both forward and rear guns. Several bursts were observed to penetrate the fuselage and others to take effect on the nose and tail of the machine. The enemy Observer disappeared from view, presumably wounded, the firing ceased and the machine broke off the action, pursuing an erratic course to the eastward, firing two red signal lights, and was lost to view close to the water ... ’ (R.N.A.S. operational report No. 36, for the period 16-30 June 1917. refers). Another ‘probable’ was claimed by Hobbs and Dickey in No. 8677 on 15 September, on this occasion an enemy submarine. R.N.A.S. operational report No. 41 for the period 1-15 September 1917 takes up the story: ‘Large American Seaplane No. 8677 left Felixstowe at 0645 on a convoy patrol and at 0730 the conning tower of a hostile submarine was sighted at a distance of not more than half a mile, and almost in a direct line with the seaplane’s course. The submarine appeared to be rising, but must have sighted the seaplane, as it commenced to submerge almost immediately. It was steering due North, and the conning tower, painted a very light grey colour, was clearly visible. The seaplane, which was flying at a height of 1,000 feet, and at a speed of 60 knots, increased its speed to 80 knots, and, flying over the submarine, the conning tower of which was still showing, released two 230lb. bombs. Both bombs were observed to explode in the centre of the wash, about 10 feet ahead of the conning tower (which by this time was submerged) and in line with it. The seaplane circled for some time, and observed a large patch of dark brown oil, which seemed to spread very quickly, calming the water - which was very rough ...

The M.V.O. group of three awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Lascelles, The Rifle Brigade, formerly Aide-de-Camp to Sir William Peel as a fifteen year old Naval Cadet with Shannon’s Naval Brigade The Royal Victorian Order, M.V.O. (4th Class) breast badge, silver-gilt, gold and enamels, the reverse officially numbered 434, in its Collingwood & Co case of issue, this also numbered 4/434; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, 1 clasp, Lucknow (H. A. Lascelles, Naval Cadet. Shannon) fitted with silver ribbon buckle, first initial corrected; Ashantee 1873-74, 1 clasp, Coomassie (Capt. H. A. Lascelles, 2nd Bn. Rifle Bde. 1873-4) fitted with silver ribbon buckle, contact marks, otherwise about very fine, the first extremely fine (3) £5,000-£7,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Brian Ritchie Collection, March 2005. Henry Arthur Lascelles, the fourth son of the Right Honourable W. S. S. Lascelles, P.C., M.P., and the eldest daughter of the 6th Earl of Carlisle, was born on 4 December 1842, and entered the Royal Navy in 1855. In March 1857 he was one of seven Naval Cadets who sailed in H.M.S. Shannon (510 officers, men and boys, under Captain William Peel, V.C., R.N.) for the China Station. On the Shannon being diverted to India and the formation of the famous Naval Brigade, Lascelles accompanied the first party of 408 officers and men under Peel’s personal command up the Ganges on 18 August 1857, to Allalahabad, where the entire Brigade concentrated by 20 October. On the 27th, Lascelles continued the journey up country to Cawnpore with a party of 170 men and two 8-inch howitzers under, Shannon’s gunnery officer, Lieutenant Young, R.N. However, when the larger part of this detachment went on with the main body of the Naval Brigade to take part in the Second Relief of Lucknow, Cadets Lascelles and Watson, both barely fifteen years old, were left behind in an entrenched camp north east of Cawnpore with Lieutenant Hay’s rifle company of some fifty Bluejackets and Marines, and two naval 24-pounders, in General Windham’s force. Towards the end of November 1857 a body of rebels, which was being continually reinforced, appeared to the south of the city. To prevent them concentrating, Windham applied to Sir Colin Campbell for permission to take offensive action. Having received no answer after a week he determined to attack the main body. On the 25th a successful advance was made and four guns were taken from the mutineers of the Gwalior Contingent. Three days later, however, Windham was surprised by the enemy who opened a rapid artillery fire on the British forward camp. The Naval guns were immediately sent up to the junction of the Delhi and Calpee roads and returned fire for half an hour before running out of ammunition, whereupon the enemy infantry came on in strength and the British infantry, consisting of two battalions of the Rifle Brigade and H.M’s 88th Regiment, were ordered to fall back. As the Bluejackets and Marines were frantically trying to harness their guns to bullock teams, a shrapnel shell burst overhead causing the draught animals to stampede. In the words of Cadet Watson it then became ‘a case of every man for himself’, and the guns were temporarily abandoned. The ensuing rescue bid to retrieve the guns was made by the Bluejackets, the 88th and the Rifle Brigade who used their rifle slings in place of the missing traces. Lascelles, having determined to distinguish himself, went forward with the rescue party, but being too small and lacking the strength to be of much use in dragging the guns away, seized instead the rifle of a wounded man of the 88th Regiment and joined them in a bayonet charge. With the evacuation of Lucknow completed, Sir Colin Campbell returned to see off the rebel forces harassing Windham’s entrenchment. Cadet Watson wrote, ‘On the 29th Lascelles and I were looking over the parapet when we saw a round shot kick up the dust just outside, and over it came, just over us. Lascelles slipped and I bobbed to avoid it, and over we went both of us together! Such a jolly lark we had, and everyone laughing at us. On the 30th Sir Colin Campbell, from Lucknow, having heard the news of our being shut up, arrived with a large force to our rescue, with jolly old Captain Peel.’ Peel, the remarkable son of the great statesman, Sir Robert, now appointed Lascelles and Watson his Aides-de-Camp. Captain Oliver Jones, R.N., a Half-Pay officer who had come out to India ‘for a lark’ to see what fighting could be done, was evidently impressed with the youngsters’ sang froid: ‘Peel’s A.D.C’s’ he wrote, were ‘fine little Mids., about fifteen years old, who used to stick to him like his shadow under whatever fire he went, and seemed perfectly indifferent to the whizzing of bullets or the plunging of cannon-balls’. Early on the morning of the Third Battle of Cawnpore, on 6 December, Peel called his A.D.C’s and told them that there was to be ‘a grand attack’ and that they were ‘not to run and blow and go head over heels and get out of breath’. At about nine o’clock they moved off on foot, jogging alongside Peel’s horse, and after a preliminary bombardment of the rebel position, the enemy were driven back. The real work of the day then began with Lascelles and Watson joining the pursuit through and beyond the rebel camp for no less than ten miles. ‘It was most awfully exciting’, Watson told his Mama afterwards, though he was also forced to admit, ‘the only way I could keep up ... was to say to my self “Hoicks over, Hoicks over, Fox Ahead!”’. That night Lascelles and Watson slept deeply if not comfortably under a captured gun. Lascelles went on to take part in the capture of Futtehghur, the action of Kallee Nuddee and the final capture of Lucknow where with Mate Edmund Verney, Lieutenant Vaughan and Midshipman Lord Walter Kerr, he went forward amidst the dead and the dying to have a look at the Kaiserbagh. Here, however, they met Sir Colin Campbell who interrupted their sight seeing by ordering them to man a captured gun and turn it on the enemy still holding out close by. For his services in the Mutiny Lascelles received a mention in despatches on 29 July 1858 from Vaughan, who had been instructed by the late and much lamented Sir William Peel, who had died from smallpox, to write a letter to their Lordships at the Admiralty giving an account of the movements of the Brigade and bringing to their Lordships attention those whom he had not had the opportunity of publicly mentioning in despatches. Thus, Vaughan concluded his list with the names of Mr H. A. Lascelles and Mr E. S. Watson, ‘Aides-de-Camp to Sir William Peel, and always in attendance on him in action.’ In 1860, Lascelles left the Navy and was commissioned Ensign in the Rifle Brigade. Promoted Lieutenant in 1865 and Captain in 1872, he embarked with the 2nd Battalion in 1874 to take part in the second phase of the Ashanti War, during which he was present at the battle of Amoaful, advance guard skirmishes and ambuscade actions between Adwabin and the River Ordah, the battle of Ordahsu and the capture of Coomassie. He retired as a Major in February 1882 and was given the Honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He married the following year, Caroline, the daughter of the Hon. C. Gore, and became Assistant Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for War. He eventually settled in West Sussex at Woolbeding House, near Midhurst, where he was instrumental in raising considerable funds for the building of the King Edward VII Sanatorium a...

