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Six: Head Naval Nursing Auxiliary Gladys Robson, A.R.R.C., Royal Navy and Hampshire Voluntary Aid Detachment 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., 2nd issue (0043 G. E. Robson. H.N.N.A. H.M.S. President); Women’s Voluntary Service Medal, silver, with 3 additional service bars and ‘V.A.D.’ top suspension bar (Miss Gladys Ethel Robson) edge prepared prior to naming, mounted for display, nearly extremely fine and very scarce (6) £300-£400 --- Gladys Ethel Robson was born on 28 June 1908. She enrolled into 12 V.A.D., Hampshire, on 22 February 1931, and served at R.N. Hospital, Haslar, 1939-42, then served in the Middle East until 1944, when she returned to Haslar. She was awarded the Naval L.S. & G.C. medal in May 1960, and was made an Associate member of the Royal Red Cross in 1963 (London Gazette 8 June 1963, Miss Gladys Ethel Robson, Head Naval Nursing Auxiliary).

Alexander Davison’s Medal for The Nile 1798, bronze, fitted with contemporary swivel ring suspension, some light staining to obverse field, otherwise nearly extremely fine £240-£280

A Second War ‘Battle of Cape Matapan’ D.S.C. group of nine awarded to Lieutenant G. E. Allen, Royal Navy, Gunnery Officer in H.M.S. Warspite during the battle of Calabria in July 1940 when the ship achieved one of the longest range gunnery hits from a moving ship to a moving target in history, hitting Giulio Cesare at a range of approximately 24 km; and also in the same battleship at the battle of Cape Matapan in March 1941 when he was decorated for his ‘efficiency and successful results’ obtained by the ship during the action, three Italian cruisers and two destroyers being sunk Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1942 and additionally engraved ‘Lieut. G. E. Allen R.N.’; 1914-15 Star (J.12853. G. E. Allen. A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J.12853 G. E. Allen. P.O. R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals, mounted for display together with a ‘Portsmouth Port Rifle and Revolver Meeting’ prize medal with ribbon bar inscribed ‘General’s Cup’, nearly very fine (10) £2,600-£3,000 --- One D.S.O., two D.S.Cs. and one Bar, and 20 D.S.Ms. awarded for the battle of Cape Matapan. D.S.C. London Gazette 3 February 1942: ‘For bravery and enterprise in the Battle of Cape Matapan.’ The recommendation for the Immediate award of the D.S.C. states: ‘Commissioned Gunner George Enos Allen. Battle of Cape Matapan. As officer in charge of the 15” Transmitting Station, Mr Allen contributed very materially to the Gunnery efficiency and successful results obtained by H.M.S. “Warspite” during the action. Mr Allen has been in charge of the 15” T.S. during the action off Calabria and for three bombardments of shore positions, in all of which he has performed most valuable service.’ George Enos Allen was born at Deptford, London, on 14 September 1894, and joined the Navy directly from school on 24 July 1911, as a Boy 2nd Class in H.M.S. Ganges II. He joined the Gunnery branch and advanced through the rates to become Petty Officer by the end of the Great War, having served throughout the war aboard H.M.S. Emperor of India from October 1914. He passed for Gunner in January 1919 and was promoted to Acting Gunner and transferred to the Officers’ Section on 1 July 1923 and appointed to Excellent. His ability as a gunner is noted throughout by his various Captain’s reports with frequent ‘Above Average’, and ‘Has outstanding technical ability and is of great value to the (G) Dept., but he is not naturally good at imparting his wide knowledge to others. Has exceptional ability and experience of Fire Control - Capt. Crutchley.’ Allen was promoted to Commissioned Gunner on 1 July 1923, and qualified as a ‘Dagger Gunner’ in November 1925, giving him a particular emphasis on director control identified by a dagger suffix to his rank title in the Navy List. In this rank he joined the battleship Warspite under Captain Victor Crutchley in December 1936, whilst she was undergoing a comprehensive refit which included a new fire control system and the addition of two Fairy Swordfish float-planes. Warspite took a very active part in the battles of Narvik in 1940, the gunnery proving to be exceptionally effective. Battle of Calabria Moving to the Mediterranean, now under the overall command of Admiral ‘A.B.C.’ Cunningham, the fleet engaged the Italian fleet at the battle of Calabria on 9 July 1940. During the battle Warspite achieved one of the longest range gunnery hits from a moving ship to a moving target in history, hitting Giulio Cesare at a range of approximately 24 km (26,000 yd), the other being a shot from Scharnhorst which hit Glorious at approximately the same distance in June 1940. Captain Douglas Fisher noted of Allen, ‘An extremely able officer with exceptional technical knowledge who has carried out his duty as officer in charge of Warspite’s 15in. T.S. with marked ability’, recognition, if any were needed, of his success in this action. Battle of Cape Matapan On 27 March 1941, Admiral Cunningham took his fleet to sea, flying his flag in Warspite, to intercept the Italian fleet which had sailed to intercept Allied convoys between Egypt and Greece, in an attempt to support the German invasion of the Balkans. On 28 March the British cruisers encountered the Italian fleet and were forced to turn away by the heavy guns of Vittorio Veneto. To save his cruisers Cunningham ordered an air strike, prompting the Italians to retreat. Subsequent air attacks damaged the battleship and the cruiser Pola, slowing the former and crippling the latter. Vittorio Veneto escaped to the west as dusk fell, but the British pursued through the night, first detecting Pola on radar and then two of her sister ships. Warspite, Valiant, and Barham closed on the unsuspecting Italian ships and, aided by searchlights, destroyed the heavy cruisers Fiume and Zara, and two destroyers at point blank range. Pola was also sunk once her crew had been taken off. Having established by aerial reconnaissance that the rest of the Italian fleet had escaped, Warspite returned to Alexandria on 29 March, surviving air attacks without suffering any casualties. The Battle of Cape Matapan had a paralysing effect on the Italian fleet, providing the Royal Navy with an opportunity to tighten its grip on the Mediterranean theatre. Allen left Warspite in April 1941 and was promoted to Lieutenant (G) on 12 November 1941, receiving his well-earned D.S.C. early in the following year. He spent the remainder of the war on the Staff of Excellent, employed on ‘Dagger’ duties as a gunnery instructor and was placed on the Retired List in February 1948. Sold with copied record of service and recommendation for D.S.C.

A Second War ‘Battle of Cape Matapan’ Immediate D.S.M. group of five awarded to Leading Seaman A. Blaney, Royal Navy, who was killed in action during Operation Jubilee, the Dieppe Raid, on 19 August 1942 Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (SSX. 21349 A. Blaney. A.B. H.M.S. Valiant.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, extremely fine (5) £1,400-£1,800 --- D.S.M. London Gazette 29 July 1941: ‘For courage, coolness, and devotion to duty in the Battle of Cape Matapan.’ The original Recommendation states: ‘Battle of Cape Matapan. Distinguished service in action with the enemy on 28 March 1941, in connection with the efficient operation of the searchlights.’ Alfred Blaney was born in Birmingham on 1 January 1920 and served during the Second World War as an Able Seaman in H.M.S. Valiant, being awarded an Immediate D.S.M. for his gallantry at the Battle of Cape Matapan. Battle of Cape Matapan On 27 March 1941, Admiral Cunningham took his fleet to sea, flying his flag in Warspite, to intercept the Italian fleet which had sailed to intercept Allied convoys between Egypt and Greece, in an attempt to support the German invasion of the Balkans. On 28 March the British cruisers encountered the Italian fleet and were forced to turn away by the heavy guns of Vittorio Veneto. To save his cruisers Cunningham ordered an air strike, prompting the Italians to retreat. Subsequent air attacks damaged the battleship and the cruiser Pola, slowing the former and crippling the latter. Vittorio Veneto escaped to the west as dusk fell, but the British pursued through the night, first detecting Pola on radar and then two of her sister ships. Warspite, Valiant, and Barham closed on the unsuspecting Italian ships and, aided by searchlights, destroyed the heavy cruisers Fiume and Zara, and two destroyers at point blank range. Pola was also sunk once her crew had been taken off. Having established by aerial reconnaissance that the rest of the Italian fleet had escaped, Warspite returned to Alexandria on 29 March, surviving air attacks without suffering any casualties. The Battle of Cape Matapan had a paralysing effect on the Italian fleet, providing the Royal Navy with an opportunity to tighten its grip on the Mediterranean theatre. Advanced Leading Seaman, Blaney was subsequently borne on the books of H.M.S. Dinosaur, and was killed in action during Operation Jubilee, the Dieppe Raid, on 19 August 1942. He is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.

Six: Able Seaman C. G. Coe, Royal Navy, who served in H.M.S. Warspite at the Battles of Narvick and Cape Matapan 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Pacific Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, nearly extremely fine (6) £100-£140 --- Colin George Coe was born at Tendring, Essex, on 1 March 1921, and joined the Royal Navy on 25 October 1938. Posted to H.M.S. Warspite on 28 September 1939, he was promoted Able Seaman on 1 February 1940, and was present in her during the Battles of Narvick and Cape Matapan. He saw further service in H.M.S. Resolution from 23 August to 13 October 1941, and in H.M.S. Bonadventure from 26 January to 2 December 1943. He was released Class ‘A’ on 7 May 1946, and joined the Royal Fleet Reserve the following day. Sold with the recipient’s original Parchment Certificate of Service; Gunnery History Sheet; Admiralty enclosure; a postcard photograph of the recipient’ various photographs of H.M.S. Warspite; various passes and permits; and other ephemera.

A good Second World War B.E.M. group of six awarded to Senior Commissioned Ordnance Engineer E. W. T. Sainsbury, Royal Navy, who was mentioned in despatches for his services in H.M.S. Norfolk during the sinking of the Bismarck British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R., 1st issue (C.O.A. Edwin W. T. Sainsbury, D./M. 37652 R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (M. 37652 E. W. T. Sainsbury, C.O.A. 2, H.M.S. Apollo) good very fine and better (6) £600-£800 --- B.E.M. London Gazette 1 January 1943. M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1942. Edwin William Thomas Sainsbury was born at Queenstown, Co. Cork in June 1900 and entered the Royal Navy as an Ordnance Artificer 4th Class in August 1923. Advanced to Ordnance Artificer 3rd Class in H.M.S. Thunderer in August 1926, his inter-war seagoing appointments also included the monitor Erebus, the battleship Rodney and the cruiser Apollo, aboard which latter ship, as an Ordnance Artificer 2nd Class, he was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in July 1938. His subsequent wartime awards of the B.E.M. and a mention in despatches were in respect of services in the cruiser Norfolk, the latter more particularly for his part in the Bismarck action (Home Fleet Honours List, refers). The Norfolk’s role throughout the pursuit of the Bismarck was a significant one and she came under the Bismarck’s direct fire on at least one - hair-raising - occasion. Ludovic Kennedy’s Pursuit takes up the story: ‘Norfolk, meanwhile, fifteen miles away inside the fog, had picked up the first of Suffolk’s signals: her Captain Alfred Phillips was in his sea-cabin eating cheese on toast when the Yeoman of Signals burst in with the news. Phillips at once increased speed and steered for the open water, but in his eagerness not to lose touch, he misjudged the direction, and emerged from the fog to find Bismarck only six miles ahead, coming straight at him. This time there was no doubting her readiness. As Norfolk swung to starboard to get back to the safety of the fog, Bismarck’s guns roared in anger for the first time. On the Norfolk’s bridge they saw the ripple of the orange flashes and brown puffs of cordite smoke, heard the scream of the shells - a sound which some have likened to the tearing of linen and others to the approach of an express train. Admiral Wake-Walker saw the sea to starboard pocked with shell splinters, observed one complete burnished shell bounce off the water fifty yards away, ricochet over the bridge. Great columns of milk-white water rose in the air, two hundred feet high. Five salvoes in all Bismarck fired before Norfolk regained the mist: some straddled, and splinters came aboard; but there were no casualties or hits.’ The 8-inch guns of Norfolk, alongside the heavier armaments of the Rodney and King George V, subsequently contributed to the final bombardment of the Bismarck and, as the Dorsetshire’s torpedoes delivered the coup-de-grâce, so ended one of the greatest threats ever placed upon allied convoys in the North Sea. Sainsbury undoubtedly remained actively employed in the Norfolk during her subsequent service on the Arctic run 1941-43, including the ill-fated P.Q. 17 operation. Advanced to Warrant Ordnance Officer in May 1943, he was still serving at the time of his death at Drake on 14 November 1954, by which stage he had been promoted to Senior Commissioned Ordnance Engineer. He was buried in Weston Military Cemetery, Plymouth. Sold with a file of copied research.

