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The Suez crisis Fleet Air Arm D.S.C. group of seven awarded to Captain R. L. Eveleigh, Royal Navy, who had earlier been mentioned in despatches for his bravery in Barracuda operations off the Norwegian coast, including a memorable strike on the Tirpitz in April 1944 Distinguished Service Cross, E.II.R., reverse officially dated ‘1957’; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Near East (Lt. Cdr. R. L. Eveleigh. R.N.); Campaign Service 1962-2007, 1 clasp, Malay Peninsula (Captain R. L. Eveleigh. R.N.), mounted court-style as worn, good very fine (7) £6,000-£8,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Spink, May 1998. D.S.C. London Gazette 13 June 1957: ‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in operations in the Near East, October to December 1956.’ M.I.D. London Gazette 25 July 1944: ‘For ‘bravery, leadership, skill and devotion to duty during successful strikes at enemy shipping off the coast of Norway.’ Royston Leonard Eveleigh was commissioned as a Temporary Acting Sub. Lieutenant (A.) in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on qualifying as a Fleet Air Arm Observer in April 1943, when he was posted to No. 830 Naval Air Squadron (N.A.S.) at Lee-on-Solent. Operation ‘Tungsten’ Eveleigh subsequently teamed-up with Lieutenant Robinson as his pilot and Petty Officer Lock as his T.A.G. and the three airmen honed their skills in the squadron’s Fairey Barracuda IIs over the coming months, especially after joining the carrier Furious in late 1943, and they flew their first anti-shipping strike off Norway in February 1944. Meanwhile, plans were afoot for Operation ‘Tungsten’, a major Fleet Air Arm strike against the Tirpitz in her Norwegian lair. The plans had been hastened by ‘Ultra’ intelligence reports that revealed the German battleship had been repaired after the epic midget submarine attack of September 1943, and that she was now preparing for new sea trials. Tirpitz, a ‘Fleet in Being’, remained therefore a serious threat, and when Admiral Fraser received another ‘Ultra’ report suggesting she would put to sea on the 3 April 1944, just as he was escorting the Russian-bound convoy JW. 58, events moved quickly. In fact, the planned Fleet Air Arm strike was immediately brought forward to the 3rd. The attack was to comprise two strikes, an hour apart, with 21 Barracudas in each from the carriers Furious and Victorious. Ten would each carry a 1600lb. armour-piercing ‘cookie’ bomb, 20 would carry three 500lb. semi-armour piercing bombs and the remainder 600lb. bombs for underwater blast effect. In addition, 40 Corsair, Hellcat and Wildcat fighters from the auxiliary carriers Emperor, Pursuer and Searcher would deal with any fighters and, if not engaged, then strafe Tirpitz. Eveleigh, with Robinson and Lock, flew in the first wave in Barracuda 5F, armed with one of the 1600lb. ‘cookie’ bombs. Menace – The Life and Death of the Tirpitz, by Ludovic Kennedy, takes up the story: ‘At 4.30 a.m. the first strike of Barracudas and 50 Corsairs, Hellcats and Wildcats took off and headed South, flying at sea-level to avoid enemy radar. Twenty-five miles from the coast they climbed to 8,000 feet to clear the mountains … By 5.15 a.m. they were only 20 miles from their target. They passed over a high mountain, “and there,” said Sub. Lieutenant Eveleigh, “at the head of the fjord just where intelligence told us she would be, lay the Tirpitz, looking as large as life and very forbidding.” No enemy fighters having appeared, the commander of the British fighter wing radioed, “Out lights!” This was the signal for them to assume their secondary role of strafing the Tirpitz with machine-gun fire, destroying the radar and flak control and killing all those in exposed positions on the deck.’ The Barracudas then swept in low, determined to achieve some telling hits, Eveleigh recording in his flying log book that they dropped their ‘cookie’ through a barrage of medium flak before making ‘an individual getaway’ and returning to Furious. The attack launched by the first wave had lasted just minutes and only one Barracuda had been lost. Ludovic Kennedy continues: ‘By 5.31 a.m. the upper decks of the Tirpitz were a shambles, with more than 100 dead and 200 wounded … at least 14 bombs had caused serious damage; destruction of the flak control and bridge telegraphs; fires in the aircraft hangar, wardroom, gunroom, and mess decks and storeroom; buckling of the keel plates and causing underwater flooding.’ And all this before the arrival of the second wave which inflicted further damage and casualties. As it happened, the Tirpitz mission was the first of several sorties flown by Eveleigh off Norway, including a strike on enemy shipping off the Lofoten Islands on 26 April 1944, when intense light flak downed a Barracuda and four fighters, and another anti-shipping strike on 1 June 1944, when intense flak caused further loss. Finally, on 17 July 1944, he participated in the Fleet Air Arm’s second attack on the Tirpitz, his flying log book noting: ‘Not too good – target obscured by smoke – bags of flak – 1 Barracuda and 1 Corsair lost.’ Eveleigh was subsequently among those mentioned in despatches. And he ended the war as an instructor in 786 N.A.S. back in the U.K. Operation ‘Musketeer’ Post-war, he obtained a regular commission in the R.N., qualified as a pilot and was advanced to Lieutenant-Commander in October 1952. And it was in this rank that he took command of 802 N.A.S. in early 1956, then working up in Sea Hawks at Lossiemouth, in preparation for a commission in the Ark Royal. Instead, however, the Suez crisis intervened and Eveleigh and 802 N.A.S. were called away to the Western Mediterranean to join the carrier Albion. He later told the author Brian Cull, in Wings over Suez: ‘The general feeling in the Fleet, culled from radio and press, was that we were going to confront the Israelis who were seen to be aggressing as they pushed towards Egypt. We were very surprised to find that the opposite was the case! Most of my age group has seen active service in World War Two but the realisation that the Egyptians had MiGs made for a certain amount of apprehension.’ On 24 October 1956, a week before the controversial decision to neutralize the Egyptian Air Force was put into effect, Eveleigh became the victim of a rash Admiralty order intended to decrease the turnaround time between sorties by removing from all Sea Hawks the metal retaining straps over the main fuel tank filler cap. Having objected unsuccessfully, and aware that an accident involving the procedure had already occurred, he insisted on being the first off Albion after the straps had been removed. It was a night take-off, according to Wings over Suez: ‘As I accelerated down the catapult a glaring light … lit up the deck. I pushed ‘white knuckled’ on the lever but the power still fell away and I realised that the light came from the aircraft and that I was on fire. I crashed into the sea ahead of the carrier, which swerved to avoid colliding with the burning and sinking Sea Hawk.’ Very lucky indeed to escape his aircraft unscathed, Eveleigh was picked up half an hour later. Thereafter, the straps were refitted. In November 1956, he fle...

The unusual Great War posthumous D.S.M. group of four awarded to Stoker Petty Officer William Punt, Royal Navy, who suffered severe burns when H.M.S. Laertes was hit by enemy shellfire on 25 April 1916, and died of septicaemia eleven days later Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (302295 W. Punt, Sto. P.O. H.M.S. Laertes 25 Apl. 1916.); 1914-15 Star (302295, W. Punt, S.P.O., R.N.), British War and Victory Medals (302295 W. Punt. S.P.O. R.N.) mounted for display, good very fine (4) £1,200-£1,600 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- D.S.M. London Gazette 22 June 1916: ‘The following awards have also been approved: Stoker Petty Officer William Punt, O.N. 302295 (since died of wounds).’ The original recommendation states: ‘For his services in action on board H.M.S. Laertes. When one of the boilers was put out of action by a German shell, Punt remained at his post and closed the stop valves of the boiler being very severely scalded in doing so,’ William Punt was born at Southminster, Kent on 18 June 1883 and entered the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in December 1902. A Stoker Officer in the destroyer H.M.S. Laertes on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he quickly saw action at the battle of Heligoland Bight at the end of the month, when she was severely damaged by four shells. The most serious hit was in the boiler room, which cut off all steam supplies and left the ship motionless. Her consort Lapwing went to her aid under heavy fire, but it was the timely arrival of Lion that saved the day. Punt was still serving in Laertes at the time of her next major action, namely her intervention during the German bombardment of Yarmouth and Lowestoft on 25 April 1916. On that occasion, she again came under heavy fire and again took a serious hit in her boiler room, this time with fatal consequences for Punt, who suffered terrible burns in closing the boiler stop valves. A fellow stoker, Ernest Clarke, likewise suffered fatal burns, but their gallant actions were credited with saving the ship. Both men were awarded posthumous D.S.Ms. The son of Thomas and Elizabeth Punt of Gillingham, Kent, William died of septicaemia at the naval establishment at Shotley on 6 May 1916, and was buried in Chatham (Maidstone Road) Cemetery. Sold with copied record of service.