The notable Northern Ireland and South Atlantic campaign group of three awarded to Sergeant (later Lieutenant) I. D. Fisk, Royal Marines, who was mentioned in despatches for gallantry whilst serving as Missile/Gun Director aboard H.M.S. Yarmouth, when during repeated Argentine air attacks ‘his efforts were rewarded by at least two confirmed kills’ General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Northern Ireland (P028197B I. D. Fisk L. Cpl RM); South Atlantic 1982, with rosette and M.I.D. oak leaf (Sgt I D Fisk P028197B RM); Royal Navy L.S. &  G.C., E.II.R., 2nd issue (Lt I D Fisk RM) mounted as worn, good very fine (3) £4,000-£5,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, May 2016. M.I.D. London Gazette 8 October 1982. The original recommendation states: 'During the period of the Falklands conflict, Sergeant Fisk served as Missile/Gun Director (Visual) in H.M.S. Yarmouth. In the period prior to hostilities he used considerable initiative to acquire and mount extra close range Anti-Aircraft weapons on the upper deck and trained crews to use them. During hostilities and, in particular, during amphibious operations in San Carlos Water the days following (21 May-2 June), the ship came under numerous air attacks. Throughout these attacks Sergeant Fisk conducted the close range Air defence of the ship from his exposed position on the G.D.P. with exceptional vigour, courage and leadership. His efforts were rewarded by at least two confirmed kills and several other aircraft were damaged or deterred by close range weapons. Throughout long periods of less immediate danger, but often in appalling weather, between late April and late June he sustained the morale and vigilance of his lookouts and weapon crews in their exposed positions. Although no single act of gallantry or leadership can be cited, Sergeant Fisk's stamina, courage and leadership made a major contribution to the effectiveness of the ship over a prolonged period and are worthy of recognition.’ A further endorsement on his recommendation, signed by Admiral J. D. E. Fieldhouse, states: ‘Sergeant Fisk showed outstanding courage, resource and leadership during repeated air attacks. He is recommended for the award of a Mention in Despatches.’ Ian David Fisk joined H.M.S. Yarmouth in August 1981 and had been serving in the Royal Marines for 12 years at the time of being recommended for his “Mention” in June 1982. The Yarmouth was a Type 12 Rothsay Class Frigate and steamed almost 40,000 miles in the period April-July 1982, often in atrocious conditions. She arrived off the Falklands in late April and quickly saw action. When on 4 May Sheffield was hit by an Exocet missile, Arrow and Yarmouth having narrowly been missed by a second missile, went to her aid. While Arrow was fighting the fire, Yarmouth fought off a possible submarine attack. She then joined Arrow alongside Sheffield and fought the fire until the destroyer was abandoned and the survivors taken off. For the next four days of foggy weather Yarmouth remained with the carrier group, before being despatched to take the still floating Sheffield in tow. She went along­ side the stricken ship in the early hours of 9 May and passed a tow. For twenty-nine hours Sheffield, with her White Ensign still flying, was towed much of the time in daylight and within range of enemy aircraft until, as the wind increased to gale force, the towed ship heeled over and, at 7a.m. on 10 May, sank. Yarmouth headed back towards the Task Force. A week of storms followed and Yarmouth, the oldest escort ship in the Tank Force, rode out the weather with no damage despite her twenty-two years. On 19 May, the amphibious landing group arrived, joined the Task Force and headed West to the Falkland Sound. The amphibious landing took place in the early hours of the 21 May in San Carlos Water. Yarmouth’s task was to provide anti-submarine and anti-air Protection. Throughout the bright, sunny day she patrolled in Falkland Sound as enemy Mirage and A4 aircraft attacked both the landing area in San Carlos Water and the ships protecting the landing force. During one such attack in the afternoon, Ardent was hit and set on fire. Shortly afterwards a wave of Skyhawks again attacked Ardent which immediately began to list and to burn more fiercely. Yarmouth went to her aid and took off the ship's company as the fire spread towards the magazines. She then headed for San Carlos Water where she transferred Ardent’s crew to the Canberra before resuming her patrol in the Sound. The next ten days saw Yarmouth in San Carlos Water by day and leaving at dusk each night to carry out a variety of tasks including shore bombardment, anti-submarine patrols, covert operations and escorting merchant ships to and from the landing area. Each morning at dawn she returned to San Carlos Water to provide anti-aircraft protection for the landing ships. This was a particularly testing, time for the two hundred and fifty men onboard as they spent the daylight hours at Action Stations, subject to frequent air attacks, and with little time for sleep at night. Many ships present at that time suffered damage from air attacks and only the concentrated fire of Yarmouth’s 4.5, inch and 20mm. guns, Seacat missile and small arms kept the enemy air­craft at bay. After this testing period, Yarmouth sailed East to the repair area and spent two days with a repair ship where she carried out essential maintenance before rejoining the Task Force. Most nights during the following week 6-13 June the ship was in­volved in bombarding enemy positions to the West of Port Stanley with her 4.5 inch guns. During the conflict she fired well over a thousand rounds, some thirty-two tons of shells. The ship’s machinery performed marvellously as Yarmouth dashed nearly two hundred miles each way to and from the Islands at high speed to carry out the bombardment by night and arrive back with the battle group to replenish fuel and ammunition before heading inshore once more. On one such mission the ship encountered a small coaster packed with Gurkhas and essential supplies, immobilised by a rope around her propeller and prey for enemy aircraft. Yarmouth’s diving team freed her screws, and the vessel was able to proceed to Goose Green. On another night the frigate stood by and provided firefighting and medical aid to the Glamorgan when the destroyer was hit by an Exocet missile fired from shore near Port Stanley. After Port Stanley had been re-taken, Yarmouth was despatched to South Georgia, an island of glaciers and icebergs, and from there to Southern Thule to join Endurance and enforce the surrender of the Argentine contingent there. She later took the prisoners of war from South Georgia to Port Stanley.­ On 7 July, after several more days patrolling with the Battle Group, she began her eight thousand mile voyage home in company with Exeter and Cardiff.  Apart from invincible she was the last of the original Task Force to leave the area.

The rare Second War crossing of the Elbe M.M. awarded to Marine D. Towler, 45 Commando, Royal Marines. As a sniper at the crossing of the Rhine in March 1945, ‘he kept the Huns jittery near the factory area in Wesel’, where he ‘killed at least ten and wounded others in thirty-six hours fighting’; as his Troop’s Bren gunner at the Elbe crossing in April 1945, he faced off two enemy attacks: ‘two dead Germans were within 10 yards of his gun and eleven others dead or wounded in the immediate vicinity’ Military Medal, G.VI.R. (EX.4188 Mne. D. Towler. R. Marines.) in its named card box of issue, extremely fine £1,800-£2,200 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- M.M. London Gazette 7 August 1945: ‘For distinguished service whilst attached to the Allied Armies in the invasion operations in North-West Europe.’ The original recommendation states: ‘On the night of the Elbe crossing Mne. Towler was a Bren Gunner in D Troop 45 RM Commando. His Troop became involved in confused street fighting in the dark on its way to its objective. Mne. Towler was ordered to take up a position to cover a flank whilst his Troop pushed on. He selected a position in a house and engaged the enemy immediately. A section attack was put in against his house by the enemy. This was beaten off by steady and accurate shooting. As his ammunition was getting low, Mne. Towler sent his No. 2 of the gun to get more. During his absence another attempt was made by the enemy to dislodge Mne. Towler. Again this was beaten off. When his No. 2 returned together with a sub section to assist, there was only one magazine left containing a few rounds. Two dead Germans were within ten yards of the gun and eleven other dead or wounded in the immediate vicinity. Although Mne. Towler was not actually wounded he was considerably grazed by brick splinters and stones raised by the 2cm. flak guns which were used against his position. Mne. Towler's tenacity and determination was largely responsible for this troop being able to push on, without undue interference, to their objective.’ Douglas Towler was an employee of the Northern Co-operative Dairies in Aberdeen prior to joining the Royal Marines. Having then volunteered for special service, he joined 45 R.M. Commando on its formation in August 1943. As part of the 1st Special Service Brigade under Brigadier Lord Lovat, ‘45’ took heavy casualties on coming ashore on Gold Beach on D-Day, suffering a loss of three officers and 17 men killed or wounded, and one officer and 28 men missing. Those grim statistics were depressingly enlarged upon in the coming weeks of the Normandy campaign, up until ‘45’s’ withdrawal to the U.K. for a ‘refit’ in September 1944 Now part of First Commando Brigade, ‘45’ returned to an operational footing in Holland in January 1945, and was quickly in action at the battle of Montforterbeek, where Lance-Corporal Eric Harden of the R.A.M.C., attached to the Commando, gained a posthumous V.C. A costly attack on Belle Isle on the Mass having followed, among other actions, Towler and his comrades were next deployed to the crossing of the Rhine on the night of 23-24 March 1945. Their objective was Wesel, where Towler received a shrapnel wound but remained on duty. In fact, as evidenced by an accompanying local newspaper report, he took a heavy toll on the enemy: ‘Marine Dougles Towler of 12 Hayton Road, Aberdeen, a former employee of the Northern Co-operative Dairies, was the Commando man who kept the Huns jittery near a factory area in Wesel after the Rhine crossing. With the Jerries sometimes only twenty-five yards away, Towler, a sniper, kept picking them off and killed at least ten and wounded others in thirty-six hours’ fighting. “As the Huns were so near,” he said, “I kept changing my position in case they started mortaring me. Every time one showed himself, I let go at him. I was in the factory area on one side of the railway and the Germans on the other side of the railway lines. On one occasion I noticed they were forming up for a counter-attack, so I covered a little gap in the hedge. Sure enough, the Jerries kept passing by, and I just shot them down. The counter-attack never materialised. A German twelve-man patrol once approached my position, so I opened fire, and the patrol disappeared. As the enemy were so near the only answer was sniping to make them keep their heads down and keep them jittery. I saw many of them when I fired just cut their equipment off and make a bolt for it.” Towler is regarded among his Commando officers as a man who always keeps his finger on the trigger.’ Indeed, Towler certainly lived up to his reputation in Operation ‘Enterprise’, the Elbe crossing on the night of 28-29 April 1945, when ‘45’ were embarked in Buffaloes before advancing on the town of Lauenberg. Here, as cited above, he performed most gallant work in facing off two spirited German attacks with his Bren gun, thereby adding to his growing tally of enemy dead. In his book Commando Men, Bryan Samain relates the story of how Towler’s ‘B’ Troop carried out an attack on an enemy ack-ack battery the following day. In it he refers to ‘a young Scots Bren-gunner, Marine Norman Towler’. Given the latter’s fearless conduct on that occasion, it seems more likely it was in fact Douglas Towler: ‘Moving off under the command of John Day, the Troop closed to within one hundred yards of the battery. At this stage the Germans suddenly opened up, spraying the road and surrounding buildings with a vicious fusillade of 37-millimetre shells. Baker Troop immediately scattered for cover, and the whole street became alive with orange-coloured flashes as the shells smacked and roared into the already shattered fabric of blasted buildings. The men of Baker Troop crouched low behind what cover they could find, awaiting the order to move forward and assault the battery. Meanwhile, as John Day started to shout preliminary orders above the roar of gunfire, a young Scots Bren-gunner, Marine Norman Towler, got to his feet and coolly returned the enemy fire from an exposed position. For some unknown reason the Germans suddenly stopped firing. Perhaps they were too flabbergasted by Towler’s action to continue: but whatever the reason, it made them lose the day, for Baker Troop seized the initiative and rushed the battery. Within minutes the guns had all been overrun, and something like fifty prisoners rounded up, including some German W.A.A.F.s, who emerged coyly from a series of dugouts.’ Towler was discharged from the Commandos in November 1945, when he was described as ‘an exceptionally fine, upstanding type of soldier.’ Sold with a quantity of original documents, including the recipient’s Buckingham Palace forwarding letter for his M.M., his C.O.’s testimonial and character reference, and a letter to his wife regarding his shrapnel wounds in March 1945, together with some wartime newspaper cuttings and a copy of Bryan Samain’s book Commando Men.