Seven: Chief Petty Officer Air Mechanic H. Wilkinson, Royal Navy, who served in H.M.S. Ark Royal during the sinking of the Bismarck, and later survived the sinking of H.M.S. Ark Royal off Gibraltar in November 1941 Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1936-1939 (FX.76888 H. Wilkinson. A.B. R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Malta George Cross 50th Anniversary Medal 1992, unnamed as issued, nearly extremely fine (7) £200-£240 --- Harold Wilkinson was born in St. Helens, Lancashire, on 1 April 1913 and joined the Royal Navy as an Ordinary Seaman on 21 March 1933. He served in H.M.S. Boreas from 18 October 1933 to 21 September 1936, being advanced Able Seaman on 21 August 1934, and it was in this ship that he qualified for the Naval General Service medal with the pre-War Palestine clasp. Appointed Air Mechanic First Class on 1 April 1940, he served during the Second World War in H.M.S. Ark Royal from 19 July 1940, and was present in her, as a Leading Air Mechanic, during the pursuit and sinking of the Bismarck. Wilkinson was still serving in Ark Royal when she was hit by a torpedo fired by the German submarine U-81 when returning from Malta to Gibraltar as part of the convoy Force H on 13 November 1941 - the crew of the Ark Royal were safely taken off before she sank the following day and miraculously, out of a total complement of 1,488, only one man was killed. Wilkinson served for the rest of the War borne on the books of various Royal Naval Air Stations, and was advanced Chief Petty Officer Air Mechanic on 1 June 1945, prior to being shore released, Class ‘A’, on 1 December 1945. Sold with original parchment certificate of service; Admiralty enclosure; and copied research.

Seven: Stoker First Class E. C. Foster, Royal Navy, late Royal Fusiliers, who was killed in action on 1 June 1941 during the evacuation of Crete British War and Victory Medals (1910 Pte. E. C. Foster. R. Fus.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45, these unnamed; Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue (SS.119958 (Ch.B.18521) E. C. Foster. Sto. 1, R.F.R.) mounted for wear, fine and better (7) £180-£220 --- Edward Charles Foster was born in Marylebone, London on 12 March 1899 and served in the Royal Fusiliers and Machine Gun Corps during the Great War. In December 1919 he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Stoker and served until 1924. Thereafter he served in the Royal Fleet Reserve. Recalled to duty in the Second World War, Stoker First Class Foster was killed in action during the evacuation of Crete when serving on the anti-aircraft cruiser H.M.S. Calcutta on 1 June 1941. He is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial.

A Second War 1942 Malta ‘Immediate’ D.S.M. group of seven awarded to Stoker Petty Officer A. A. Gill, Royal Navy, for his gallantry during the bombing and sinking of H.M.S. Maori in the Grand Harbour, Valetta, on 12 February 1942 Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (K.63381 A.A. Gill S.P.O.); 1939-1945 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (K.63381 A. A. Gill. S.P.O. H.M.S. Defiance.) mounted as worn, nearly extremely fine (7) £2,000-£2,400 --- D.S.M. London Gazette 12 May 1942. The original Recommendation, dated 20 February 1942, states: ‘When His Majesty’s Ship Maori was hit by a bomb at about 0115 on 12 February 1942, this rating was in charge of one of the Fire Parties under Chief Stoker Worrall. He showed great determination and courage in his efforts to check the spread of fire. When it became evident that further efforts in this direction were useless, he assisted in the shutting of water-tight doors and the lowering of boats. He was one of the last to leave the ship. He conducted himself throughout with exceptional zeal and devotion to duty and showed no regard for his personal safety when in great danger of being hit by splinters from exploding ready-use ammunition, thereby setting a fine example in accordance with the highest traditions of the Service.’ H.M.S. Maori (destroyer) served during the Second World War as part of the Mediterranean Fleet; she had been earlier involved in the pursuit and destruction of the German battleship Bismarck in May 1941, and served with the 14th Destroyer Flotilla during the Battle of Cape Bon in December 1941. The Maori (Commander R. E. Courage, RN) was attacked by German aircraft and sank at her moorings in the Malta Grand Harbour on 12 February 1942; the commanding officer’s report adding the following: ‘H.M.S. Maori, while lying at No. 3 Buoy, Grand Harbour, was hit by a bomb in the Engine Room and Gearing Room... The attack was unexpected as the aircraft was not engaged by any ship or shore battery, with the result that nearly all the Officers and Ship’s Company were asleep at the time. A large fire developed rapidly in the vicinity of the Gearing Room, separating the Officers, who were all in the after part of the ship, from the Ship’s Company; and this fire grew and spread to the ready use ammunition lockers on the after superstructure, causing continuous explosions with flying splinters as round after round of ammunition exploded. Finally, a large explosion took place, probably caused by the Depth Charges in the War Head Magazine... The fact that the Officers were aft and the Ships Company forward, threw the responsibility of initiating the fighting of the fire onto the senior ratings. Chief Stoker C. J. Worrall... and Stoker Petty Officer A. Gill... showed outstanding efficiency and zeal and courage in organising and carrying out this duty.’ Miraculously, despite the loss of the ship, only one of the crew was killed. Maori was raised and scuttled off Malta on 15 July 1945; located a few hundred metres off the shore of Valletta, she is now a popular dive site. Sold with a contemporary H.M.S. Maori Christmas Card, inscribed ‘To My Darling Wife, Your Loving Hubby, with the Seasons Compliments, xxx’; and copied research.

A Second War O.B.E. group of seven awarded to Commander H. S. Pugh, Royal Navy, for services in H.M.S. Rodney 1942-43, including escorting the Operation Pedestal convoy to Malta in August 1942 The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, gilt mostly worn off; British War and Victory Medals (Mid. H. S. Pugh. R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, 1 clasp, North Africa 1942-43; War Medal 1939-45, mounted as worn, nearly very fine (7) £300-£400 --- O.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1944: ‘Commander (Retd.) Hugh Smith Pugh, H.M.S. Rodney.’ Hugh Smith Pugh was appointed Midshipman in the Royal Navy on 1 February 1918, and joined H.M.S. Monarch later the same month. He was promoted Sub-Lieutenant in July 1919, Lieutenant in February 1921, and Lieutenant-Commander in February 1929. He retired at his own request on 23 December 1930, but was recalled in 1939 and appointed as Commander (Retd.) to H.M.S. Hawkins, 3 October 1939; to Rodney, 7 January 1942; to Vulture, 16 December 1943; and to Warren, 16 January 1945.

A rare Second War ‘Malta’ B.E.M. group of seven awarded to Leading Stoker H. E. Sutton, Royal Navy British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R., 1st issue (Ldg. Stoker Henry E. Sutton, C/KX. 116593) minor official correction to number; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45, generally very fine or better (7) £400-£500 --- B.E.M. London Gazette 16 June 1942: ‘For bravery in the rescue of two buried persons in an air raid on Malta.’ Henry Edward Sutton was decorated for the above deeds on 1 March 1942, most probably whilst borne on the books of the Malta base H.M.S. St. Angelo - the fort suffered nearly 70 direct hits during the period 1940-43.

Eight: Warrant Mechanician F. G. Hall, Royal Navy, who served in H.M.S. Nigeria including when damaged by a torpedo escorting the Operation Pedestal convoy to Malta in August 1942 British War and Victory Medals (K.27996 F. G. Hall. Sto. 1, R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf; Jubilee 1935, these unnamed; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue (K.27996 F. G. Hall. Mech., H.M.S. Pembroke) mounted as worn, good very fine and better (8) £200-£240 --- M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1942. Frederick George Hall was born in Bermondsey, London on 2 September 1897. Employed as a Locomotive Fireman, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class on 6 September 1915. Serving on the destroyer Fairy, January 1916-June 1917, he was advanced to Stoker 1st Class in September 1916. Promoted to Leading Stoker in September 1920, Stoker Petty Officer in November 1922, Mechanician in August 1926 and Chief Mechanician 2nd Class in March 1933. He was awarded the L.S. & G.C. in November 1930. During the Second World War Hall served in the cruiser Nigeria, August 1940-July 1943, including when damaged by a torpedo on 12 August 1942 when escorting the Operation Pedestal convoy to Malta. For his services aboard Nigeria he was mentioned in despatches in the New Years Honours of 1942. In February 1944 he was promoted Temporary Acting Warrant Mechanician. With original Certificate of Service; letter appointing him Temporary Acting Warrant Mechanician, dated 12 February 1944; slip confirming service at that rank at H.M.S. Pembroke, February 1944-February 1945; and three photographs.

A rare Second War escaper’s group of six awarded to Able Seaman G. V. Wilson, Royal Navy: captured on the occasion of the loss of the destroyer H.M.S. Bedouin on the Malta run in June 1942, he ‘jumped ship’ on being entrained for Germany from Italy in September 1943 and reached Allied lines some three months later - in a subsequent letter to his counterpart in Naval Intelligence, the Deputy Director of Military Intelligence recommended this gallant rating for mention in despatches 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Naval General Service 1915-62, 2 clasps, S.E. Asia 1945-46, Malaya (C/JX. 158999 G. Wilson, A.B., R.N.), good very fine and better (6) £800-£1,000 --- M.I.D. London Gazette 30 May 1944: ‘For enterprise and devotion to duty.’ The following information has been taken from a letter written by the Deputy Director of Military Intelligence, addressed to his naval counterpart at the Admiralty and dated 26 March 1944: ‘Able Seaman Wilson was captured off Pantelleria on 15 June 1942. He was sent via Pantelleria and Castelvetrano to Campo 52 (Chiavari). This camp was taken over by the Germans after the Armistice and on 12 September 1943, the prisoners of war were entrained for Germany. In Wilson’s cattle truck the prisoners worked all day and finally managed to force an opening. They then got out of the truck and jumped off the train - Wilson made his way South and finally met Allied troops at S. Vincenzo on 16 December 1943.’ The Deputy Director of Military Intelligence closed his letter with the following observation: ‘Had this man been in the Army, D.M.I. would have forwarded to the Military Secretary a recommendation for the award of a Mention in view of his brave conduct.’ George Vitty Wilson was born in Hartlepool, Durham in July 1922. In which year he joined the Royal Navy remains unknown, but he may have witnessed active service in H.M.S. Bedouin off Norway in 1940-41. Certainly he was among the ship’s complement by the time of the ship’s deployment to the Mediterranean in June 1942. Of her subsequent loss, the following account has been taken from Hocking’s Dictionary of Disasters at Sea in the Age of Steam: ‘The destroyer Bedouin, Commander B. G. Scurfield, was leader of a small flotilla which formed part of a force escorting a convoy to Malta in June 1942. The force, which had left Britain on the 5th, was known as the “Harpoon Convoy”. On the 15th, when about 30 miles S. of Pantelleria, British aircraft reported the presence of two Italian cruisers and five destroyers some 15 miles to the northward. The Bedouin and her flotilla were despatched to engage this force which was superior to them, both in number and gun power. The action began at 6.45 a.m., the 6-inch guns of the Italian cruisers outranging the lighter weapons of the British destroyers. The Bedouin and Partridge were hit and badly damaged, but the three remaining destroyers managed to get within range and scored three direct hits on an Italian destroyer. Meanwhile the light cruiser Cairo, 4.220 tons, five 6-inch guns, with four ‘Hunt-class’ destroyers had joined in the action and forced the Italians to turn away. This engagement, though very brief, deprived the convoy of its naval escort, and during this time it suffered a succession of bombing attacks in which two merchantmen were sunk. The Bedouin was taken in tow by the Partridge, but, as both ships were disabled, their progress was slow. Later the Italian squadron returned and the Partridge was compelled to cast off the two and the Bedouin was left to face both warships and torpedo bombers. She was hit by an aerial torpedo and sank at 2.45 p.m.’ The torpedo hit Bedouin’s engine room, blasting clear through the ship. She immediately rolled over to port and sank with a loss of 28 men. At dusk, an Italian floatplane and an Italian hospital ship picked up 213 survivors, Wilson among them. Following his gallant escape - and release from the Royal Navy - Wilson returned to Hartlepool and was employed as a Millwright. He died there in December 2004. Sold with copied research.