The fine Great War submariner’s D.S.M. group of five awarded to Chief Engine Room Artificer 2nd class R. E. Jupp, Royal Navy; decorated for his prominent part in the E. 11’s famous patrol in the Sea of Marmora in May 1915, he was nonetheless reduced from Chief E.R.A. to C.E.R.A. 2 by Nasmith, V.C., for swearing at his No. 1, Lieutenant D’Oyly-Hughes - in normal circumstances Jupp’s punishment might have been far greater, but Nasmith was acutely aware of his value to the E. 11’s operational future Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (272396. R. E. Jupp, E.R.A. 2 Cl. H.M. Submarine E.11.); 1914-15 Star (272396, R. E. Jupp. D.S.M. E.R.A. 2. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (272396 R. E. Jupp. C.E.R.A. 2 R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (272396 R. E. Jupp. C.E.R.A. 2, H.M.S. Lucia), mounted as worn, contact marks and edge bruising, otherwise generally very fine (5) £4,000-£5,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, June 2006. D.S.M. London Gazette 13 September 1915: ‘For service in submarines in the Sea of Marmora.’ The recommendation states: ‘H.M. Submarine Ell Sea of Marmora 18 May to 7 June 1915. Passed through the Dardanelles on night of 18 May. On 23 May sank Ottoman gunboat Peleng-I Derya and on 24 May sank Naval Auxiliary Naga and S.S. Hunkar Iskelesi. On 25 May the transport ship Stamboul was torpedoed. On 28 May S.S. Bandirma was sunk and on 31 May the troop transport S.S. Madeline Rickmers torpedoed. The S.S. Tecielli was sunk on 2 June and finally on 7 June while passing out through the Dardanelles sank troopship S.S. Ceyhan. In total eleven ships were sunk or disabled during the mission.’ Reginald Jupp was born at Horsham, Sussex in October 1884 and entered the Royal Navy as an Acting Engine Room Artificer 4th Class in July 1907. Transferring to the submarine branch in October 1912, he was serving as an Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class at the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914. Jupp was undoubtedly a forceful character, and one who played a vital role in the E. 11’s remarkable patrols in the Sea of Marmora, a contention which is amply supported by the definitive account of those exploits, namely Dardanelles Patrol, by Peter Shankland and Anthony Hunter, which was first published in 1965 - indeed the authors duly acknowledge Jupp’s valuable contribution to their eye-witness material. From the numerous references to him in the text, it is possible, too, to place Jupp aboard the E. 11 from the commencement of hostilities, so he had earlier shared in her gallant attempt to penetrate the Baltic in October 1914, an operation that was hindered by engine trouble and the regular attention of the enemy; nearly rammed by German patrol vessels on the 19th, she returned home on the following day after being spotted by an aircraft that directed a flotilla of destroyers in pursuit of her; and having survived that ordeal, E. 11 was again nearly rammed after delivering an unsuccessful torpedo strike in Heligoland Bight in December of the same year - her target was an enemy ship returning from the bombardment of Scarborough. As recounted in Dardanelles Patrol, Jupp told Nasmith “Bad luck, sir” when it was apparent the torpedoes had missed, the latter responding, “It’s just as well I missed. She was too close. We would have both gone up together. But I’ll tell you this, Jupp, I won’t smoke or drink till I’ve sunk an enemy warship.” Nor did he. Yet it was, of course, for her subsequent deeds in the Dardanelles campaign in 1915, that the E. 11 won undying fame in the annals of submarine warfare, and Reginald Jupp his D.S.M. The spring of 1915 found the E.11 attached to the Fleet in the Mediterranean and, with Lieutenant-Commander Martin Eric Nasmith in command, she proceeded to make history at a rapid rate. It was in the middle of May that she left for her perilous passage through the Dardanelles, and before she was through them she ran into her first encounter with the enemy. When the Narrows had been successfully negotiated, and the submarine rose to get fresh bearings, two battleships were seen to be lying a little further on. Such an opportunity was not to be let slip without an effort, and, necessarily keeping the periscope above water, Lieutenant-Commander Nasmith at once proceeded to put his boat in a suitable position for launching a torpedo. Unfortunately, the Turks sighted the periscope a minute or two too soon, and instantly the battleships began blazing away with their light guns as hard as they could. At the same time they ‘upped anchor’ and got under way, so there was nothing for it but for the E.11 to dive and hide herself until the furore had subsided. She was far too slow to catch the battleships if she ran submerged, and if she rose to the surface she would almost certainly have been breached by a shell. After a little, therefore, she gently settled herself on the bottom of the Straits, and there she remained until dusk. That same evening she pushed on into the Sea of Marmora, where for several days she alternately rested and cruised about without finding anything that was worth the expenditure of a torpedo. Lieutenant-Commander Nasmith made Constantinople the centre of his operations during the whole of this raid, and his first reward came one Sunday morning, just before half-past six, when a big gunboat was seen cruising off the port. The submarine was ready for instant action, and in less than a minute the fatal torpedo was underway. At 6.25 the gunboat was hit; at 6.30 she had sunk, but not without giving the E.11 something of a shock. While she was heeling well over to the water's edge, a shot was fired that went clean through the submarine's periscope, carrying away about four inches of the diameter a few feet from the base, and leaving the rest standing. Had the shot struck about six feet lower, it would very probably have made a breach in the conning tower, and so rendered the submarine helpless, as she would not have been able to dive. The very next day brought an adventure which, if it was not so exciting, at any rate did not lack in interest. A big steamer was sighted making her way from Constantinople towards the Dardanelles, and the E.11 came to the surface a short distance ahead, fired a shot across her bows, and brought her to a standstill. There happened to be a facetious American newspaper correspondent on board, and when Lieutenant-Commander Nasmith hailed “Who are you?” - meaning, of course, to inquire what the ship was and what was her business - this gentleman replied by giving his own name and that of the paper for which he was working. This was not good enough for the E.11. A few more questions elicited the fact that the ship was a Turkish transport, the Nagara, and when he got as far as that, Nasmith promptly replied, “Right. I am going to sink you”. “May we have time to get off?” queried the newspaper man, by this time rather subdued. “Yes”, came the answer from the submarine, “but be d..... quick about it.” The Turks were so quick that they upset two of their boats in lowering them, and capsized several men into the water, though all of them managed to get into safety again. Then Nasmith went on board the ship to see what she carried. There was a six-inch gun, destined to strengthen the forts on the Dardanelles; there were several sets of mountings for weapons of large calibre; and there was a great quantity of ammunition for heavy guns on its way to the Dardanelles. The ship was, in fact, loaded from keel...

The Second War submariner’s D.S.M. group of four awarded to Stoker 1st Class R. E. W. Currell, Royal Navy, who died on the occasion of the loss of H.M.S. Parthian in the Mediterranean in August 1943 Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (KX.107159 R. E. W. Currell. Sto.) impressed naming; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, mounted as worn, nearly xtremely fine (4) £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: Dix Noonan Webb, September 1999. D.S.M. London Gazette 7 September 1943: ‘For bravery and skill in successful patrols in H.M. Submarine Parthian.’ The original recommendation states: ‘This man has at all times performed his duty at sea with great efficiency. His reliable character and cheerfulness rendered valuable assistance in evading a severe depth charge attack.’ Ronald Ernest William Currell was born in Southwark, London, on 19 February 1920. Already associated with matters nautical, being a capstan fitter on the outbreak of hostilities, young Currell volunteered for the ‘Silent Service’ in January 1941. Duly qualified and rated as a Stoker, he joined the submarine H.M.S. Parthian in August 1941, then under Lieutenant-Commander M. G. Rimington, D.S.O., R.N. Parthian, however, was on her way to the U.S.A. for a major refit and did not return to sea until February 1942, this time under Lieutenant-Commander D. St. Clair-Ford, R.N. Currell’s subsequent award of the D.S.M. was made in respect of Parthian’s war patrols in the Eastern Mediterranean in the period July 1942 to June 1943, when she was commanded not only by St. Clair-Ford, R.N. but also by Lieutenant M. B. St. John, R.N. Under St. Clair-Ford, Parthian was engaged on the Malta supply run, carrying aviation fuel and ammunition to the beleaguered island, in addition to numerous passengers and, on one occasion, ‘a dachshund dog for the Princess Ali Khan’. Such patrols, at least six of them in the period leading up to November, were undertaken from Gibraltar and Beirut and in the last of them St. Clair-Ford attacked an Italian merchantman. In retaliation, a gunboat escort dropped 23 depth charges, some of them close enough to cause damage. Later in the same month, command of the Parthian devolved to Lieutenant M. B. St. John, D.S.C., R.N., who carried out a flurry of successful patrols in the Aegean in the new year. In one of them, in March-April 1943, Parthian boarded a number of caiques, some of which were afterwards destroyed by gunfire, and bombarded a resin factory in the Gulf of Kassandra. On the latter occasion, according to a wartime newspaper report, ‘storage tanks blew up and huge pieces of metal rose three hundred feet into the air before crashing through the roofs of nearby warehouses. The crew shot accurately and deliberately for an hour, and when they left fires were blazing fiercely and dense clouds of smoke stretched for fifteen miles downwind.’ During her third patrol, in April-May 1943, a 50-ton caique was sunk by gunfire off the island of Kos. Later, however, Parthian paid dearly for a brave but inconclusive gunfight with an escort vessel in the Dorso Channel, when opposing ships dropped some 70 depth charges. Here, then, surely, the moment referred to in the recommendation for Currell’s D.S.M. Lucky to escape that episode with relatively minor damage, she went on to execute a successful bombardment of the Salonica railway line at Heraklion, her guns destroying or damaging a number of railway trucks, station buildings, and a signal box, in addition to two caiques. At length, after a rating gun-layer had been mortally wounded, she was compelled to dive. In his official report on the action Lieutenant St. John noted that ‘everyone on the bridge got peppered with splinters … and a whole bullet fell out of the First Lieutenant’s trousers at breakfast next morning.’ Parthian’s activities also included clandestine work, a patrol in early May 1943 incorporating the landing of three embarked passengers at Makri Yalo Bay on the south-east coast of Crete on the night of the 2nd. They were likely operatives of the I.S.L.D., M.I. 6’s Middle Eastern section. In late June 1943, Lieutenant C. A. Pardoe, R.N.R., assumed command of Parthian but, after one patrol, she was lost with all hands on, or about 11 August 1943, most likely a victim of a mine. Currell was just 23 years old at the time of his death. The son of James and Florence Currell of Burnt Oak, Middlesex, he is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Sold with a file of copied research.

‘The performance of duty by this rating has had a tremendous effect on the operations carried out by “Torbay” and there have been occasions when his efficiency has saved the submarine from probable disaster.’ High praise indeed. Commander A. C. C. ‘Crap’ Miers, V.C., D.S.O., R.N., in his assessment of Petty Officer Telegraphist E. K. Kember, D.S.M., in August 1942. The Second War submariner’s D.S.M. and Bar group of five awarded to Petty Officer Telegraphist E. K. Kember, Royal Navy, who was decorated for his services in H.M.S. Truant in Norwegian waters in 1940 and in H.M.S. Torbay in the Mediterranean in 1941-42; a key player in the achievements of the latter submarine, which was skippered by V.C.-winning Commander A. C. C. Miers, R.N., he also won a ‘mention’ following Torbay’s part in Operation ‘Flipper’, the ill-fated raid on Rommel’s H.Q. Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R., with Second Award Bar (J. 133432 E. K. Kember, L. Tel., H.M.S. Truant) impressed naming; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, with small M.I.D. oak leaf, mounted court-style for display, good very fine (5) £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 9 May 1940: ‘In recognition of daring, endurance and resource in the conduct of hazardous and successful operations in His Majesty’s Submarines against the enemy.’ Bar to D.S.M. London Gazette 7 July 1942: ‘For gallant service in successful patrols while serving in H.M. Submarine Torbay.’ The original recommendation states: ‘For great skill and exceptional devotion to duty during seven war patrols, as Higher Telegraphist Detector, in H.M.S. Torbay, in the course of which he has brought his department to a very high standard of efficiency, and been responsible on frequent occasions for enemy ships being sighted and subsequently sunk after he has reported the bearing on which to look out. On ten occasions of it being necessary to communicate submerged with other submarines on patrol, to check position or pass intelligence reports, he has been completely successful, sometimes at very long range, and on twelve occasions of carrying out special operations in shallow waters off the enemy coast, or making reconnaissances and attacking shipping in enemy harbours, the efficient working of the supersonic sounding machine, and the ranges obtained by S.S.T. of the beach and coastline have been invaluable. Upon no other rating has so much depended on numerous occasions of enemy A./S. searches, hunts and counter-attacks, and the success of the operations and the safety of the submarine have frequently required him to remain at his post for periods exceeding ten hours without relaxing his vigilance, and on many of these occasions, I have relied implicitly upon him, and never in vain. His alertness on 20 December [1941] when, due to a gyro failure, a torpedo commenced to circle may have saved the submarine, since he gave me warning in time to take the submarine deep.’ Ernest Kynoch Kember was born at Glandford Brigg, Lincolnshire, on 24 February 1914, and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Telegraphist in the early 1930s. Volunteering for submarines in the following year, he qualified as a Higher Telegraphist Detector in September 1938, the same year in which he was advanced to Leading Telegraphist. Shortly after the outbreak of hostilities, he joined H.M. submarine Truant, and he remained likewise employed until February 1941, gaining advancement to Petty Officer Telegraphist and his first D.S.M. in the same period. The latter distinction arose from Truant’s early operations in Norwegian waters and, more specifically, her torpedo strike on the German light cruiser Karlsruhe on 9 April 1940. Truant was positioned off Kristiansand when she launched her attack, one of her torpedoes striking the enemy cruiser amidships on the starboard side, blasting a large hole in her hull and allowing thousands of tons of water to flood in. The flooding disabled her engines and electrical generators, which cut off the power required to operate her pumps. The order to abandon ship was given and the enemy torpedo boat Greif took off her crew before scuttling Karlsruhe with a brace of torpedoes. Kember was next deployed in Truant to the Mediterranean, in which she operated out of Gibraltar, Alexandria and Malta with notable success. In September 1940, she forced the scuttling of the German merchantman Tropic Sea and torpedoed and sank the Italian merchantman Providenza, the latter in a position off Ischia. And in December 1940, in the course of her 14th and 15th war patrols, she torpedoed and sank the Italian merchantman Sebastiano off Calabria and the tanker Bonzo off Punta Stilo, in addition to surviving a depth-charge attack from the Italian torpedo boat Alcione north of Tripoli, an attack that ‘shook Truant considerably. Returning to the U.K. in the new year, Kember joined the Torbay in April 1941, the commencement of his time under Commander A. C. C. ‘Crap’ Miers, R.N., who, over the coming months, would be awarded the V.C. and a brace of D.S.O.s for his aggressive leadership and mounting toll on the enemy. And that toll – and Torbay’s very survival – was largely owing to Kember’s skills as a Higher Telegraphist Director. So, too, in part to Miers’ unusual tactics when under depth-charge attack. Peter Padfield’s War Beneath the Sea explains: ‘His technique when hunted differed from that of most C.O.s; he never dived below about 80 feet - whether or not there was, as in this case, a ‘feather-bed’ layer - believing that the submarine’s frame and vulnerable hatch and other openings were in a better condition to resist the shock waves from depth-charges when not already under extreme pressure at maximum depth; further that he could more easily come up to periscope depth to review the position from 80 feet. By shutting off all auxiliary motors and maintaining the lowest speed compatible with holding trim, he hoped to remain undetectable by the Italian passive listening devices ... ’ If Torbay’s third war patrol in July 1941 was typical of her mounting Mediterranean score - her final ‘bag’ on that occasion amounting to the Italian submarine Jantina, the freighter Citta di Tripoli, the tanker Strombo, and several local troop and supply transports, including caiques – it also resulted in mounting controversy regarding the use of her guns against enemy soldiers and crew in just such troop-carrying caiques. The first indication of that controversy arose on 4 July, when Miers surfaced to engage with guns an enemy troop-carrying caique and schooner, between Andros and Euboea - having sunk both vessels, two Lewis guns were used from Torbay’s bridge to destroy ‘everything and everybody’. Then on 9 July similar tactics were employed against another troop-carrying caique - also laden with petrol, ammunition and food supplies. And it was on this second occasion that matters appear to have got out of hand, although it is worth noting that the enemy showed stout resistance on being boarded - a Corporal in the Special Boat Section had to shoot a German he saw about to hurl a grenade, and one of Torbay’s officers was compelled to dispatch another who was in the process of raising his rifle. Interestingly, this was not the first time that the R.N. had attracted adverse commentary from enemy survivors, German Naval High Command having alre...

The rare post-war Suez Crisis M.M. pair awarded to Lance-Corporal J. Crossland, 40 Commando, Royal Marines Military Medal, E.II.R., 1st issue (RM.14422 Marine. J. W. Crossland, R.M.) official correction to first three letters of surname; Naval General Service 1915-62, 2 clasps, Cyprus, Near East (R.M. 14422 J. W. Crossland. Mne. R.M.) mounted as worn, nearly extremely fine (2) £6,000-£8,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, June 1998. Only seven Military Medals were awarded for the Suez operations in 1956, namely four awards to the Royal Marines and three to the Parachute Regiment. M.M. London Gazette 13 June 1957: ‘In recognition of distinguished services in operations in the Near East, October to December 1956.’ The original recommendation states: ‘Lance-Corporal Crossland was the second-in-command of his section during the Allied Landings at Port Said on 6 November 1956. Crossland and 4 men were led into an assault on an enemy held warehouse by their Commander. Just before entering the building 2 of the men were wounded by a grenade, but the attack was carried through. Just after the entry was made the officer was killed. It was then apparent that the further end of the warehouse was held by Egyptians who were determined to fight to the last. The section commander withdrew in order to obtain reinforcements. Crossland held his ground alone and continued to fire and throw grenades at the enemy. Soon, he ran out of ammunition, and the enemy advanced upon him. He still stood his ground and was preparing to use the butt of his Sten gun when the reinforcing section arrived just in time to account for the remaining enemy. Lance-Corporal Crossland immediately turned to assist the 2 members of his section who were wounded and lying in the open outside the warehouse. Although under heavy fire from another position, with complete disregard for his personal safety he went out and dragged his wounded comrades to safety. There were a further 4 rooms at the far end of the warehouse which still had to be searched. Crossland played a leading part in clearing these remaining rooms which contained 8 of the enemy. Throughout this action Lance-Corporal Crossland showed outstanding courage in the face of the enemy and acted with great personal bravery accounting for a number of enemy. His actions inspired the men under him.’ James Willie Crossland received his M.M. at an investiture held on 19 November 1957. His gallant actions were enacted in Port Said’s customs sheds, where strong Egyptian resistance resulted in a loss of two officers killed and several Marines wounded. A glimpse of that action is to be found in the Globe & Laurel of February 1957: ‘Lieutenant Ufton, with a section of ‘B’ Troop, then attacked the Customs Sheds and cleared part of the bottom floor and the whole of the top floor; two Marines were wounded before they reached the building. Lieutenant McCarthy, with two sections of ‘B’ Troop, attempted to clear the reminder of the bottom floor. They were met with heavy fire from the enemy hidden behind the Customs inspection table and from the many separate offices and lobbies in the large passenger inspection room. Two Marines were wounded effecting an entry and Lieutenant McCarthy was shot dead as soon as he entered the room. Lieutenant Ufton immediately led an attack which captured the building and was killed attempting to clear a separate office at the far end. One Marine was wounded. 17 enemy were killed and two wounded and captured. One enemy was captured four hours later when he was found hiding in a cupboard.’ The Royal Marines suffered total casualties of 10 killed and 50 wounded in the Suez operations. Sold with copied research.