A Second War ‘D.E.M.S. Operations - Russian Convoy PQ 16’ D.S.M. group of eight awarded to Acting Petty Officer H. Tomlinson, Royal Navy Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (P/JX.200147 H. Tomlinson. A/L. Smn.) on original mounting pin; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45; Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, Medal for the 40th Anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1945-85, edge bruise to first, otherwise extremely fine (8) £1,000-£1,400 --- D.S.M. London Gazette 10 November 1942: ‘For bravery while serving in defensively equipped Merchant Ships on North Russian Convoys.’ Harry Tomlinson, a native of Coventry, was employed prior to the Second World War at the Renold and Coventry Chain Co. Ltd. He served during the Second Wold War in defensively equipped merchant ships, and was awarded the D.S.M. for his services in S.S. Empire Selwyn, which formed part of the famous PQ 16 Russian Convoy in May 1942. Advanced Acting Petty Officer, he was invested with his D.S.M. on 16 March 1943. Sold with various original documents including an Order to report to Buckingham Palace to be awarded the D.S.M., dated 11 March 1943; card of issue for the Soviet award; War Gratuity forms; card box of issue for the campaign awards; H.M.S. Excellent naval cap tally; and other ephemera.

A fine post-War ‘Royal Visit to South Africa 1947’, B.E.M. group of nine awarded to Quartermaster-Sergeant A. Rendell, Royal Marines, who was captured and taken Prisoner of War whilst serving in H.M.S. Sikh during Operation Agreement, the disastrous raid on Tobruk on the night of 13-14 September 1942 Royal Victorian Medal, G.VI.R., 1st issue, silver, unnamed as issued; British Empire Medal, (Military) E.II.R. (Q.M.S. Albert Rendell, Ply.X.1448, R.M.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 2nd issue (Ply.X.1448 A. Rendell. Q.M.S. R.M.), mounted court-style for display, minor edge bruise to last, otherwise good very fine and an unusual combination (9) £800-£1,000 --- R.V.M. A.F.O. 2392/47. Awarded for the Royal Tour to South Africa in H.M.S. Vanguard, Medal presented 25 June 1947. B.E.M. London Gazette 13 June 1957. Arthur Rendell was born in Wolverhampton on 23 November 1917 and enlisted into the Royal Marines in November 1935. He was promoted Corporal on 21 January 1937 and Sergeant (Temporary) on 22 August 1941. ‘Massacre at Tobruk’
The objective of Operation “Agreement”, the raid on Tobruk, was to gain control of the harbour and to demolish the installations of a port which saved the Germans 260 miles of road transport. Prepared in the greatest secrecy - and timed to coincide with land operations undertaken by the Long Range Desert Group - the main thrust of the assault fell to the men of the 11th Battalion, Royal Marines, all of whom were embarked in H.M.S. Zulu and her fellow Tribal-class consort H.M.S. Sikh at Haifa. They had in addition attached elements from the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers - both ships had Italian red and white diagonal identification stripes painted on their fo’c’sles, in addition to other minor modifications to try and confuse the enemy, but in the event such alterations proved utterly ineffective. Having then received a good luck signal from Winston Churchill, Zulu and Sikh escorted by the cruiser H.M.S. Coventry - also sunk in the raid - and two Hunt-class destroyers (Croome and Hursley), made their way towards Tobruk for “zero hour” on the night of the 13-14 September 1942 and, on nearing their destination, broke away from their escort and steamed due west at top speed until, at midnight, they altered course and turned south for the final run-in. At this moment, 60 R.A.F. Wellingtons began a three hours’ bombardment of the town and at 2 a.m. the code word was received, indicating that the L.R.D.G. had taken a coastal battery at the mouth of the harbour, thereby setting in motion the lowering of the first wave of assault craft from Sikh and Zulu. As it transpired, these were the only Marines disembarked, for the ferocity of the enemy’s response by shore battery and small-arms was immense - in fact fewer than 100 Marines survived the terrible passage from ship to shore where, after numerous acts of gallantry, the survivors were taken prisoner. Meanwhile, in their attempt to close the shore and try and rescue assorted men in heavily damaged assault craft, Sikh was caught in enemy searchlights and swept by a heavy fire, so much so that she was eventually stopped dead in the water, her guns and engines out of action. Rendell was in the water by this time. Zulu fared little better, taking three or four hits, but nonetheless made a bold attempt to get the seriously damaged Sikh in tow. Owing to the scale of the enemy’s fire, however, Commander White was compelled to abandon the task and sheer off for Alexandria, but not before closing with the shore to lay a smokescreen: not long afterwards the Sikh went down with the loss of two officers and 20 ratings. Rendell’s own account of the action, as given to a subsequent court of inquiry, states: 'I was a 3" Mortar Platoon Commander of the 11 Battalion. I was in A.2 dumb lighter in the 1st Flight which left the ship and formed up at 0345hrs approximately. There was a heavy sea running and approximately ten minutes later [we] parted. Contact was lost with A.1 owing to the sea and darkness and A.3 was cast off so that we could use our paddles. At 0415hrs, shore searchlights started to sweep the sea and passed over us many times. Shortly afterwards, shore batteries opened fire, presumably at H.M.S. Sikh which had been illuminated many times. About 0445hrs, Sikh came between us and the shore and at approximately 0500hrs she was seen to be hit aft.
About 0510hrs Sikh hailed us to come alongside as she was waiting for us. Approximately 0520 we came alongside Sikh which immediately got underway. An officer and 2 men were left in the boat and were picked up later by the Italians. Sikh's engines had now seized up.
At approximately 0610hrs the order was passed to place scuttling charges and destroy R.D. gear instantly. I passed the order on the men's deck to mount all automatic weapons on the upper deck for A.A. This order was carried out efficiently. Shortly afterwards, Sikh was hit and caught fire on the for'ard and men's deck. Many men were killed and badly burned.
At 0710hrs the order 'Abandon Ship' was passed. The ship was being hit very frequently by this time.
At approximately 1100hrs I was picked up by a German 'E' Boat.' Rendell was taken aboard and taken Prisoner of War. He was eventually returned via a prisoner exchange with the Italians on 21 March 1943. In October that year he was asked to present his experiences to fellow Marines:
'At 0720 the abandoned ship started to list to starboard - it was hopeless. The Captain was the last man to leave - 20 minutes after we had gone. We took everyone we could, even those who had been burnt though the salt water did not do them much good and many died. The enemy continued to shell us until 0920hrs even after the ship had gone. I saw a Carley Float which received a direct hit and it just disappeared. I had a shell very near me - about 5 yards away - which exploded and I felt as if somebody had hit me below the belt. After the ship had disappeared the Italian Air Force put in its appearance and began to machine-gun us in the water. About 11 o'clock having been in the water since 7.20 some E Boats started to leave Tobruk and came towards us. We were picked up. Warnings about security and other orders were shouted in the water. It was just the same when the Bismark was sunk. The only thing we can say is 'I cannot say'. I was hooked up by my shorts and hoisted on board and left to dry out on the quarter deck of an E Boat. I was with all the other fellows, one being a Lieutenant who was hit in the head - a piece of skull was missing - and then he was babbling away, therefore people started to sing so that the Germans could not hear him if he said anything secret. One of my opposite numbers took his shirt off and put it over the German Ensign - a very unwise thing to do. It was not over there for long, however.' Having seen further service in Burma, Rendell was appointed to H.M.S. Vanguard for the Royal Visit to South Africa in 1947 and was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 9 December 1950. His B.E.M. was awarded for his services at the Royal Marines Initial Training Centre, and he was presented with his B.E.M. by Major-General Fellowes on 16 October 1957. He finally retired to Exmouth on 25 November 1962. Sold with a copy of the book ‘Massacre at Tobruk’, by Peter C. Smith; and extensive copied research.

Four: Able Seaman R. N. Cain, Royal Navy, killed when H.M.S. Curacao collided with the R.M.S. Queen Mary whilst escorting her to the Clyde, 2 October 1942 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Admiralty enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs. E. M. Byrne, 90 Beacon Road, Luton, Chatham, Kent’; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue (J.78777 R. N. Cain. A.B. H.M.S. Cairo.) light contact marks to last, otherwise nearly extremely fine (4) £200-£240 --- Reginald Norman Cain was born in 1902 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in 1917. He served during the Great War in home waters in the battleships H.M.S. Impregnable and Royal Oak, and received a War gratuity. Advanced to Able Seaman, he was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct medal in June 1936, and served in this rate during the Second World War in H.M.S. Curacoa. In September 1942 Curacoa was deployed with the Western Approaches Command at Belfast, to escort convoys in the N.W. Approaches and the Irish Sea. On 2 October 1942 the escort group was tasked to escort R.M.S. Queen Mary on the final stage of a trans-Atlantic passage. The famous Cunard liner, built on the Clyde in the 1930s, displaced 81,125 tons and was the greatest and most luxurious of the pre-war liners. On her maiden voyage she won the ‘Blue Riband’ for the fastest Atlantic crossing. On the outbreak of war she had become a troopship, carrying an entire division (15,000 men) at a time and often steamed without an escort, relying on her great speed for protection. On 27 September 1942 Queen Mary left New York bound for the Clyde, carrying about 15,000 U.S. servicemen. By the morning of 2 October she was some 40 miles north of Tory Island, off the northern coast of Ireland. Just after 7 a.m. the bridge watch sighted Curacao, which signalled that she would take up station five miles ahead, while six destroyers assumed flanking positions a few miles on either side of the liner. For the next five hours the convoy moved steadily towards Scotland, all hands scanning the clear skies for German aircraft. A stiff wind from the north-east was making life difficult for the destroyers racing about in search of U-Boats, but the Queen Mary steamed on majestically, untroubled by the choppy seas. Though the Cunarder was steering a zig-zag course her great speed allowed her gradually to overtake the slower cruiser, and by two o’clock in the afternoon Curacao was only a few hundred yards off the liner’s bow. The Queen Mary’s officer of the watch was increasingly concerned about the Curacao’s proximity and ordered the helmsman to turn slightly away. However, at the same time the cruiser turned even closer to the liner. Queen Mary’s helmsman made a last-ditch attempt to avoid disaster and turned hard-a-port, and for a moment it looked as if the manoeuvre might work. However, the liner’s massive stem struck the Curacao eleven feet forward of her stern at an acute angle, spun the warship round and sliced through her. Staff Captain Grattidge, resting in his cabin, felt a jolt that at first he thought was the near miss of a bomb. But when he reached the bridge he saw, ‘150 feet from the bridge on the port side, almost smothered in awesome clouds of black smoke ... the forepart of a vessel going down. Running to starboard I could see the after end of the same vessel, trembling to settle beneath the waves.’ Both sections of the Curacao were on fire and began to sink. The escorting destroyers raced to the scene but were only able to rescue 101 survivors. Queen Mary herself was under strict orders not to stop for any reason and steamed on. However, her bows had been stoved in below the water line and she had to reduce speed to 10 knots. She arrived safely at Gourock on the morning of 3 October. News of this disaster was blacked out and the loss of Curacao was not publicly announced until 1945, when a formal court of enquiry was convened to examine the cause of the accident. After almost four years of protracted litigation which went to the House of Lords it was held that Curacao was two thirds responsible for the collision and Queen Mary, one third. In total 338 Officers and crew lost their lives when the Curacoa was sunk, including Cain. He is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Medals issued to the recipient’s widow, Eleanor Mary Cain, who had subsequently remarried.