The unique inter-war and Second War ‘Triple D.S.M.’ group of eight awarded to Chief Petty Officer T. A. Topley, Royal Navy; first decorated for his gallant deeds in the gunboat Sandpiper on the Yangtse River during the Sino-Japanese conflict in 1938-39, he added a Bar to his decoration for like services as a member of a beach party at Dunkirk in 1940, and a second Bar for his ‘fighting spirit’ in command of “A” turret in the cruiser H.M.S. Dido at the Second Battle of the Sirte in 1942 Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R., with Second and Third Award Bars (T. Topley, P.O. R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Pacific Star; Defence Medal and War Medals 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (J.112800 T. A. Topley, C.P.O. H.M.S. Dido) mounted court-style for display, good very fine (8) £30,000-£40,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Just five ‘Triple D.S.M.s’ have ever been awarded, two of the 2nd Bars being awarded in the Great War and three of them in the Second World War; uniquely, one man added a 3rd Bar to his award in the latter conflict. D.S.M. London Gazette 1 January 1940: ‘For services during the Sino-Japanese Conflict.’ D.S.M. Second Award Bar London Gazette 7 June 1940: ‘For good services in the withdrawal of the Allied Armies from the beaches of Dunkirk.’ The original recommendation states: ‘For distinguished service as members of the beach parties employed on the beaches and breakwater at Dunkirk during the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force and part of the French Army. The initiative, resource, and power of endurance displayed by these ratings, under the most arduous and hazardous conditions was worthy of the highest praise, and contributed largely towards the rapid and successful embarkation of the Troops.’ D.S.M. Third Award Bar London Gazette 8 September 1942: ‘For gallantry, skill and seamanship in H.M.S. Dido, in a brilliant action against strong enemy forces, which were driven off and severely damaged. This action resulted in the safe passage to Malta of an important convoy.’ The original recommendation states: ‘For courage, coolness and devotion to duty in the face of greatly superior enemy forces. Throughout the commission this C.P.O. has by his resolute character, fighting spirit and fine seamanship shown a grand example to all junior ratings. During the action for which I now recommend him for a decoration as senior rating in charge of “A” Turret he carried out his duties in exemplary fashion, and his turret did not miss firing a single round.’ Thomas Alan Topley was born in Lewisham, London, on 24 June 1909, and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in January 1925. Advanced to Petty Officer in October 1935, he joined the gunboat H.M.S. Sandpiper on the China station in April 1937 and remained likewise employed until returning to the U.K. in January 1940. Here, then, the period of active service in which he was awarded his first D.S.M. In the summer of 1938, the Sandpiper was based at Changsha, capital of Hunan province, which lay on the Xiang River, a tributary of the Yangtse. The Sino-Japanese War was raging at that time and the Japanese were attempting to capture the nearby city of Wuhan, which was defended with great tenacity. In consequence, endless columns of refugees passed through Changsha and many inhabitants left the city. Amidst this chaos, Sandpiper stood alone in protecting British interests in the Changsha area, and her captain, Lieutenant-Commander W. E. J. Eames, doubled up as British consul. Japanese air-raids increased in intensity and on 6 September 1938 bombs straddled Sandpiper which, because of her shallow draught, swayed at her anchors ‘like a novice water-skier’ but luckily there were no direct hits and no injuries other than minor cuts and bruises. Commander Eames subsequently reported to his Admiral: ‘Six Japanese bombers dropped a number of bombs around Sandpiper. Two cabins and sickbay wrecked. Considerable damage to superstructure but no underwater damage. No casualties. Consider attack deliberate.’ During the same attack, a ferry-boat loaded with refugees which had anchored only 30 yards away received a direct hit and sank, and several junks were also sunk, and Sandpiper sent away her boats to rescue survivors. Commander Eames also recorded in his report, ‘I would like to comment on the cool and excellent conduct of my officers and ship’s company, who did splendid work in saving the lives of a large number of people. Surgeon Lieutenant Sheridan is particularly deserving of high commendation.’ It is equally apparent that Topley likewise distinguished himself on the same occasion, subsequently receiving one of two D.S.M.s for the action. Shortly before Christmas 1939, the ship’s company was notified that Sandpiper was to be laid up and her personnel evacuated. Their subsequent journey from the interior of China was not a straightforward matter, as the Sino-Japanese war raged across much of the country. The overland route to Ningpo was selected following publication of a missionary’s account of a successful journey using this route. Many preparations had to be made, including the destruction of all the ammunition and the packing of nearly seven tons of stores which had to be brought out. The sailors were dressed in civilian clothes and all had grown beards to disguise their identity as naval personnel. They departed Changsha at 6 a.m. on 15 January 1940, in junks and sampans, and the journey to Shanghai took 15 days, requiring many modes of transport - boats, lorries, train, buses, and at one time rickshaws. On five or six nights they found accommodation in local hotels, but the other nights were spent on lorries or trains in bitterly old conditions. Their eventual arrival in Shanghai was followed by a celebration. The ship’s company then travelled to Hong Kong from where they took passage in the P. & O. liner Viceroy of India to England, where they disembarked at the end of March 1940. Following his return to the U.K., Topley was borne on the books of Pembroke I, from which employ he was seconded for service in Operation ‘Dynamo’ in May-June 1940. As cited above, he came ashore as a member of a beach party at Dunkirk, where his initiative, resource, and power of endurance, under the most arduous and hazardous conditions, was worthy of the highest praise. He was awarded a Bar to his D.S.M., which he received at a Buckingham Palace investiture in March 1941. Having been advanced to Chief Petty Officer in September 1940, in which month he joined the cruiser Dido, Topley was awarded his L.S. and G.C. medal in March 1942, the same month in which he distinguished himself for his ‘fighting spirit’ in command of Dido’s “A” turret at the 2nd Battle of Sirte on the 22nd. Earlier, in May-June 1941, Topley saw much action in the evacuation of Crete, when Dido went through some of the heaviest fighting and joined in the ‘midnight massacre’ of an enemy convoy north of Canea. But she was herself badly damaged, taking a bomb hit on a forward turret with resultant casualties. Topley likely shared in further honours in Dido and received his 3rd Bar at a Buckingham Palace investiture on 13 May 1943. He was finally pensioned ashore in July 1949 and died in Herne Bay, Kent, in August 1990. Sold with his original Admiralty admittance ticket for the latter investiture, together with copied research.

The unique Ashanti 1896 C.M.G., Dawkita 1897 D.S.O. group of six awarded to Commander F. B. Henderson, Royal Navy - the remarkable defence of Dawkita, over four days and nights, with 40-odd men pitched against an army of Sofas 7000 strong, stands out as one of the great epics of Empire, so too Henderson’s extraordinary bravery in giving himself up to the enemy to parley for the freedom of his men; he refused to kneel before the Samory and his elders, even having been shown the head of his most trusted officer The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels; Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamels, with integral top riband bar; East and West Africa 1887-1900, 2 clasps, Dawkita 1897, 1897-98 (Lieut. F. B. Henderson. R.N.) second clasp loose on ribbon; Ashanti Star 1896; British War Medal 1914-20 (Commr. F. B. Henderson. R.N.); Coronation 1911, enamel work slightly chipped in places, generally very fine and better (6) £30,000-£40,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Richard Magor Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, July 2003. C.M.G. London Gazette 26 June 1902. D.S.O. London Gazette 8 March 1898: ‘In recognition of services in conducting operations against the Sofas in 1897.’ Francis Barkley Henderson was born in Ely, Cambridgeshire on 8 July 1859, fourth son of the Rev. J. H. Henderson and Anne, daughter of Rear-Admiral H. G. Morris, R.N. Educated at Britannia, he was appointed a Midshipman in October 1874 and, four years later, on promotion to Sub. Lieutenant, he joined H.M.S. Bacchante, sailing in her during her world cruise with the Dukes of York and Clarence as fellow Midshipmen. And on passing for Lieutenant in June 1882, he was awarded the Goodenough Medal for the best examination in gunnery. But in July 1884, his promising career seemingly came to a halt, when he was invalided from the active list. In the following year, however, he took up appointment as Private Secretary and A.D.C. to Sir W. E. Maxwell, K.C.M.G., Governor of the Gold Coast Colony, and accompanied him to Kumassi during the Ashanti Expedition of 1896, experience that no doubt assisted him in gaining appointment as a Travelling Commissioner in the Colony for the next six years. And it was during the course of this appointment that he commanded the small force allocated to the Defence of Dawkita in 1897. Not enough, perhaps, has been written of this gallant little affair, but in his Africa General Service Medals, Richard Magor provides a full and entertaining account of proceedings. As the author successfully illustrates, Henderson’s feat is wholly worthy of comparison to other 19th century epics, Rorke’s Drift among them. For reasons discussed at length by Magor, including aggressive behaviour towards Europeans and friendly tribesmen, Henderson raised the Union Flag at Dawkita in the full knowledge that his actions might be met with severe local opposition. Apart from anything else, the Sofas were said to be starving and his occupation of Dawkita effectively blocked their way to forage for food. He also took the trouble to warn the appropriate Chiefs that if they continued to molest his people, their actions would be considered as hostile ones This, of course, was like a red rag to a bull, and within a short period of time, the Sofas were on the warpath to Henderson’s little three-compound settlement. Henderson takes up the story in his subsequent despatch: ‘The Sofa army appeared over the hill in front of the town, massed in a huge square, numbering, as far as we could estimate, about 7000 men. Their mounted men, of whom they had about 400, tried to pass to the rear of the town on our left, but were driven back by some Lobis, and then, passing along the river bank, occupied the water-hole distant about 350 yards from our front. The Bonas, who were to have held this, made no resistance. I felt very much the want of this water-hole, want of water being one of the chief causes of my having, eventually, to retire. At 4.30 p.m. their riflemen (numbering over 1000) opened a heavy fire on us from the cover of the bush. They showed some skill in skirmishing and their fire was well directed, though high. I had been informed on good authority that they were very short of ammunition, but this want had evidently been supplied from some source, as they were able to keep up an almost un-intermittent fire through that night, the next day and the best part of the next night, and at intervals heavily for the rest of the four days. At night I only replied to their fire by an occasional volley, when they came to the edge of their cover.’ Such were the odds faced by the gallant defenders of Dawkita, a tiny force of arms comprising an African surveyor, Mr. George E. Ferguson, a native Police Officer and 41 Constables of the Gold Coast Constabulary, all of whom, under their gallant commander, found themselves pitched against the full might of several thousand Sofas, an army which they engaged and held off for four days and nights. Amazingly, given that they were outnumbered by 160-1, the defenders suffered just two men killed and eight wounded, while the Sofas are believed to have lost at least 400 warriors. It had been at dusk on the fourth day of the defence that Henderson had decided to evacuate Dawkita and retire to Wa, where reinforcements were expected, and after marching through the night, he duly met up with Captain Cramer, who had 50 men, two guns and some rocket launchers. Henderson later reported in his despatch that he regretted having to leave the Government’s tent behind, which had been used as an awning in the defence and was ‘riddled with bullets’, but was pleased to report that the Union Flag, which ‘had been flying since my occupation of the place’, was saved. He also made light of what had clearly been a terrifying 40-mile dash for Wa. Inevitably, however, this bid for freedom proved in vain, for the agitated Sofas hot-footed it to Wa, encircled Henderson’s barely increased force and recommenced hostilities. Painfully aware that their position was now hopeless, and in a desperate attempt to save his men, Henderson put his life on the line by suggesting he parley with the enemy Prince, whom he knew to be both ‘treacherous and cruel.’ His despatch continues: ‘I then laid this proposition before the other officers, who at first opposed the plan on the grounds of the risk I should incur, Ferguson especially saying that I should be uselessly courting death in some unpleasant form. In the end they concurred and a letter was written to the Prince stating that we had not come here to fight his people and could not understand why he had followed me here ... ’ Of subsequent developments, Magor states: ‘The next morning a Chief came to the British to enter into further discussion, and for reasons unknown, other than Henderson’s extreme gallantry, it was decided that he would indeed have to accompany the Chief back to his Prince for a face to face encounter of the terrifying kind. Given the near suicidal nature of this undertaking, it was decided that if Henderson was detained by the Prince, his men were to evacuate Wa as soon as possible. Henderson found the Prince surrounded by all his Chiefs and young courtiers and behind them about 1000 riflemen. The palaver commenced and after the usual preliminaries Henderson said he had not come to fight the Sofas but to prevent the French from occupying the country. He confirmed that he wished to march to Daboya en route for Kumassi. Just a...