A Second World War Submariner’s D.S.C. group of nine awarded to Senior Commissioned Engineer A. G. W. Stokes, Royal Navy, for services as Warrant Engineer in H.M. Submarine Shakespeare during Mediterranean patrols, including two Special Operations and the sinking of the Italian Submarine Velella in the Gulf of Salerno on 7 September 1943 Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1943 and hallmarked London 1943; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Burma Star, clasp, Pacific; Italy Star; War Medal; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., coinage head (M.35095 A. G. W. Stokes. E.R.A. 1 H.M.S. Titania.); Coronation 1953, mounted as worn, very fine and better (9) £1,600-£2,000 --- D.S.C. London Gazette 23 November 1943: ‘For bravery and skill in successful patrols in one of H.M. Submarines.’ Seedie’s Submarine List states: ‘Mediterranean Patrols and two Special Operations. Sank the Italian Submarine Velella in the Gulf of Salerno on 7 September 1943.’ Commanded by Lieutenant M. F. R. Ainslie, who won a D.S.O. for the same operational period [the same gazette carried further awards of 2 D.S.Cs, 1 bar to D.S.M., three D.S.Ms and five mentions]. Shakespeare did indeed enjoy a busy and successful commission as part of the 8th Submarine Flotilla in the Mediterranean, one of her more notable achievements being her victorious “Sub-on-Sub” encounter with the Italian Velella in the Gulf of Salerno on 7 September 1943 - Ainslie fired a salvo of six torpedoes, four of which found their mark with spectacular results (‘there was not much left of the enemy submarine’). It was in this same patrol that the Shakespeare carried out one of her ‘special operations’, namely the delivery of a C.O.P.P. party, including three S.B.S. men, for beach reconnaissance work, the type of clandestine activity that often befell a submarine’s lot in the Mediterranean at this time - namely the Allied landings in Sicily and Italy. So, too, the risk of attack from prowling aircraft - including the Allied variety - one such incident being described by Ainslie in his war patrol report for June 1943: ‘The Officer of the Watch reported an aircraft attacking from the starboard beam. Almost as soon as sighted the aircraft delivered its attack - a type not previously experienced. The whole thing was over in a few seconds, the sequence of events being as follows: firstly, a sheet of sparks and flame from the aircraft, secondly, a deafening roar and thirdly, several projectiles hitting the water some 20 to 30 feet short of the submarine just before the conning tower. There was no explosion but personnel inside the submarine stated afterwards that they were quite convinced at the time that we had been hit by a torpedo or bomb, the noise was so great, and the submarine jumped to such an extent.’ Arthur George William Stokes served in the engineering branch of the Royal Navy and received his L.S. & G.C. medal as an Engine Room Artificer 1st Class whilst serving in the Submarine Depot Ship Titania. He was appointed Warrant Engineer in July 1938 and served in H.M. Submarine Shakespeare from 3 November 1941 until 11 September 1944, during which period he took part in 13 war patrols under Lieutenant Ainslie, and a final patrol under her new skipper Lieutenant D. Swanston, 17-27 August 1944. With Shakespeare about to depart for the Far East where she had further adventures, Stokes transferred on 11 September 1944, to H.M. Submarine Spearhead to oversee her commissioning and launch on 2 October 1944. His final wartime appointment was to H.M.S. Kestrel on 7 December 1944. He was promoted to acting Commissioned Engineer in June 1945 and to Senior Commissioned Engineer in April 1947. He was still serving in May 1953 and died on 2 February 1975.

A superb Second War Arctic convoy Fleet Air Arm Telegraphist-Air-Gunner’s D.S.M. group of five awarded to Acting Petty Officer Airman C. A. Vines, Fleet Air Arm, for the sinking of U-973 by his Fairy Swordfish of the escort carrier H.M.S. Chaser, off Narvik on 6 March 1944 Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (Temp. A.P.O. Airmn. C. A. Vines. FAA/FX 115046); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, nearly extremely fine (5) £3,000-£4,000 --- Provenance: Christie’s, March 1989. D.S.M. London Gazette 30 May 1944: ‘For outstanding courage, determination, or devotion to duty in H.M. Ships ... Chaser ... in successfully escorting convoys to North Russia in the face of attacks from enemy submarines and aircraft.’ Seedies Roll (Fleet Air Arm List) confirms: 6 D.S.C’s, 3 D.S.M’s and 6 mentions awarded to the escort carrier H.M.S. Chaser, ‘For services while escorting a North Russian Convoy in February and March 1944. A Swordfish aircraft shared in the destruction of U-472 off North Cape on 4 March 1944 and on two successive days Swordfish aircraft destroyed U-366 and U-973.’ The following account is taken from ‘The Nottingham Journal’ 20 May 1944: ‘Biggest Russia Convoy Routs U-boat Packs, Planes, Ships Blast Way There… The second kill was made by a Swordfish piloted by Lieutenant E. B. Bennett, R.N.V.R., aged 24; with Sub-Lieutenant Kenneth Horsfield, aged 22, as Observer; and Petty Officer Clifford A. Vines, aged 22, as rear gunner. Bennett tells the story: “It was bitterly cold” he said “when we saw a U-boat on the surface 12 miles away, heading straight for the convoy. We quickly took a bearing and climbed into the clouds. We flew for five minutes then dived through a gap and saw the submarine immediately below. I got her fixed in my bomb sights and attacked with bombs. She was taken completely by surprise and I saw bombs hit it. As we climbed away to port my rear-gunner Vines gave her 500 rounds of machine gun in her conning tower. It was good shooting. The U-boat was by now zigzagging out of control. About two minutes later she turned hard astarboard her stern rose some 60 degrees, and she sank. We dived low and saw some 15 survivors struggling in the water. We signalled a destroyer H.M.S. Boadicea, who rushed to the spot and picked up those alive, numbering about three men.’ The U-boat sunk by Vines’ aircraft was U-973, a type VIIC U-boat, commanded by Oblt Klaus Paepenmoller. It was sunk on 6 March 1944 in the Norwegian Sea north-west of Narvik, Norway by rockets from a 816 Squadron Fairey Swordfish piloted by Lieutenant E. B. Bennett of the escort carrier H.M.S. Chaser. Out of her crew of 53 there were only 2 survivors. Sold with approximately 45 wartime photographs, many ‘official’, including a group photo of ‘Naval Airgunners Course 28, H.M.S. Kestrel, Worthy Down, Hants’ and another of the three Tel-Airgunners of the successful Swordfish crews, each of whom received the D.S.M.

A good Second War anti-U-boat operations D.S.M. group of seven awarded to Chief Petty Officer R. Goldsmith, Royal Navy, whose command of a 4-inch gun in H.M.S. Porchester Castle against a surfaced U-Boat contributed to the latter’s destruction in September 1944 – conclusive evidence being found in ‘a glove and fresh human remains’: his ship was later used to portray the Saltash Castle in the famous film, The Cruel Sea Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (P.O. R. Goldsmith, C/JX. 136270); Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1936-1939 (JX. 136270 R. Goldsmith, A./L.S., R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-34; Coronation 1953; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 2nd issue (JX. 136270 R. Goldsmith, D.S.M., C.P.O., H.M.S. Woodbridge Haven), minor official correction to ship’s name on the last, contact marks, generally very fine and better (7) £1,800-£2,200 --- D.S.M. London Gazette 15 May 1945. The original recommendation states: Brief description of action or operation: ‘On the 9th of September while acting with support group screening convoy ONF 254 “Porchester Castle” detected and destroyed a U-Boat. Definite proof of destruction was obtained.’ Specific act or service for which recommendation is forwarded: ‘For outstanding devotion to duty, ability and determination as captain of the 4-inch gun. He gave great encouragement to the guns’ crew enabling them to maintain an accurate and rapid fire on the U-Boat which surfaced 200 yards on the starboard bow. This Petty Officer always sets an excellent example to his men and is a very definite asset to the ship.’ Robert Goldsmith, a native of Gillingham, Kent, was serving in the corvette H.M.S. Porchester Castle at the time of the above related action fought on 9 September 1944, while she was serving in a convoy support group north-west of Ireland. In the company of the frigate Helmsdale, she detected, pursued and destroyed the U-484, after the latter had been forced to the surface. And it is clear Goldsmith’s part in the action was crucial, the Commodore, Western Approaches, supporting the recommendation for his D.S.M. in the following terms: ‘Although the stem of the U-Boat surfaced for only a very short time, 4-inch gunfire was opened with exemplary speed and effectiveness. The readiness of this team reflects very well on this Petty Officer’s drive and determination.’ Recent research has established that Porchester Castle’s victim was the U-484 and not the U-743 as earlier believed. That she achieved a convincing victory is beyond dispute – ‘a glove and fresh human remains’ being found at the scene of the U-Boats demise. And before the year was out, Porchester Castle had shared in the destruction of another U-Boat on 11 November 1944, on this occasion the U-1200, south of Ireland. Sold with copied research including recommendation and action reports.

Three: Leading Wireman E. J. Trendell, Royal Navy, who was killed in action on Sword Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944, whilst serving in Landing Craft Tank (Armoured) 2191 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Admiralty enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mrs. A. M. Trendell, 15 Ripon Road, Plumstead, London SE18.’, extremely fine (3) £240-£280 --- Edward Joseph Trendell served during the Second World War as a Leading Wireman, and took part in the D-Day landings in the Landing Craft Tank (Armoured) 2191. Beaching on the easternmost flank of the Queen Red sector of Sword Beach, 2191 discharged her Centaur tanks before she was approached by a mobile German 88mm gun from her portside. ‘A crew member shouted a warning and her commanding officer, Sub Lieutenant J. Roney, gave the order for the gun crews to open fire. However, against an 88mm the men aboard 2191 stood little chance. The first shell to hit exploded immediately portside of the bow door. The blast killed Sub Lieutenant Sidney Green and Wireman Edward Trendell, both of whom had been manning the portside winch (the mechanism for lowering and raising the door or ramp).’ Trendell was aged 20 at the time of his death. He is buried in Hermanville War Cemetery, France. His medals were sent to his mother Ada Mary Trendell.

Seven: Ordnance Artificer First Class H. Thursby, Royal Navy 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star; Burma Star, 1 clasp, Pacific; Italy Star; War Medal 1949-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (MX. 47125 H, Thursby. O.A. 1. H.M.S. Nelson), mounted as worn, generally good very fine (7) £200-£240 --- Herbert Thursby was awarded his L.S. & G.C. medal in May 1944, shortly before participating in the Normandy operations in the battleship H.M.S. Nelson.

Seven: Chief Electrical Artificer L. C. Stephens, Royal Navy British War Medal 1914-20 (M.26976 L. C. Stephens. B. Art. R.N.); 1939-45 Star (L. C. Stephens E.A. D/M 26976); Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany (L. C. Stephens. E.A. H.M.S. Rodney.); Africa Star, 1 clasp, North Africa 1942-43 (L. C. Stephens. E.A. H.M.S. Rodney.); Italy Star (L. C. Stephens. E.A. H.M.S. Orion.); War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf (L. C. Stephens. E.A.), the Second War awards all contemporarily named; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue, with Second Award Bar (M.26976 L. C. Stephens. E.A.1. H.M.S. Rodney.) mounted as worn, the BWM polished, therefore good fine, the rest good very fine or better (7) £400-£500 --- Lionel Charles Stephens was born in Plymouth, Devon, on 12 March 1902, and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Artificer on 27 July 1917, serving in H.M.S. Indus (entitled to just a British War Medal). Advanced to Electrical Artificer on 9 May 1924, he was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 4 April 1939, and served with the Royal Navy throughout the Second World War in H.M.S. Rodney and Orion, being twice Mentioned in Despatches, firstly ‘for outstanding zeal, patience, and cheerfulness, and for setting an example of wholehearted devotion to duty, without which the high tradition of the Royal Navy could not have been upheld’ (London Gazette 1 January 1942); and secondly ‘for gallantry, skill, determination, and undaunted devotion to duty during the landing of Allied Forces on the coast of Normandy (London Gazette 28 November 1944). He remained in the Royal Navy after the Second World War, and was awarded a Second Award Bar to his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. Sold together with the recipient’s Mentioned in Despatches Certificate, dated 1 January 1942.

A superb Second War 1944 Coastal Force ‘Dog Boat’ D.S.M. group of five awarded to Leading Seaman D. Falk, Royal Navy: wounded and forced to abandon ship after an action with 11 enemy E-Boats off Le Havre on 9 July 1944, he swam 600 yards, despite shrapnel wounds to both his shoulder and thigh, to tow a life raft back to five of his crewmates; after 4 hours in the water they were rescued, but despite Falk’s efforts two of them died of their wounds later that night Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (A.B., D. Falk. C/JX. 366014); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf, mounted for wear, nearly extremely fine (5) £1,800-£2,200 --- D.S.M. London Gazette 5 December 1944: ‘For great bravery in fire-fighting when a Light Craft was set on fire in action.’ Donald Falk served during the Second War manning the twin Vickers machine guns on Motor Torpedo Boat 434, for the duration of its life - from her completion in January 1943 as MGB 115 (later re-designated MTB 434, under the command of Sub-Lieutenant E. A. Archer) to 9 July 1944; on the latter date, as part of the 1st MTB Flotilla, Falk’s crew set off for Le Havre which was still in enemy hands. ‘On the way over the Skipper told us “E” Boats would be coming out “10 at a time”. We were only 2 MTBs. We reached Le Havre at 10:00 a.m. and we had not long to wait. Eleven “E” Boats came out and we immediately attacked them. Eleven to two we did not stand much chance. The gun fire was furious, and we were hit repeatedly. Our boat caught fire. The Skipper shouted “Abandon Ship”. Our other MTB picked up a few of our survivors from the sea. The “E” Boats were still firing on them and they had to leave five of us behind in the water’ (recipient’s account refers). Wounded by enemy shrapnel in the left thigh and shoulder, Falk was one of the five left behind in the sea. ‘After a short while we spotted a life raft in the water approximately 600 yards away. As I was the only swimmer out of the five of us I was the only one with a chance to swim for it. I had no life jacket - the last one had been taken by a non-swimmer. I reached the raft and managed to tow it back to the others - at least then they had something to cling to. We were in the sea for approximately 4 hours before we were picked up by a Canadian MTB’ (ibid). Arriving back in base the five sailors, four of whom were wounded, were put on board a hospital ship, although two would die that night as a result of their wounds. Falk survived and was awarded the D.S.M. for his gallantry during this action, prior to being discharged at the end of the War. Sold with the recipient’s Certificate of Wounds and Hurts, and a hand-written personal account of the D.S.M. action. M.I.D. unconfirmed.

An unusual Second War ‘Invasion of the South of France’, Operation Dragoon D.S.M. group of six awarded to Petty Officer Rigger J. J. Wright, Royal Navy, a Fleet Salvage crane driver from H.M.S. Byrsa who rescued two cranes under close range enemy mortar fire at Toulon Docks Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (P.O. Rigger J. J. Wright. C/JX. 583600) mounted on original investiture pin; 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45, extremely fine (6) £1,400-£1,800 --- D.S.M. London Gazette 27 March 1945: ‘For distinguished service and gallantry during the invasion of the South of France - Petty Officer John Joseph Wright, C/JX. 583600.’ The original recommendation states: ‘On 24 August 1944 in a narrow street approaching Toulon docks two mobile 15 ton cranes in Wright’s charge became the target of close range enemy mortar fire. One crane was immediately hit, but Wright first turned the undamaged crane and then in full view of the enemy ran back and turned the other and brought it to safety. His outstanding courage and coolness undoubtedly saved these valuable and irreplaceable pieces of equipment.’ Description of action on recommendation dated 6 December 1944: ‘Operation “Dragoon”. Moving up of advanced salvage parties and equipment from the landing beaches to points of Toulon and Marseilles.’ John Joseph Wright was a skilled mechanic who volunteered and joined the Royal Army Service Corps at Chatham on 25 October 1939, and was sent as a driver to Egypt on 12 November 1939, at Abbassie Barracks, Heliopolis. He was driver to Generals Wilson, Stone, O’Connor and Sir James Marshall Cornwall and served in Egypt, Corsica, Italy, Southern France, Belgium and Germany. On 7 December 1942 he volunteered for the Royal Navy and was accepted. He was posted to the Royal Navy Fleet Salvage branch and was in a party of 30 Officers and men of H.M.S. Byrsa during the invasion of Southern France, holding the rank Petty Officer Rigger (crane driver). There were two of these 15 ton vehicles, the other driven by his brother. After the landings they were held up by a German Fortress at St. Tropez and were under heavy mortar fire. His brother was in trouble with his crane, so he drove to him and let him drive his vehicle, whilst under fire he got the other one started. He picked up two men from the Salvage Fleet, who were sheltering from mortar shells, and took them to safety. He finished his service on H.M.S. Lynx. After the war he lived at his home town of Strood, Rochester, and worked for some time at Chatham Dockyard. Sold with some copied research.

A fine Second World War D.S.M. awarded to Chief Electrical Artificer E. A. Head, Royal Navy, who was decorated for his gallant deeds in the cruiser H.M.S. Bellona during Operation Counterblast, a spectacular night action off Norway in November 1944 when nine enemy ships were destroyed: in the words of Rear-Admiral McGrigor, ‘We caught the Hun in his nightshirt’ Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (C.E.A. E. A. Head, C/MX. 46689) mounted on original investiture pin, extremely fine £1,600-£2,000 --- D.S.M. London Gazette 11 December 1945. The original recommendation states: ‘For his services as Chief Electrical Artificer in charge of Fire Control during the night action off the southern coast of Norway on 12 November 1944. The unremitting diligence and forethought which this Chief Petty Officer has consistently displayed had their reward on the night in question. No material breakdown occurred, reflecting the greatest credit on Head. He set a fine example of thoroughness in preparation and steadiness in action, and showed skill, devotion to duty and steadiness in action.’ Ernest Arthur Head, a native of Gillingham, Kent, was serving in the cruiser H.M.S. Bellona at the time of the above cited deeds, which ship had recently served off Omaha in the Normandy landings and participated in another successful night action in the Bay of Biscay on 5/6 August 1944, south-west of St. Nazaire, in which eight ships from an enemy convoy were sunk. But, as stated, it was for his part in Operation Counterblast on the night of 12/13 November that Head was recommended for his D.S.M. by Bellona’s C.O., Captain (afterwards Vice-Admiral Sir) C. F. W. Norris, D.S.O., R.N., an action described in the following terms in Gordon Holman’s The King’s Cruisers:
‘The luck came shortly after 11 p.m. as they were off Egersund Fjord. It was very dark, but there was good visibility and a calm sea, and keen eyes that had got used to the darkness had no difficulty in making out an enemy convoy steaming north. With the escort, which included “M” class minesweepers, it stretched over a distance of several miles, and was directly in the path of the British warships. For a few tense minutes, Admiral McGrigor allowed his force to close the enemy, the guns ranging all the time. Then, at about two miles range, the Kent fired her first 8-inch broadside.
The shells fell like a sledgehammer blow among the vessels of the convoy. One leading escort ship was hit straight away and began to sink. The Bellona and the destroyers had opened fire, too, and other enemy ships were hit. One, probably filled with ammunition, blew up, lighting the whole scene with a vivid red flash.
Tracer shells weaved an odd pattern in the darkness, and some of the German vessels sent up distress signals. The convoy had scattered and, probably not knowing the strength of the opposition, survivors of the escort were attempting to fight back. One approached the Kent, firing hard, but was hit aft and then lost in the darkness. Another, that was interfering with the destroyers, had a brief period of attention from the Kent and gave no more trouble.
Shore batteries designed to protect these convoys joined in the action, but in the words of the Admiralty communiqué, ‘their fire, although spectacular, was ineffective and none of H.M. ships sustained any material damage’. It was estimated that at one time our cruisers and destroyers were engaged within two and a half miles of the Norwegian coast.
After 20 minutes there was a lull, but when several vessels were seen drawing away, Admiral McGrigor sent in the destroyers. They delivered the final attack by the light of starshells and well under the German shore guns.
Of 11 ships in the convoy, nine were either blown up or sunk and one was driven ashore. In the whole of our force the casualties were two killed and less than a dozen wounded. In the Kent three men were wounded by splinters.
Summing up afterwards, Admiral McGrigor said, “We caught the Hun in his nightshirt. His shore batteries did not interfere until a quarter of an hour after the show started, although once I was so close to the land that I had to alter course to avoid a shallow patch. I will give their ships their due, they fought back very courageously”.’ Yet again, just two months later off Norway, the Bellona and her consorts contributed to another impressive score sheet. The King’s Cruisers continues: ‘ ... This time, however, the Germans, with vivid memories of the previous occasion, were on the alert. As soon as the attack opened, coastal batteries answered our guns. The convoy escort attempted to lay a smoke-screen and powerful searchlights were switched on to “blind” the British force ... There were seven or eight ships in the convoy, including a large tanker and two “M” class minesweepers. Although the smoke made it difficult to get an exact estimation of the final situation, three of four of them were claimed as sunk and the others were either set on fire or driven ashore. The attack was pressed home very close to the rugged Norwegian shore and when the British force was withdrawing at high speed Captain Norris made a signal from the Bellona, “We thought the Admiral was going to call on the Mayor when he made that turn to port” ... Another element did enter into this action, and it was fortunate that Admiral McGrigor had with him two escort carriers. Enemy aircraft shadowed the withdrawing force and, when daylight came, followed up with torpedo-bombers. Naval fighter aircraft from the carriers intercepted the enemy and broke up the attack. One enemy plane was shot down and we lost two aircraft, but both pilots were rescued.’ Bellona ended the War on the Arctic run, completing at least six convoys in the period November 1944 to April 1945. Sold with copied research including Admiralty recommendation and operational reports.

A Second War B.E.M. group of five awarded to Petty Officer Rigger M. Philip, Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Reserve British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R., 1st issue (P.O. Rgr. Melville Philip, R/JX. 196627); 1939-45 Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (JX. 196627 Dev. B. 16527 M. Philip, A.B., R.F.R.), this last with minor official correction to surname, generally good very fine (5) £260-£300 --- B.E.M. London Gazette 1 January 1945. The original recommendation states: ‘This Rigger has been exceptionally outstanding, both for his own example of seamanship and for his leadership in moulding together his Riggers Mates in H.M. Boom Defence Vessel Signet into a really first class team. On several occasions during last winter, great initiative was shown by this rating when extricating ships that had fouled the A./T. Baffle defences at Scapa during gales and his skill and behaviour were especially commended by the Commanding Officers of H.M. Ships Chaser and Fencer and also by the Chief Salvage Officer, Scapa, when these ships were being cleared by H.M.S. Signet.’ Melville Philip was invested with his B.E.M. at Buckingham Palace on 26 June 1945. The Boom Defence Vessel Signet went into Admiralty service in May 1939 and was based at Scapa by the time of the famous Royal Oak disaster in October of the same year. Sold with copied research.

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Trafalgar (Thomas McGillwray.) suspension claw re-affixed with traces of brooch mounting to obverse, very fine £4,000-£5,000 --- Provenance: Turl Collection, Spink, July 2010. Thomas McGillwray (listed as ‘MacGillwray’ on Admiralty Claimants’ List) served as Private, Royal Marines in H.M.S. Revenge during the major fleet action off Cape Trafalgar between the British fleet under the command of Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson and the Franco-Spanish fleet under the command of Vice-Admiral P. C. de Villeneuve on 21 October 1805. At Trafalgar, the Revenge ‘was in the lee column. In attempting to pass through the enemy’s line and secure an advantageous position athwart the hawser of the French Aigle, she fouled the latter’s jib-boom, and while the ships were interlocked delivered a couple of broadsides into the Frenchman’s bows. Then, standing on, she was in the act of hauling up on the port tack, when a tremendous fire was poured into her lee quarter by the Spanish Principe de Asturias. Three two-deckers also hemmed her in, and greatly punished her until they were driven off by the approach of other British vessels. Her injuries in the battle were in consequence severe and her losses heavy, the latter amounting to twenty-eight killed and fifty-one wounded, including her captain. Her bowsprit, three lower masts, maintop mast, and gaff, were badly injured. She received nine shots below the copper; her stern, transoms, and timbers, and several beams, knees, riders, and iron standards, were very much damaged, and so was her hull generally. She had several chain plates shot away, several of her lower deck ports destroyed, and three of her guns dismounted.’ (The Trafalgar Roll, The Officers, The Men, The Ships, by Colonel R. H. Mackenzie refers). For the Naval General Service Medal awarded to G. H. Brison, who served in H.M.S. Revenge on and off the coast of Syria 35 years later, see Lot 24.

Seven: Lieutenant-Commander A. W. Ellis, Royal Navy, who was Mentioned in Despatches for Korea 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45; Korea 1950-53, 1st issue, with M.I.D. oak leaf (Lieut. A. W. Ellis. R.N.) minor official correction to first part of surname; U.N. Korea 1950-54, unnamed as issued, good very fine and better (7) £300-£400 --- M.I.D. London Gazette 6 November 1953. Arthur Woodhouse Ellis was appointed Midshipman, Royal Navy, on 1 September 1941, and was serving in H.M.S. Neptune when she was sunk off the Libyan coast as part of the Malta Convoys on 19 December 1941. He was advanced Sub-Lieutenant on 16 June 1943 and Lieutenant on 19 June 1945, and was Mentioned in Despatches for services in Korean waters whilst serving aboard the sloop H.M.S. Crane. He transferred to the Retired List with the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 16 March 1953.