The exceptional Second War D-Day Immediate D.S.M. group of five awarded to Stoker 1st Class W. G. Ingram, Royal Navy, who was decorated for his services in L.C.A. 722, which was damaged by enemy fire when landing U.S. Rangers on Pointe Du Hoc, four miles west of Omaha Beach, where the Rangers were tasked with destroying a German coastal battery of six 155mm. howitzers Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (Sto. 1 W. G. Ingram. P/KX.179183)officially engraved naming; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, mounted as worn, good very fine (5) £2,400-£2,800 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Noble Auctions, Sydney, April 2005. D.S.M. London Gazette 28 November 1944: ‘For gallantry, skill, determination and undaunted devotion to duty during the landing of Allied Forces on the coast of Normandy.’ The original recommendation states: ‘He showed conspicuous skill and courage when his craft L.C.A. 722 was damaged by enemy action whilst under machine gunfire. Ingram made great efforts to repair his craft’s engines; although unsuccessful, his devotion to duty was a great example.’ Remarks of Intermediate Authority: ‘This rating had a very difficult task whilst landing U.S. Rangers on Pointe du Hoc.’ Walter Gordon Ingram, who was from Wandsworth, London, was embarked in H.M.S. Ben My Chree on the eve of Operation ‘Neptune’. An ex-Isle of Man ferry of 2,586 tons, which had been converted for use as a Landing Ship Infantry (Heavy), she was charged with transporting three companies of the 2nd U.S. Ranger Battalion to Normandy on D-Day. Thence disembarked to smaller assault landing craft, including L.C.A. 722 with Ingram, the Rangers arrived, under fire, at Pointe du Hoc in the Omaha Beach area, where they were assigned the unenvious mission of capturing the enemy positions on the high cliffs above. A glimpse of L.C.A. 722 and her occupants in action is to be found in the records of the 2nd Ranger Battalion’s assault on Pointe du Hoc: ‘Twenty yards left of Colonel Rudder’s craft, L.C.A. 722 hit shore with IS Company, E Rangers, five Headquarters’ men, a Stars and Stripes photographer, and a Commando officer who had assisted the Rangers in training. Touchdown was made at the edge of a crater, and the men could not avoid it in debarking. Enemy grenades were ineffectual, and the craters and debris on the beach gave sufficient cover from enfilading fire from the left. The only casualty was Pfc. John J. Sillman, wounded three times as the craft came in, hit twice on the beach, and destined to survive. A good deal of assorted equipment came on this craft, including the S.C.R. 284, two pigeons, a 60mm. mortar with ammunition, and some demolitions. All were got ashore without loss, though it took manoeuvring to avoid the deep water in the crater. Tech. 4 C. S. Parker and two other communications men hefted the big radio set on a pack board, and managed to get it in and working before the first climbers from 722 reached the top. The rockets had been fired just before landing. One ladder and one plain rope got up and held (L.C.A. 722 had experienced no trouble with water, and the ropes were comparatively dry). The single rope lay in a slight crevice, but the ladder came down on an overhang where it seemed exposed to the flanking fire and would be hard to climb. Tech. 5 Edward P. Smith tried the plain rope and found he could easily ‘walk it up.’ On top, three or four minutes after landing, he saw a group of Germans to his right throwing grenades over the cliff. Sgt. Hayward A. Robey joined Smith with a BAR. Robey lay in a shallow niche at the cliff edge and sprayed the grenadiers with 40 or 50 rounds fast fire. Three of the enemy dropped and the rest disappeared into shelters. Pfc. Frank H. Petersen, lightly wounded on the beach by a grenade, joined up and the three Rangers went off on their mission without waiting for the climbers. The mortar section in this boat team remained below, according to plan, with the purpose of setting up their 60mm. on the beach to deliver supporting fire. But the beach was too exposed to make this practicable, and time was consumed in getting ammunition from the one surviving supply craft. About 0745 the mortar team went on top without having yet fired … ’ Subsequently, in one of the most famous episodes of the landings, with covering fire from the destroyers H.M.S. Talybont and U.S.S. Satterlee, three companies of Rangers stormed the enemy’s battery positions and eliminated the remaining garrison. Thereafter, they maintained their position throughout the day. Sold with copied research.

The notable Great War D.S.M. group of three awarded to Officer’s Steward R. H. Buckett, Mercantile Marine Reserve, for his part in the famous contest fought between the auxiliary cruiser Alcantara and the German raider Greif in February 1916: as a result of the point-blank nature of the engagement both ships were sunk with heavy loss of life Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (R. H. Buckett, Off. Std. (M.M.), H.M.S. Alcantara, 29 Feb. 1916) partial correction to ship’s name; British War and Victory Medals (R. H. Buckett. Asst. Std. M.F.A.) nearly extremely fine (3) £1,800-£2,200 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: D.S.M. Dix Noonan Webb, September 2005, since reunited with British War and Victory Medals but note missing 1914-15 Star. D.S.M. London Gazette 22 June 1916. The original recommendation states: ‘Officer’s Steward Richard Henry Buckett behaved with great coolness and assisted wounded when the ship was sinking.’ Richard Henry Buckett was born in Shalfleet, Hampshire on 22 July 1866 and was serving in the the S.S. Alacantara on the outbreak of war in August 1914. Requisitioned by the Admiralty in the same month, she was converted for use as an auxiliary cruiser. She subsequently joined the 10th Cruiser Squadron and was placed under the command of Captain T. E. Wardle, her chief duty being patrol work between Scapa Flow and the coast of Norway. At about midday on 28 February 1916, in a position of 60 miles E. of the North of the Shetlands, the Alcantara was due to rendezvous with her relief ship, the Andes, when a wireless message instructed her to remain thereabouts and keep a sharp lookout for a suspicious steamship coming out of the Skagerrak. But it was not until about 8.45 a.m. on the following morning that Captain Wardle spotted smoke on the horizon on his port beam. During the course of making passage to this unidentified steamship, he received a wireless warning from the Andes that this was in all probability the vessel he was seeking, so Wardle signalled to the latter to stop, and fired two rounds of blank ammunition. By this stage the two ships had approached to within 1,000 yards of each other, the Alcantara coming up astern and lowering a boarding boat. At that moment, however, the “stranger” - which had Norwegian colours painted on her side and the name Rena-Tonsberg - dropped her bulwarks and ran out her guns. She was, in fact, the enemy raider Greif, and the intense nature of the ensuing 20 minute duel is best described in Deeds That Thrill The Empire: ‘From the very first the British gunners got home on the enemy. His bridge was carried away at the first broadside, and then, systematically, our guns searched yard by yard along the upper works of the enemy, seeking out the wireless room from which were emanating the meaningless jargons that “jammed” the Alcantara’s wireless. This had been set to work at once to call up assistance - a proper fighting precaution in any event, but doubly so in this case, seeing that it was quickly apparent the Greif carried considerably heavier ordnance than her own. Before long the enemy’s wireless was smashed, and our guns promptly turned themselves upon the hull and water-line of their opponent. In a few minutes the Greif had a great fire blazing aft; a few more, and she began to settle down by the stern; and as the Alcantara’s guns methodically and relentlessly searched her from stem to stern her return fire grew more and more feeble until, after about fifteen minutes’ fighting, it died away almost entirely. On paper, judging by the difference between the armaments, the Alcantara ought to have been blown out of the water by this time; but, although she was hit frequently, the actual damage she sustained was almost negligible. The Greif was already a beaten and doomed craft when other vessels came up in answer to Alcantara’s wireless. The first to arrive was the Andes, Captain George B. W. Young (another converted unit of the Royal Mail Steam Packet Line), and a few rounds from her apparently completed the enemy’s discomfort. Not long after, a “pukka” cruiser appeared on the scene; but it is reported that, seeing the Alcantara had already made a hopeless mess of her opponent, this cruiser clicked out the signal “Your Bird” and went about her other business! But the fight was not yet over. The Greif had again begun to blaze away with the one or two guns that remained intact when there happened one of those misfortunes that are apt to occur to the most efficiently handled ships. An unlucky shot carried away the Alcantara’s steering-gear, and her captain was immediately robbed of the weapon upon which he had chiefly depended for the destruction of his enemy - his seamanship. The Alcantara, though nearly all her guns were intact, became unmanageable, and for the first time in the action she was swung round by the seas into such a position that her full broadside was exposed to the enemy. There had, too, been no half-measures in fitting out the Greif for her work. She carried not only a powerful equipment of guns, but also torpedo tubes, and, although she was fast settling down in the water, she was able to bring them to bear now on a most favourable target - a big ship lying broadside on with disabled steering-gear. The first two torpedoes that were fired missed, in spite of the short range. The third caught the Alcantara squarely. Whereby it happened that after some twenty minutes of the most fierce and closely contested fighting the naval campaign had seen, the two principal combatants found themselves making headway towards the bottom in company. The Greif was the first to go. It is believed that, like the Moewe, she carried a big cargo of mines to be strewed where they would be most likely to entrap our warships. However that may be, she blew up with a tremendous explosion and went to the bottom, just a few minutes before the mortally injured Alcantara turned over on her side to find a resting place within a few hundred yards of her ... Of the 321 officers and men with which the Greif entered the fight, five officers and 115 men were rescued from the sea and made prisoners by the British destroyers that came upon the scene. The remaining 201 went to the bottom with their ship. The Alcantara’s loss amounted to five officers and 69 men, of whom nearly all were killed by the final torpedo.’ Buckett, who was among the survivors and awarded the D.S.M. for gallantly assisting the wounded, was subsequently lost in the armed boarding ship Stephen Furness, when that vessel was torpedoed in the Irish Channel on 21 December 1917 and went down with the loss of six officers and 95 ratings. A native of Ningwood on the Isle of Wight, he was 51 years of age and left a widow, Emily Jane Buckett. He is also entitled to the 1914-15 Star.