Five: Lieutenant G. Welch, Royal Navy, who served in H.M.S. Belfast during the Korean War 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45; Korea 1950-53, 1st issue (Cd. Gnr. G. Welch. R.N.); U.N. Korea 1950-54, unnamed as issued, mounted as worn; together with the recipient’s riband bar, good very fine (5) £240-£280 --- Geoffrey Welch was promoted to Acting Gunner (Warrant Officer) on 8 October 1948 and promoted to Commissioned Gunner (Sub Lieutenant) with the same seniority date joining H.M.S. Encore in December 1948. He joined the Cruiser H.M.S. Belfast in October 1949 and served aboard this ship in the Korean War. Following the cessation of hostilities, he joined the Aircraft Carrier H.M.S. Implacable on 26 October 1953, and then the Aircraft Carrier H.M.S. Theseus on 21 August 1954. Welch joined the new entry Naval Air Mechanic training establishment H.M.S. Gamecock at Nuneaton, Warwickshire on 7 November 1955, changing his rank to Sub Lieutenant (Special Duties List) with the same seniority as Commissioned Gunner. Promoted Lieutenant (Special Duties List) on 1 April 1957, he remained at Gamecock until 1960, when he then joined the Cruiser H.M.S. Birmingham. Appointed to H.M.S. Terror (the Naval Base at Singapore) in 1963, and finally to the Destroyer H.M.S. Undaunted in 1964, he retired in 1965.

A post-War ‘Royal Yacht’ C.V.O., C.B.E. group of nine awarded to Captain J. S. ‘Fish’ Dalglish, Royal Navy, who served aboard H.M.S. London during the Yangtze incident and was the first Commanding Officer of Her Majesty’s Yacht Britannia The Royal Victorian Order, C.V.O., Commander’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, the reverse officially numbered ‘C553’, with short section of neck riband for display purposes; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) Commander’s 2nd type neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with short section of neck riband for display purposes; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Yangtze 1949 (Cdr. J. S. Dalglish. R.N.); Coronation 1953, unnamed as issued; together with the related miniature dress medals, both sets mounted for display, good very fine (9) £2,800-£3,400 --- C.V.O. London Gazette 1 January 1955: ‘For services in H.M. Yacht Britannia.’ C.B.E. London Gazette 8 June 1963. M.I.D. London Gazette 11 June 1946: ‘For winding-up operations in the Far East.’ James Stephen Dalglish, widely known as ‘Fish’, was born in Kensington, London, on 1 October 1913, eldest son of Robin Campsie Dalglish, later Rear-Admiral. He was educated at Ampleforth and Dartmouth, and in January 1931 joined the battleship Rodney as a Naval Cadet. He was promoted to Acting Sub-Lieutenant on 1 January 1934; Sub-Lieutenant, 1 May 1934; Lieutenant, 1 June 1935; Lieutenant-Commander, 1 June 1943; Commander, 30 June 1948; Captain, 30 June 1954; retired, 31 August 1963. In August 1939 Dalglish was appointed to Kempenfelt as Gunnery Officer of the 18th Destroyer Flotilla, but after less than a month he was posted back to Excellent, where his duties included gunnery training of the armed merchant cruisers. In February 1940 he began a two-year posting in Faulknor, leader of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla, engaged on patrols in the North Sea, off the coast of Norway, and then to Gibraltar as part of Force H, escorting warships and convoys to Malta. In February 1942, following a refit at Southampton, Faulknor escorted convoy PQ9 to Murmansk. In April 1942, Dalglish commenced an 18-month appointment on the staff of the gunnery school at Chatham. Having been promoted to Lieutenant-Commander, Dalglish was appointed to the cruiser Swiftsure in September 1943. He served in this ship for the rest of the war, at home and in the Mediterranean, before sailing for the Far East in October 1944, where Swiftsure took part in Operation Iceberg which lasted until the end of May 1945, when the last Japanese resistance on Okinawa was crushed. Following an appointment in April 1947 as Staff Officer Force T, the naval component of the British occupation force in Japan, Dalglish was appointed Staff Gunnery Officer of the 5th Cruiser Squadron at Hong Kong and serving in Sussex. After his promotion to Commander in June 1948, he successfully applied to remain in Hong Kong as Fleet Gunnery Officer on the staff of Admiral Alec Madden. In April 1949, Admiral Madden decided to visit Shanghai for St George’s Day, and he and his staff embarked in the cruiser London. At this time civil war was raging between the Communists and the Nationalists. The capital of Nationalist China was Chungking, which lay on the upper Yangtze. On 20 April the frigate Amethyst was proceeding upstream to relieve another ship as guard-ship there. As she approached Chungking, about 140 miles upstream from Shanghai, she suddenly came under heavy fire from communist batteries on the north bank. One of the first shots struck the bridge, badly injuring the captain and helmsman. Amethyst then went aground and while thus immobilised was hit several more times, suffering 17 killed and 10 wounded. Some of the ship’s company, including the wounded, were evacuated to the south and an uneasy truce developed. Admiral Madden decided that London should go to the assistance of Amethyst and, on the 21st, advanced upstream with her battle ensigns flying. As a staff officer, Dalglish had no particular duties but was assigned to “A” turret where, in his own words, ‘I had precisely nothing to do but to sit at the back of the gunhouse talking with the Ordnance Artificer’. Long before reaching Amethyst, London came under heavy fire, ‘the Communists opened fire at a range of less than a mile with solid armour-piercing (anti-tank) bullets and larger high explosive shells from field guns. London was a very big ship and difficult to miss at that close range, the former penetrated the ship like butter and the latter wreaked terrible damage... London opened fire with everything and I have little doubt that our 8-inch, 4-inch and pom-pom gunfire caused havoc ashore... Poor London was hit over 250 times! The turret I was in was put out of action by armour-piercing bullets severing the electric cables and then an H.E. hit on the turret roof flipped off one of the three armour plates and we were open to the sky! We were achieving nothing for Amethyst so we eventually turned in the river and retreated, with nineteen dead and many more wounded.’ London returned to the U.K. and was eventually scrapped. Admiral Madden and his staff, meanwhile, transferred to the cruiser Belfast, and returned to Hong Kong. Soon after, Dalglish returned to the U.K. and was cheered to receive news during the voyage of Amethyst’s successful escape from the Yangtze. On his return from the Far East Dalglish had a period ashore, first attending the Joint Services Staff Course, then instructing the Sub-Lieutenant courses at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. Towards the end of 1952, he was selected to be Executive Officer of the Royal Yacht which was still under construction on the Clyde. First, however, he had to have experience in command and, for the first three months of 1953, he commanded the destroyer Aisne. He took up his appointment to the Royal Yacht (subsequently named Britannia) on 8 April 1953. He and the other officers supervised the final stages of construction, fitting out and selection of the ratings - it was a sought after posting, with over 1,000 applicants for just 200 vacancies. The new company then had to be trained in the peculiarities of service in a Royal Yacht - for example, orders had to be given and executed silently. Dalglish was gratified to learn that the Queen would tour the Commonwealth in early 1954 in the liner Gothic and that the Flag Officer Royal Yachts would accompany her which meant that Dalglish would be the first (acting) Captain of the Britannia. On 14 April 1954, Prince Charles and Princess Anne embarked, escorted by various members of the royal household, and Britannia sailed for Malta, where she arrived on 22 April. The Flag Officer and other officers from Gothic took up their appointments, and Dalglish reverted to his role as Executive Officer. Britannia then sailed for Tobruk where, on 1 May, the Queen and Prince Philip embarked for the final stage of their journey. The following day, the Mediterranean Fleet, commanded by Lord Mountbatten, executed an impressive manoeuvre, steaming past Britannia at 25 knots at a distance of only 300 to 400 yards. On 15 May Britannia conveyed the Queen up the Thames to the Pool of London, right by the Tower. It was a grand occasion, with hundreds of thousands of spectators, hundreds of boats crammed with people, everyone cheering and waving and sirens hooting. Dalglish was still aboard Britannia for the July/August trip to Canada but, having been promoted to Captain in June 1954, left the Yacht in October. He received further recognition for his services to the roy...

A B.E.M. group of eight awarded to Chief Petty Officer L. C. Mills, Royal Navy, who as Gunnery Instructor trained the Devonport Field Gun Team which set a new record at the Royal Tournament in 1953 British Empire Medal, (Military) E.II.R. (C.P.O. Leonard C. Mills, D/JX.137768); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 2nd issue (JX.137768 L. C. Mills. P.O. H.M.S. Drake) slight contact marks and edge bruise to last, otherwise very fine and better (8) £300-£400 --- B.E.M. London Gazette 1 January 1959. Leonard Charles Mills was born in 1917 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy seaman prior to the Second World War. He served during the War in H.M.S. Rodney, and was advanced Petty Officer in 1942 and Chief Petty Officer in 1952. A specialist in Gunnery, as Gunnery Instructor he trained the Devonport Field Gun Team which set a new record at the Royal Tournament in 1953. He was presented to the Queen aboard H.M.S. Eagle at Malta on 5 May 1954, at the end of the Royal Tour. Awarded the B.E.M. in the News Years Honours of 1959, he retired from the Royal Navy in 1962. Known as ‘Mr. Field Gun’, in the words of Commander J. M. B. Walkey, O.B.E., R.N., ‘he was the best Chief Petty Officer that I have met in 37 years in the Navy, completely loyal, utterly trustworthy (except occasionally on paynights), and the younger seamen almost worshipped the ground he trod on.’ (letter included with lot refers). Sold together with Buckingham Palace enclosure for the B.E.M.; letter of congratulations from the City of Plymouth, dated 2 January 1959; card commemorating his presentation to the Queen in May 1954; letter, mounted on card, from the Prime Minister just prior to his retirement, dated 30 August 1962, and signed ‘Harold Macmillan’; and a photograph of the Devonport Field Gun’s Crew of 1953 featuring the recipient as Instructor.

General Service 1962-2007, 4 clasps, Borneo, Malay Peninsula, South Arabia, Northern Ireland, latter clasps loose on riband, as issued (RM.20666 J. Dent. Mne. R.M.) edge bruise, very fine £500-£700 --- Sold with copied medal roll extracts for the first three clasps.

The General Service Medal awarded to Marine H. C. Hopkins, 45 Commando, Royal Marines, who was wounded in action in Radfan in May 1964 whilst attached to the 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment General Service 1962-2007, 3 clasps, Borneo, Radfan, South Arabia (RM.19268 H. C. Hopkins. Mne. R.M.) about extremely fine £1,000-£1,400 --- H. C. Hopkins enlisted in to the Royal Marines in 1961 and was wounded in action by shrapnel to the left hand at Wadi Dhubsan in Radfan on 26 May 1964, while serving as a Signaller with ‘X’ Company, 45 Commando, Royal Marines, attached to the 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment. His patrol was advancing down a steep-sided valley to assault tribesmen when it came under fire from several directions simultaneously with several commandos wounded and killed. The following account of the action appears on the Britain’s small wars website under the title ’45 in the Radfan’: ‘On 25 May, X Company, Four Five, flew up to join 3 Para on Arnold’s Spur. The Wessex helicopters of 815 Squadron, H.M.S. Centuar, had now come into the theatre of operations to relieve the R.A.F. Belvederes. X Company, once established on Arnold’s Spur, began to make final plans for the raid on the Wadi Dhubsan. The Wadi Dhubsan lay some 2,000 feet below the Bakri Ridge and the sides were steep. To the west of Dhubsan, and half a mile south of the Bakri Ridge, lay the Jebel Haqla, a flat topped feature rising to over 1,500 feet, which dominated the surrounding wadis. It was known that the Wadi Dhubsan was a stronghold of the dissidents and was therefore the next objective. Throughout the afternoon, sections of X Company moved cautiously to the edge of Arnold’s Spur and began to reconnoitre their routes for the following day. C Company, 3 Para, moved to establish pickets on the Jebel Haqla as A Company, 3 Para, descended the steep escarpment to secure the western end of Dhubsan. X Company’s task was to advance 1,000 yards and conduct a sweep as far as the village of Hawfi. The pickets of 3 Para reported some fifty dissidents coming up the Dhubsan and did not make their presence felt. For the next 600 yards, X Company progressed in silence until suddenly Sergeant W. Patterson of 1 Troop spotted a group of dissidents way up on the steep ridge to the right. 3 Troop was in the lead on the wadi floor. The leading sections under command of Corporals Jan Bickle and Terry Warterson took cover behind a wall and opened fire, sending the well armed dissidents scuttling behind a rock, dragging their wounded with them. The dissidents, from the protection of their well-concealed sangars, opened up from all directions to the front of X Company. The Marines slowly picked their way up the slope, dodging from rock to rock with the enemy fire increasing every minute. The high-pitched drone of a Scout helicopter, carrying the Commanding Officer and Intelligence Officer of 3 Para, could be heard approaching from the rear. The Scout became the target for a strong barrage of enemy fire and was hit on several occasions. The pilot, Major Jackson, skilfully kept the helicopter under control and landed it safely in front of 3 Troop and the Marines dashed forward to give it protection. Lieutenant-Colonel Farrar-Hockley then ordered A Company, 3 Para, to move up on the high ground. Air strikes were authorised and X Company began to lay out bright red and orange fluorescent panels with the panels pointing towards dissident sangars, thus giving the Hunter pilots, approaching at over 400 m.p.h., a clear reference point to the target. Moving out from behind cover with the bright panels, Captain R. Brind, Second in Command, X Company, soon became the target for heavy fire and was shot through the thigh and stomach. He completed his task and was dragged to safety, before sustaining further injury through steady sniper fire, by Marines Brownett and Robertson and was treated for his wounds by one of X Company’s Naval Sick Berth Attendants, S.B.A. Williams. 1 Troop, commanded by Lieutenant J. Barr, came under the heaviest fire. The majority of the troops were down in the bottom of the wadi near the wall, where Marine Kimber with the G.P.M.G. had been keeping up a steady rate of covering fire; the Marines approached the top of the knoll. Marine David Wilson, the troop signaller, was shot through the chest by enemy fire and died almost immediately as Lieutenant Barr began to drag him behind a rock. 1 Troop suffered another casualty when Marine Dunkin was shot in the knee and his leg was later amputated. As is the custom in the Marines on these occasions, the kit of Marine David Wilson was later auctioned amongst his comrades in X Company and the proceeds forwarded to his relatives. The Company group of 150 men raised £700 in the auction. His cap badge (on his green beret) fetched £100.’ Note: Marine David Wilson’s General Service Medal was sold in these rooms in May 2016. Sixteen Royal Marines died on active service in Radfan 1961-67. Sold with copied research.