The outstanding Victorian gold K.C.B. group of five awarded to Admiral Sir Edward Sotheby, Royal Navy, who was awarded the C.B. and mentioned in despatches on 13 occasions for his protracted command of Pearl’s Naval Brigade in the Indian Mutiny; he further received the Thanks of both Houses of Parliament, the Governor-General of India and the Admiralty and was appointed an Extra A.D.C. to Queen Victoria The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, K.C.B. (Military) Kinght Commander’s set of insignia, comprising neck badge, 18 carat gold and enamels, hallmarked London 1862, and breast star, silver, with gold and enamel appliqué centre; Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Syria (E. S. Sotheby, Lieut. R.N.); Indian Mutiny 1857-58, no clasp (Capt. Edwd. S. Sotheby, C.B. Pearl.); St Jean D’Acre 1840, silver, some minor chipping to wreaths of the Bath insignia, otherwise generally good very fine (5) £9,000-£12,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- K.C.B. Queen’s Birthday Honours, May 1875. Edward Southwell Sotheby was born in Clifton on 14 March 1813, second son of Admiral Thomas Sotheby (1759-1831) by his second wife, Lady Mary Anne, fourth daughter of Jospeh Deane Bourke, 3rd Earl of Mayo. After attending the Royal Naval College, Portsmouth, he first went to sea in 1828 and was promoted to Lieutenant in October 1835. A tour in the flagship Caledonia in the Mediterranean having ensued, he next joined, as First Lieutenant, the corvette Dido, in which capacity he saw action in the Syrian operations of 1840 and was advanced to Commander in October 1841. In June 1846, he was appointed to command the sloop Racehorse, in which he participated in operations in the disturbances in China and New Zealand, followed by a tour of duty in command of the Sealark in the suppression of the slave trade off the coast of Africa. As observed by W. E. F. Ward in his history of the suppression of the Atlantic slave trade, The Royal Navy and the Slavers, ‘the Navy found close inshore patrolling was a much more effective way of throttling the slave trade than making wide sweeps on the sea lanes.’ It was a challenging business, investigating estuaries blocked by sand bars and peering into countless swampy creeks and lagoons, a business which led to numerous, sometimes fatal, cases of fever and malaria. As recounted by Ward, Sotheby and the Sealark undertook just such activities and, in March-April 1852, the former’s persistence paid off when he captured a Spanish slave brigantine, but only after intense investigation of possible hideouts on the Rio Grande in Portuguese Guinea. It transpired a Spanish trader, who had an operational pseudonym, was covertly involved in slavery activity with local chiefs. Having carried out no less than 14 thorough but fruitless searches of creeks, Sotheby decided to interrogate the Spaniard and search his lodgings. Nothing appeared to be untoward, but Sotheby remained convinced of the Spaniard’s guilt and, remaining in the area, offered a 100-dollar reward for further information. His enticement did the trick, an African reporting he had knowledge of a slave brigantine and its whereabouts. And so it proved, the ‘fully equipped’ camouflaged vessel being located in a narrow side creek: unable to shift it from its anchorage, Sotheby blew it up. As it transpired, the African informant gave good value for his money, for he then took Sotheby to a hut which he said belonged to a local chief. Inside, the naval party found a hoard of muskets and assorted slave shackles, a discovery that was quickly followed by the appearance of a native on the scene. He had escaped captivity but said 19 of his tribe were still being held in the chief’s village, about three miles distant in the bush, held in readiness for an exchange with the Spaniard and his fellow slavers. Sotheby sent word to the chief that the remaining captives were to be brought down to him the following day, failing which he would burn down his village. The slaves were indeed released the following day, for the chief had decided the game was up, and with them he turned over another Spaniard. The freed slaves also identified two other local chiefs as being equally guilty, even though each of them had signed a treaty abjuring the slave trade for ever. Suffice it to say, the slaves were taken to Freetown for liberation, and the Spaniards sent for trial. As far back as 1816, the West African Squadron had been ordered to ‘diligently look into the bays and creeks’ in hunting down slavers. Over 35 years later, Sotheby did just that, thereby highlighting the Royal Navy’s unrelenting commitment to ending the abhorrent slave trade. He was commended for his actions and advanced to Captain in September 1852. He next took command of the corvette Pearl on the East Indies station and, in July 1857, on the receipt of news of the outbreak of the Indian Mutiny, the Pearl, together with the frigate Shannon, under Captain William Peel, was sent from Hong Kong to Calcutta. Sotheby subsequently took command of the Pearl’s Naval Brigade, which was landed in September and for the following 15 months lent valuable service in the operations in the Oudh. The extent of those operations is recorded in the pages of The Naval Brigades of the Indian Mutiny 1857-58, by Commander W. B. Rowbotham, R.N., Navy Records Society, Vol. 87, 1947. But by way of summary, the following major actions are worthy of note, Sotheby having described them at length in his official reports: The attack on Sohunpore on 20 December 1857, when the rebels were ejected from their entrenchments; the capture of the fort at Chanderpur on 16 February 1858, when the bluejackets went into action with the Sikhs and Gurkhas; the capture of the fort at Nourainie Ghat on the Oudh side of the river on 18 February 1858 and the attack on the rebels at Phoolpur on 20 February 1858, when three guns were captured. Such engagements were often of a hotly contested nature, with resultant casualties, Pearl’s 250-strong force of bluejackets eventually suffering a loss of one officer and 17 men killed, and a further 16 wounded. By way of example of such actions, the following account of the capture of the fort at Nourainie Ghat on 18 February 1858 is quoted: ‘At 10 p.m. [on 19 February 1858], I crossed over to the opposite bank, with the force as per margin, to occupy the village and fort of Narinee, the men wading up to their waists, had much difficulty in landing the guns. Not having any spy, or knowing the precise position, and it being very dark, it was midnight when the marines and a party of seamen, under Lieutenant F. G. Pym and Mr. Ingles, got round to the right, through thick jungles, and passing the outer breastworks and other defences found the fort evacuated, whilst the other party with the guns under Lieutenant Turnour, had crept round to the left; we then bivouacked for the night, and conveyed over our baggage and ammunition the following forenoon, under the direction of that enterprising officer Lieutenant H. D. Grant. Being joined by 1,000 Goorkhas and six guns, the force named in the margin, all under Colonel Rowcroft, left their encampment at two p.m. the same day, to attack the enemy, who had advanced in the morning to retake their abandoned positions. Having passed over a tract of very heavy country, through several thick topes of trees and deserted villages, at five p.m. we discovered the enemy's position, by their opening a fire from their guns as we came over the hill; ours were immediately got into position, and l returned shrapn...

The fine Victorian C.B. group of six awarded to Rear-Admiral U. C. Singleton, Royal Navy, whose active service career spanned four decades and four conflicts; he first distinguished himself in the Second China War, in which he was mentioned in despatches and specially promoted to Lieutenant, and added a commendation to his accolades for actions against pirates in Chinese waters in 1866-67 His subsequent services as second-in-command of the Naval Brigade in the Perak Expedition 1875-76 were no less distinguished, gaining him three further mentions and independent command on the Perak River; and he rounded off his active service career with a final mention as Senior Naval Officer at Trinkat in Egypt in the early 1880s C.B. (Military) breast badge, silver-gilt and enamels, hallmarked London 1890, complete with ribbon buckle; Baltic 1854-55 (U. C. Singleton. Midn. H.M.S. Hecla); China 1857-60, 2 clasps, Canton 1857, Fatshan 1857 (U. C. Singleton Mate H.M. Brig “Elk”); India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Perak (Commdr. U. C. Singleton. R.N. H.M.S. “Ringdove”); Egypt & Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, no clasp (Captn. U. C. Singleton R.N. H.M.S. Jumna.) impressed naming; Khedive’s Star, dated 1884, adhesive deposit to reverse centre of C.B., light contact marks, otherwise very fine and better (6) £5,000-£7,000 --- 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. C.B. London Gazette 24 May 1892. Uvedale Corbet Singleton was born on 14 September 1838 and entered the Royal Navy as a Cadet aboard the training ship Britannia in 1851. As a Midshipman in Hecla during the Baltic operations he was present at the bombardment and taking of Bomarsund in 1854 and, following his transfer to Hastings, at the bombardment of Sveaborg in 1855. Advanced to Mate in September 1857, he next witnessed active service in the Elk in the Second China War, when he was present in her cutter at the boat action at Fatshan Creek in 1857, and was landed for service with the Naval Brigade at the capture of Canton in 1857. For his services at Fatshan in May-June 1857, he was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 1 August 1857, refers), and specially promoted to Acting Lieutenant in February 1858. Subsequently confirmed in that rank, Singleton enjoyed a spate of seagoing appointments in the 1860s, among them Haughty in 1866-67, when he was commended for his services in several encounters with pirates in Chinese waters. Having then been advanced to Commander in December 1869 and appointed to the command of the Ringdove in January 1874, he was landed as second-in-command of the Naval Brigade in the Perak Expedition in the following year. The Brigade, under the overall command of Captain A. Buller, R.N., was drawn from Ringdove and her consorts Modeste and Thistle, the whole co-operating with Major-General Francis Colborne’s operations on the Perak River. Singleton was subsequently present at the capture of Kinta and afterwards conducted the transport of troops and stores from Durien Sabatong, the highest point on the river navigable by ships, to the front, and later still held independent command on the Perak River. He was thrice mentioned in despatches by Captain Alexander Buller, R.N., Senior Naval Officer, Straits of Malacca, the announcements appearing in the London Gazette on 3 February 1876 and stating: Firstly: ‘Commander Uvedale C. Singleton of Her Majesty’s ship Ringdove rendered great service in his whaler by leading the Flotilla up the river and sounding ahead to discover the passages.’ Secondly: ‘I beg to bring to your favourable consideration the conduct of Commander Singleton of Her Majesty’s ship Ringdove who acted as my Second-in-Command. His services were of great value to me and he carried out my orders with promptitude, displaying great energy and sound judgement.’ And thirdly: ‘I have much pleasure in bringing to your notice the conduct of Commander Singleton of Her Majesty’s ship Ringdove who acted as my Second-in-Command during the Expedition. His services were of the greatest use to me, rendering me much important assistance in carrying out the details connected with the Brigade at all times, encouraging the men when in difficulties with their heavy loads and always to the front when work was to be done.’ It had indeed proved to be an arduous campaign and in his despatch dated 17 January 1876, Vice-Admiral A. P. Ryder, Commander-in-Chief East Indies, paid the following tribute to the fine work of the Naval Brigade: ‘The services of the Naval Brigade has been highly appreciated by Major-General Francis Colborne. The heavy work performed by our seamen on the Perak River consisted of poling (oars were no use), numerous boats heavily laden with guns, ammunition, and stores for many consecutive days against a strong current (4 knots), the river being very shallow, but full of deep holes, under a broiling sun (latitude 3 degrees north), and in carrying guns, rockets, ammunition, in addition to their own accoutrements, through the jungle over roads so nearly impassable that only seven miles could be gained each day. For nearly a month the Naval Brigade under Captain Alexander Buller and Commander Uvedale Singleton had nothing to eat but preserved meat, supplemented occasionally by wild buffalo, no vegetables or bread. The officers and men were constantly wet through by rain; they had frequently to wade through water and mud over their waists. For the last three days of the advance on Kinta they threaded their way through a thick jungle, which during the whole of that time, allowed them no sight of the sky. During the ten days advance they had no cover of anything but slept in the ‘open’. Captain Buller attributes their entire immunity from any disease previous to the attack on Kinta to his having fortunately been able to provide them with waterproof sheets.’ On paying off from Ringdove in April 1877, Singleton spent six months on shore before being appointed to the command of the Durham in November 1877, but he was superseded on his advancement to Captain in March 1878 and placed on half-pay. Not to be outdone, he secured command of Jumna in January 1882 and took part in the operations in Egypt and the Sudan and served as Senior Naval Officer at Trinkitat. He was yet again mentioned in despatches, this time by Rear-Admiral W. Hewitt, V.C., K.C.B., K.C.S.I., Commander-in-Chief, East Indies: ‘My thanks are due to Captain Uvedale C. Singleton of Her Majesty’s ship Jumna for the very efficient manner in which he carried out the duties of Senior Naval Officer at Trinkat.’ (London Gazette 27 March 1884, refers). Singleton’s final command was the Neptune, in which ship he participated in the summer manoeuvres of 1890. Placed on the Retired List at his own request in June 1891, he was awarded the C.B. in May 1892 and advanced to Rear-Admiral in May 1893. Following his retirement, he served as a Justice of the Peace for Co. Meath in Ireland and died in Dublin in February 1910. Sold with copied record of service and other research.

Second World War British military water bottle with cloth covering and leather strap dated 1940, together with three wooden ammunition boxed and two canvas webbing bags (1 box).

A counter top display cabinet containing German Third Reich items including stamps, photographs, bank notes, soldier's book, ammunition belt clip, etc.

A Britains royal Artillery ammunition limber with box. Postage A

Six Assorted Ammunition Casings and Projectiles, Including Large-Caliber Brass Casings and Various Rifle CartridgesThis collection features six distinct ammunition components, each displaying unique characteristics. At the forefront are four spent large-caliber brass casings, notable for their cylindrical shape and substantial size. These casings exhibit typical firing pin indentations at their bases and bear manufacturing marks such as "50," "82," "K," "CY 38," "R.A.C 2Z," and "EP A C 2Z," indicating their detailed history and origins.Also included are two rifle cartridges with intact pointed bullets, constructed of brass and likely designed for powerful rifles. Accompanying these are two more significant projectiles, one adorned with a copper band and the other with a silver or metallic band near the tip, hinting at their specialized use in larger firearms. Recognizable markings such as "RG 56" and "RG" offer further identification cues.

A collection of WWI & WWII related items including Christmas 1914 chocolate tin, various cap badges including Royal Military Police, Assaye, Tank Corps, Third Reich War Merit Medal, etc, contained in a ammunition tin.Condition Report: Please note some reproduction cap badges included.

A grey metal ammunition tin, width 64cm, two US scabbards, a further scabbard, compass, leather holder etc.

Dinky Pre-War Military 162 "Field Unit" Set - containing - Light Dragon Tank (with Chains), Ammunition Trailer (ridged hubs) and Field Gun (ridged hubs) all finished in Green. Condition is generally Excellent with no obvious signs of fatigue in Good to Good Plus box. Box is dated 3/40. 

Dinky Pre-War Military 162 "Field Unit" Set - containing - Light Dragon Tank (with Chains), Ammunition Trailer (rigid hubs ) and Field Gun (smooth hubs) all finished in Green. Condition is Fair to Excellent with signs of fatigue in Good to Excellent box. Box is dated 12/39. 

Framed Western-themed display featuring a replica long-barrel revolver, aged parchment, and decorative ammunition. Encased in a wooden shadow box with green fabric backing.

Corgi - A boxed et of vehicles, Quad Tractor, Ammunition Trailer and Field Gun # 909 and a boxed SU100 Russian Tank Destroyer # 905. They show some signs of use and appear in Good condition overall, the boxes have some wear, the window has split on box 909. (This does not constitute a guarantee) [ba-2]

Flintlock Blunderbuss/Musketoon, 19th Century, makers name on side lock indistinct but appears to end RKE on one line and EY below. Flared barrel, with metal lock and hammer pitted and rusty. The side plate, ramrod ferrels and trigger guard of brass, engraved and possibly later addition, the full walnut stock retaining most of its original finish with several minor dings but no splits, chips or wood missing, ramrod with a dark metal tip and brass butt end. The locking mechanism on half and full cock, in good working order and with flint. There are two proof marks on the side of the barrel, opposite the hammer, one being a crown above interwoven G and P, the other a crown above V, these separated by what appears to be RW and further stamped LONDON on the top. An interesting piece.(1) NOTE - "These short firearms were well suited to shipboard use with their wood and brass fittings.  They were designed as scatter guns to fire a spray of pistol balls or big lead pellets.  When out of ammunition the wooden stock could make do as a club." - David Cordingly, ed., Pirates (2007), pp. 200-201. Condition Report - Barrel 41cm, 3.5cm inside at flared end, overalll 80cm  

A Swiss Schmidt Rubin 1889 Rifle 7.5 x 53.5 Calibre, serial number in two places 204126 also on magazine, proof marks seen, P31 stamp on barrel, stock marked 5D & Swiss Cross CI, magazine present, fitting for bayonet, adjustable range sight, overall in excellent condition, barrel length 75cm, overall length 130cm, obsolete ammunition, no licence required, Purchaser must be over the age of 18

NATO stock ammunition box, tough plastic design with metal screw top, stamped on both sides NSN 7125-99-137-0430 04 DFM and military crowsfoot, 88cm x 51cm x 34cm, sold together with three helmets, one original WW2 British Home Front civilian pattern, with internal leather liner stamped S.M. LD. 1941 and 7, no chin strap and known as 'zuckerman' helmet, one original WW2 Air Raid Precautions, stenciled ARP in white to front, no chin strap or liner and one metal with camouflage internal leather liner stamped 54 with leather chin strap, believed to be Swiss M71. (3)

A C&H Weston hammer action side by side double barrel shotgun no 32, engraved stock with side lever, 75.5cm 14 bore barrel, total length 117cm. With a letter from Lincolnshire police stating this gun does not need a certificate (as 14 bore is obsolete ammunition) This is being sold as an antique curiosity/ornament so under section 58(2) is exempt from the provisions of the Firearms Act 1968. (2)

Everett P. Pope signed The Purple Heart 1782-1982 FDC. AUG 1982. Major Everett Parker Pope (July 16, 1919 - July 16, 2009) was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his conspicuous gallantry on Peleliu in September 1944 while leading his men in an assault on a strategic hill, and for holding it, with rocks and bare fists when ammunition ran low, against Japanese suicide attacks. Good condition. All autographs come with a Certificate of Authenticity. We combine postage on multiple winning lots and can ship worldwide. UK postage from £5.99, EU from £7.99, Rest of World from £9.99

A German Third Reich Luftwaffe 2 cm flak ammunition crate

A Bren Mk 1 ammunition chest together with a magazine

Dinky Pre-War No.162 "Field Unit" Set containing; - Light Dragon Tank (with Chains), Ammunition Trailer (rigid hubs) and Field Gun (rigid hubs) all finished in Green, housed in a blue presentation box lacking the inner tray

A KYNOCH AMMUNITION SHOP ADVERTISING MIRROR for Kynoch trademark, in a mahogany and gilt frame, 25cm x 20cmProvenance: A private Shropshire sporting collection.

KYNOCH LTD, LION WORKS, WITTON, BIRMINGHAM: A PRESENTATION COPY OF AN 1882 CATALOGUE with various illustrations of ammunition, no. 160/250Provenance: A private Shropshire sporting collection.

A SAFEGUARD METAL GUN CABINETfor eight guns, and an ammunition locker, 150cm x 46cm