Alexander Davison’s Medal for Trafalgar 1805, pewter, unnamed as issued, contained in its original copper-gilt frame with integral loop and original split ring for suspension, good very fine £2,000-£2,400 --- Provenance: Trafalgar bi-Centenary Sale, Christie’s, October 2005 (Lot 63). It is believed that copper-rimmed pewter medals commemorating Nelson and H.M.S. Victory (designed by T. Halliday) were hastily commissioned by Alexander Davison, Nelson’s Agent, for award to the crew of H.M.S. Victory who took part in the battle and were in London at the time of Nelson’s State Funeral, with the intention that Victory’s crew members would wear them during the funeral ceremonies and the great procession. When Victory returned to England carrying Nelson’s body, most members of her crew volunteered to be brought to London to participate in the various memorial ceremonies which lasted for over five days, culminating in the great funeral procession through the streets from the Admiralty in Whitehall to St Paul’s Cathedral on 9 January 1806.

A post-War ‘Fleet Air Arm’ B.E.M. group of four awarded to Chief Air Engineering Mechanic (Electrical) P. J. Anderson, Royal Navy, who served with 820 Naval Air Squadron aboard H.M.S. Invincible during the Falklands War British Empire Medal, (Military) E.II.R. (CAEM (L) Peter J. Anderson, D069032A) in its Royal Mint case of issue; General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Malay Peninsula (069032 P. J. Anderson. E.M. (A) 1. R.N.); South Atlantic 1982, with rosette (CAEM(L) P J Anderson D069032A 820 Sqdn); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., 2nd issue (D069032A P J Anderson POEL (A) HMS Daedalus) the last three mounted as worn, some minor edge bruises, otherwise nearly extremely fine (4) £1,000-£1,400 --- B.E.M. London Gazette 31 December 1983: ‘Chief Air Engineering Mechanic (Electrical) Peter James Anderson D069032A.’ Served in No. 820 Naval Air Squadron during the Falklands War, which unit’s Sea Kings were assigned to H.M.S. Invincible. - H.R.H. Prince Andrew being among the aircrew. During the conflict the Squadron flew over 4700 hours, with Invincible spending 166 days continuously at sea - a world record for continuous carrier operations. Sold with copied London Gazette and nominal list of 820 Squadron during operation ‘Corporate’ and other copied research.

Alexander Davison’s Medal for Trafalgar 1805, pewter, unnamed as issued, contained in its original copper-gilt frame with integral loop and replacement ring for suspension, nearly very fine £1,000-£1,400 --- Provenance: Trafalgar bi-Centenary Sale, Christie’s, October 2005 (Lot 248).

Matthew Boulton’s Medal for Trafalgar 1805, white metal, the reverse field contemporarily engraved ‘Jas. Mason, H.M.S. Conquerer [sic]’, contained in copper-gilt glazed frame with watch-fob suspension, corrosion and pitting, therefore good fine £600-£800 --- Provenance: The Kuriheka Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, June 2006 (Purchased from Spink, March 1909, £1-5-0.) James Mason was born in London and served as an Able Seaman, aged 27, aboard H.M.S. Conqueror at the major fleet action off Cape Trafalgar between the British fleet under the command of Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson and the Franco-Spanish fleet under the command of Vice-Admiral P. C. de Villeneuve on 21 October 1805. At Trafalgar the Conqueror was the fourth ship in the weather column, following immediately after the Victory, Temeraire and Neptune, ‘she engaged the French flagship Bucentaure and the Spanish four-decker Santissima Trinidad. She shot away the former's main and mizen-masts by the board, her fore-mast in a few minutes sharing the same fate; when, after a loss of over four hundred killed and wounded, a white handkerchief was waved from her in token of submission, and Captain Atcherley, Royal Marines, and a party from the Conqueror was sent on board. There they received the swords of the French Commander-in-Chief, Villeneuve, and the senior military officer, General Contamin. The Conqueror, with the Neptune, then turned her attention to the Santissima Trinidad, whose main, mizen, and fore-masts were soon shot away, and she also struck to the two Britishers, which were immediately borne down upon by five of the enemy's ships until other British ships came to the assistance. While the remainder of the combined fleet were making their escape to Cadiz, the Conqueror hauled across the course of one of them which only had her foresail set. Her brave captain stood upon the poop holding the lower corner of a small French jack while he pinned the upper corner with his sword to the stump of the mizen-mast. She fired two or three guns, probably to provoke a return and so perhaps spare the discredit of a tame surrender. The Conqueror's broadside was ready, but Captain Pellew, unwilling to injure the brave French officer, fired a single shot across her bow. The captain lowered the flag, took off his hat, and bowed his surrender. The Conqueror's losses in the battle amounted to twelve killed and wounded, including four officers. She had her mizen topmast and main top-gallant mast shot away. Her fore and main-masts were badly wounded, and her rigging of every sort much cut, while several shot had struck her on the larboard side between wind and water. One of the enemy's shot also cut away the head of the figure at the ship's bow, and the crew, through the first lieutenant, asked permission to have it replaced by one of Lord Nelson. The request was granted, and when the Conqueror arrived at Plymouth after towing the Africa to Gibraltar, a figure of the hero, remarkable for the correct likeness and superior workmanship, and which the crew ornamented at their own expense, was placed at her bow.’ (The Trafalgar Roll, The Officers, The Men, The Ships, by Colonel R. H. Mackensie, refers)

Pair: Marine P. D. Richardson, Royal Marines General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, N. Iraq & S. Turkey (Mne P D Richardson PO48697K RM); N.A.T.O. Medal 1994, 1 clasp, Kosovo, unnamed as issued, mounted as worn, good very fine (2) £700-£900 --- Sold with a photograph of the recipient on patrol in the Kani Masi Valley, Kurdistan, in 1991.

General Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Air Operations Iraq (AMEM1 J K Marshall D239281P RN) extremely fine £300-£400 --- A hand-written note with the medal states that Marshall was employed as an engineer working on propulsion gas turbines section in H.M.S. Manchester.

Three: Aircraft Engineer First Class W. A. Clarke, Fleet Air Arm Operational Service Medal 2000, for Sierra Leone, without rosette (AEM1 W A Clark [sic] D238456L RN); Iraq 2003-11, 1 clasp, 19 Mar to 28 Apr 2003 (AEM1 W A Clarke D238456L RN); Jubilee 2002, unnamed as issued, mounted as worn, good very fine and better (3) £360-£440

Pair: Marine R. W. Reynolds, Royal Marines Iraq 2003-11, 1 clasp, 19 Mar to 28 Apr 2003 (Mne R W Reynolds P059173H RM); Operational Service Medal 2000, for Afghanistan, 1 clasp, Afghanistan (Mne R W Reynolds P059173H RM) impressed naming, mounted as worn with rosettes on both ribands, nearly extremely fine (2) £400-£500

The Distinguished Service Medal 1914-1920. Compiled by W. H. Fevyer, published by J. B. Hayward & Son, 1982, 121pp., including index, hardback, with dust jacket, very good condition The Distinguished Service Medal 1939-1946 Compiled by W. H. Fevyer, published by J. B. Hayward & Son, 1981, 163pp., including numerous appendices, hardback, with plastic dust jacket, very good condition The Naval General Service Medal Roll 1793-1840. Compiled by Captain K. J. Douglas-Morris, Naval and Military Press edition, 403pp., hardback, very good condition The Naval Good Shooting Medal 1903-1914. Compiled by R. J. Scarlett, published by The London Stamp Exchange, 1990, 113pp., hardback, very good condition The Azoff Campaign 1855. By Peter Duckers and Neil Mitchell, published by Kingswood Books, 1996, 253pp., including index, hardback, with dust jacket, very good condition Afloat and Ashore, the Royal Navy during the Boer War 1899-1902. By Peter Singlehurst, published by Token Publishing, 2006, 184pp., with various b/w photographs, hardback, very good condition The Africa General Service Medal to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. Compiled by W. H. Fevyer and J. W. Wilson, published by The London Stamp Exchange, 1990, 130pp., including numerous appendices, hardback, very good condition The White Ribbon, A Medallic Record of British Polar Exploration. By Neville Poulsom, published by Seaby Ltd., 1968, 216pp., with various b/w plates, hardback, with dust jacket, dust jacket somewhat worn, otherwise good condition Tracing your Naval Ancestors. By Bruno Pappalardo, published by the Public Record Office, 2003, 222pp., with appendices and index, softback, very good condition (9) £80-£100

British Battles and Medals. 7th Edition, compiled by John Hayward, Diana Birch, and Richard Bishop, published by Spink, London, 2006, 798pp., including appendices and index, illustrated throughout, with colour riband chart, hardback, minor scuff to cover, otherwise very good condition The Great War Medal Collectors Companion. Volume 1, by Howard Williamson, privately published, 2001, 581pp., including index, illustrated with numerous colour photographs throughout, numbered 2383 out of a limited edition of 3,500 copies, hardback, very good condition Collecting Medals and Decorations. By Alec Purves, published by Seaby Ltd., 1968, 192pp., including index, hardback, with dust jacket, good condition The Standard Catalogue of British Orders, Decorations and Medals with Valuations. 3rd Edition, compiled by E. C. Joslin, published by Spink, London, 1976, 130pp., including index, illustrated with 61 colour and b/w plates, with colour riband chart, hardback, with dust jacket, good condition Medals, the Researcher’s Guide. By William Spencer, published by The National Archives, 2006, reprinted 2007, 224pp., including index, illustrated with 31 colour plates, hardback, with dust jacket, very good condition (5) £60-£80 --- Sold with a copy of The Bentley Priory Battle of Britain Trust Appeal Spink Auction catalogue, 6 September 2012, softback.

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1863 to 1865 (Hy. Bishop, O.S., H.M.S. Eclipse) officially impressed naming, edge bruising and overall contact marks, good fine £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- 75 medals were awarded to H.M.S. Eclipse, including 60 dated ‘1863 to 1865’, the only ship to receive medals with these reverse dates. Henry Bishop entered the Navy as a Boy 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. Scourge on 2 July 1860. He advanced to Boy 1st Class in July 1861 and transferred to H.M.S. Formidable in February 1862. He joined H.M.S. Eclipse on 1 October 1862, advancing to Ordinary Seaman in July 1863, and to Able Seaman in July 1865. He served in Eclipse until 9 February 1867, when he joined H.M.S. Supply and then H.M.S. Fisgard on 4 March 1868, being discharged ‘shore Invd’ on 6 April 1868. Sold with copied medal roll entry and record of service.

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1860 to 1866 (1302 Sergt. Saml. Spence, 1st Bn. 12th Regt.) officially impressed naming, nearly very fine £500-£700 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Samuel Spence was born at Lisburn, County Antrim, and attested for the 12th Regiment at Belfast on 13 April 1853, aged 17 years 10 months. He served abroad in New Zealand for 6 years 53 days and in the Australian Colonies for 6 years 76 days. Awarded the L.S. & G.C. medal in 1872, Spence was finally discharged on 16 January 1876, after which he settled with his family in North Sydney, New South Wales. Sold with copied discharge papers.

Matthew Boulton’s Medal for Trafalgar 1805, white metal, the reverse field contemporarily engraved ‘J. Durman Marine H.M.S Spartiate’, unmounted, good fine £400-£500 --- James Durman, Private, Royal Marines, served in H.M.S. Spartiate during the major fleet action off Cape Trafalgar between the British fleet under the command of Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson and the Franco-Spanish fleet under the command of Vice-Admiral P. C. de Villeneuve, 21 October 1805. At Trafalgar the Spartiate was in the weather column and ‘she fought under Sir Francis Laforey... her losses amounting to five killed and twenty wounded... The Minotaur and Spartiate... exchanged broadsides with several of the combined fleet. They managed to cut off the Spanish 84-gun ship Neptune, of which they contrived to get alongside, and which, after a fight of over an hour, surrendered. The Spartiate had her foretopsail yard shot away, and her masts, yards, and rigging in general were a good deal damaged.’ (The Trafalgar Roll, The Officers, The Men, The Ships, by Colonel R.H. Mackenzie refers). Durman lived to claim, and received, the Naval General Service Medal 1793-1840 with clasp Trafalgar.

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1863 to 1866 (734 John Calver, 1st Bn. 12th Regt.) officially impressed naming, edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- John Calver was born in the Parish of Framsden, Suffolk, and enlisted into the 12th Regiment at Ipswich on 31 December 1860, aged 18. He served abroad in New Zealand from 1863 to 1866, and in Afghanistan in 1880, receiving medals for both campaigns in addition to the L.S. & G.C. medal. He was discharged in the rank of Sergeant at Bury St Edmunds on 10 December 1882. Sold with copied discharge papers.

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1861 to 1866 (1351. Wm. Brown, 2nd Bn. 14th Regt.) officially impressed naming, edge bruising and contact marks, good fine £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- William Brown was born in the Parish of St Francis, Dublin, and attested there for the 14th Regiment on 16 July 1860, aged 20. He was discharged at York on 12 July 1881, having served in New Zealand from February 1861 until the end of the war in 1866, and afterwards in Australia until March 1870 when he departed Melbourne for England. Sold with copied discharge papers which confirm New Zealand medal and a detailed biography of his service in New Zealand and Australia.

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1861 to 1866 (1121. John Simonite, 2nd Bn. 14th Regt.) polished, nearly very fine £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- John Simonite was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, and attested for the 14th Regiment, from 3rd West York Militia, at Tynemouth, Northumberland, on 2 March 1859, aged 26, a scale cutter by trade. He served in New Zealand for 5 years and 319 days between 1860 and 1866, and afterwards in Australia for 3 years and 309 days. He transferred to the 18th Regiment on 13 March 1870, serving with the 2nd Battalion until 10 October 1874, when he transferred to the 1st Battalion. He claimed his discharge at Ferozepore in October 1878 and was finally discharged at Netley on 11 February 1879. Sold with copied discharge papers which confirm New Zealand medal and a detailed biography of his service in New Zealand and Australia.

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1861 to 1866 (215. Andrw. Sloan, 2nd Bn. 14th Regt.) officially impressed naming, nearly very fine £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Andrew Sloan was born at Ballybay, County Monaghan, and attested there for the 2/14th Regiment on 23 March 1858, aged 18 years 2 months. He transferred to the 2/18th Regiment (No. 2245) on 24 August 1869. He was discharged on 26 November 1878, after 5 years 11 months service in New Zealand, and 3 years 10 months in Australia. Sold with copied discharge papers which confirm New Zealand medal and a detailed biography of his service in New Zealand and Australia.

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1863 to 1866 (661. John Knowles, 2nd Bn. 18th Ryl. Irish Regt.) officially impressed naming, nearly very fine £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- John Knowles was born in Liverpool and attested for the 18th Regiment at Manchester on 27 September 1858, aged 25, a tailor by trade. He served in New Zealand for 6 years 2 months, and then in Australia for 6 months. He claimed his discharge at Aldershot on 2 October 1879, being then in possession of four good conduct badges and the New Zealand medal. Although his conduct was described as ‘very good’, he had in fact been reported in the Victorian Police Gazette of 9 August 1870 as having ‘deserted from H.M. 18th Foot, at Melbourne, on the 30th July.’ There is, however, no mention of this in his service papers. The medal roll confirms his service in New Zealand from 1863 to 1866, and his presence at Orakau and Keteonatea. Sold with copied discharge papers and detailed but incomplete biography of his service in New Zealand and Australia.

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1863 to 1864 (3315 J Waters, 40th Regt.) officially impressed naming, nearly very fine £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- John Waters was born in the Parish of St John’s, Waterford, and attested there for the 40th Regiment on 17 March 1854, aged 16 years 6 months. He served abroad in the Australian Colonies for 8 years; in New Zealand for 2 years 10 months; and in India for 4 years 6 months. Promoted to Corporal in May 1867, and to Sergeant in September 1870, he was appointed Provost Sergeant from March to November 1876, and awarded the L.S. & G.C. medal and gratuity of £5 on 15 March 1876. Provost Sergeant Waters was discharged at Netley on 13 February 1877, having claimed it at a Regimental Board held at Dum Dum, India, the previous November. The medal roll confirms he service in New Zealand in 1863 and 1864 and his presence at Rangiriri and Waiari. Sold with copied discharge papers and detailed biography of his service in New Zealand and elsewhere.

Matthew Boulton’s Medal for Trafalgar 1805, white metal, unnamed, contained in a hinged and glazed copper-framed case with loop suspension, some very light hairlines, otherwise brilliant extremely fine and rare thus £800-£1,000 --- Provenance: Captain W. A. Tinlin Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, March 2007.

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1864 (740 W King, 40th Regt.) very fine and scarce £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Jubilee Collection, Glendining’s, May 1992. 33 medals to the 40th Foot with reverse date for 1864.

William King was born in Galway, Ireland, and attested for the 2/9th Foot at Glasgow on 7 February 1861, aged 18. He transferred to the 40th Foot on 20 August 1863, and served in New Zealand in 1864 where he was present at Paterangi, Waiari, and the three-day-long battle of Orakau. He was discharged at Dublin on 9 August 1872, being then ‘in possession of the War Medal for New Zealand.’ Sold with copied discharge papers and detailed biography of his service in New Zealand.

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1863 to 1866 (630 Sergt. Jas. Bearup, 43rd Lt. Inftry.) contact marks, about very fine £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- James Bearup was born in the Parish of St George in the East, London, and attested for the 64th Regiment at Rochester, Kent, on 24 June 1850 at the age of 18, a tailor by trade. He served in Persia and India for 11 years 10 months, taking part in the Persian campaign and the Indian Mutiny. He volunteered to the 43rd Light Infantry in February 1861 and served with that regiment in the New Zealand Wars of 1863-66, being was present at the actions at Gate Pa (29 April 1864) and Te Ranga (21 June 1864), and one skirmish at Taranaki. He was afterwards transferred to the 1st Administrative Battalion, West York Rifle Volunteers in April 1868 and was finally discharged 12 July 1870, then being ‘in possession of medal and clasp for Persian campaign, medal for Indian Mutiny & medal for New Zealand.’ Sold with copied discharge papers and a detailed biography of his military service.

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1863 to 1866 (287. Corpl. & Sergt. Jas. Farey. 43rd Lt. Inftry.) officially impressed naming, polished, edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- James Farey (Farrey or Farry) was born at Croydon, Surrey, and enlisted into the 43rd Light Infantry under the alias of John Gasson at Rochester on 21 April 1859. He served with the 43rd in New Zealand in 1863-66 and is confirmed on the medal roll as having been present at Maketu (21 April 1864), Gate Pa (29 April 1864), Te Ranga (21 June 1864), and skirmishes in Taranaki or Wanganui. In addition to the New Zealand medal, Farey also received the L.S. & G.C. medal in January 1894. He was discharged at Manchester on 19 April 1880. Sold with copied discharge papers and a detailed biography of his military service.

New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1863 to 1866 (338 Wm. Notley, 50th Qn’s Own Rgt.) officially impressed naming, edge bruising and contact marks, therefore good fine £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- William Notley was born in the Parish of Hessett, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, and attested there for the 50th Regiment on 11 February 1858, aged 20 years 3 months, a volunteer from the West Suffolk Militia. He joined the regiment in Ceylon where he served for 3 years 9 months before moving to New Zealand in November 1863. In January 1864 he was part of an 19-man detachment attached for service with the Land Transport Corps, serving at Whata Whata and Mere Mere, and by June 1864 at Queen’s Redoubt. For most of the next two years he was serving at Wanganui until being posted to the left wing of the 50th Regiment at Taranaki from 1 October 1866. He arrived in Sydney in June 1867 and eventually sailed for England aboard the Himalaya in March 1869. He was recommended for the L.S. & G.C. medal in April 1876 which he duly received the following year, and was discharged at Colchester on 1 April 1879. Sold with copied discharge papers and a detailed biography of his military service.

Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, 4 Novr 1805 (John Burns.) very fine £1,000-£1,400 --- Provenance: J. B. Hayward, August 1973; Lee Bishop Collection, Spink, July 2009. John Burns was born in Rothbury, Northumberland, and joined the Royal Navy in 1805. Borne on the ship’s books of H.M.S. Caesar as an Able Seaman from June 1805, he served in the Caesar during ‘Strachan’s Action’ on 4 November 1805, when she suffered 4 men killed and 25 wounded; later service including in the Indiaman Bombay Castle and in H.M.S. Caledonia. On being ‘paid off’ from the latter, and after three weeks ashore, he was told to report to H.M.S. Prince Frederick; however, he never returned for service and on 28 September 1814 he was logged as a deserter. Ironically this fact was seemingly missed or not noted by the Clerk processing Burns’ application for his Naval General Service Medal many years later. Note: One other man of this name appears on the Admiralty Claimants’ List with his entitlement given as Lissa. However, the medal with clasp Lissa awarded to the other John Burns was sold in these rooms in September 2019 and high-resolution photographs of both medals are available to view on our website, thus securing for all time the two medals’ uniqueness and saving them from the devaluing effect of ‘a name in common usage’.

Pair: Private John Mahoney, 65th Regiment New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1860 to 1865 (3103 John Mahoney, 65th Regt.) officially impressed naming; Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 3rd issue, small letter reverse (3103 John Mahoney 65th Foot) edge bruising and contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine (2) £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- John Mahoney was born at Bantry, Cork, and attested there for the 65th Regiment on 21 December 1852, aged 17 years 6 months. He served abroad in New Zealand for 10 years 10 months, and afterwards in the East Indies for 3 years 9 months. A Private throughout his service, his conduct was described as very good and he was awarded the L.S. & G.C. medal with £5 gratuity in August 1871. He was finally discharged on 25 January 1875, having claimed it at a regimental board at Lucknow in October 1874. Sold with copied discharge papers and a detailed biography of his military service.

Pair: Private John Hayward, 65th Regiment New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1864 to 1865 (744. John Hayward, 65th Regt.) officially impressed naming; Army L.S. & G.C., V.R., 3rd issue, small letter reverse (744. Pte. J. Hayward, 65th Foot) light contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine (2) £400-£500 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Only 25 medals issued to the 50th with these reverse dates. John Hayward was born in the Parish of North Bradley, Wiltshire, and attested for the 65th Foot at Trowbridge on 1 January 1861, aged 18. He served in New Zealand from January 1864 to August 1865 when the 65th departed Te Awamutu for Auckland and the return to England. In January 1871 the 65th departed for India and Hayward served there until January 1877, when he proceeded to England for service with the Depot at Pontefract. He was recommended for, and received, the L.S. & G.C. medal with a £5 annuity in 1879, and was discharged at Pontefract on 30 May 1882. Sold with copied discharge papers and a detailed biography of his military service.