The outstanding group of five awarded to The Reverend Edward A. Williams, Chaplain of the Pearl in the Indian Mutiny, being frequently mentioned in despatches; he was author of ‘The Cruise of the Pearl round the World, with an account of the operations of the Naval Brigade in India’, published in 1859 Baltic 1854, unnamed as issued; Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp (Rev. Edwd. A. Williams, Chaplain. Pearl.); Jubilee 1887 with bar 1897; Coronation 1902; Coronation 1911, light contact marks to the first two, otherwise good very fine and better (5) £4,000-£5,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Douglas-Morris Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, October 1996. Edward Adams Williams was born on 26 March 1826, the second son of Henry Williams of Glasthule, Co Dublin, whose ancestor settled at Rath Kool when William III carried on a successful campaign in Ireland. His mother, née Esther McClure, was a descendant of two Huguenot families, de la Cherois and Crommeline, who were invited by William III to settle in County Antrim and improve the damask manufactures. He graduated from Trinity College, Dublin, in 1848, obtaining the Divinity Testimonial. Ordained by the Bishop of Worcester and subsequently, in 1849, given the curacy of Lye, Worcestershire. He joined the Royal Navy when appointed as the Chaplain of H.M.S. St George on 3 March 1854, seeing service in the Baltic campaign of 1854. He received the additional rank of Naval Instructor on 25 April 1855, and a month later was re-appointed to H.M.S Hawke as her "Chaplain & Naval Instructor", and was present at the attack on the forts in the Gulf of Riga during 1855, earning the Baltic Medal. He was appointed as the ship's Chaplain to H.M.S. Pearl on 3 May l856, and served the whole time ashore with Pearl’s Naval Brigade prior to being ‘paid off’ on 15 January 1859. From 27 November 1857 Pearl’s Naval Brigade became the only wholly European manned part of the Sarun Field Force. The Reverend Williams was Mentioned in Despatches on the following occasions: by Captain E. S. Sotheby, R.N., in letters dated 28 December 1857, 1st March, 9th March and 29th April 1858, and also by Colonel F. Rowcroft, Commanding Sarun Field Force, on 22nd February and 6th March 1858. He subsequently served aboard H.M. Ships Royal Adelaide, Reserve Depot Ship, Devonport (1860-62), and Impregnable, Training Ship, Devonport (1862-64). His final sea appointment was aboard H.M.S. Cadmus on the North America and West Indies Station commencing 28 February 1865. His last naval appointment was to H.M.S. Excellent, Gunnery Training Ship at Portsmouth, on 4 April 1868. In 1872 he was appointed Secretary of the Church Missionary Society for the Metropolitan District. From 6 March 1875 he became the Chaplain serving with the Royal Marine Artillery, Portsmouth, until 19 May 1880, when he was transferred to Sheerness Dockyard as the Chaplain for 18 months prior to serving in a similar capacity in Portsmouth Dockyard until retired in 1886 as the senior Chaplain, but not chosen to be the Chaplain of the Fleet. He received the appointment as Honorary Chaplain to Queen Victoria in 1898, retaining this similar honour to Edward VII and George V until he died at 5 Queen's Gate, Southsea on 13 April 1913 aged 87 years. He was buried at Highland Road Cemetery, Southsea on 16 April, but due to the inclement weather, with agreement of his relatives, the event was to a large extent shorn of the ceremonial element. The coffin of polished oak, covered with a Union Jack, upon which was placed his stole, war medals and coronation honours and his badge as Honorary Chaplain to the King, was borne to the cemetery on a naval field-gun carriage drawn by bluejackets. It was preceded by a Naval firing party, who fired three volleys above his grave witnessed by mourners, who included a few veterans from the Crimean War and Indian Mutiny. The ceremony ended with a Naval bugler sounding the ‘Last Post’. Williams was author of The Cruise of the Pearl round the World, with an account of the operations of the Naval Brigade in India, published in 1859. Concerning the landing of the Naval Brigade, Williams claimed: ‘This is, I believe, the only example of the Royal Navy leaving their ships, and taking their guns seven or eight hundred miles into the interior of a great continent, to serve as soldiers, marching and counter-marching for fifteen months through extensive districts, and taking an active part in upwards of twenty actions.’ Of the thirteen chapters of the book, eleven relate to the activities of the Naval Brigade. Prior to the ship’s arrival at Calcutta on 12 August 1857, she had spent over a year after leaving England on a voyage which included the passage of the Strait of Magellan, the punishment of Peruvian revolutionaries who had plundered a British ship, and visits to the Sandwich Islands (Hawaii) and Hong Kong, where the Pearl stayed only a month before being ordered to Calcutta. Thereafter Williams faithfully chronicled the movement up country of the Naval Brigade and the actions which it fought under Captain Sotheby’s immediate command and in support of Indian Army units, but he had little to say concerning his own duties as chaplain: ‘After parade came daily prayers, for the men of the Naval Brigade, which lasted about ten minutes. This custom not being unusual on board a “man-of-war” was continued throughout the campaign.’ He spoke of the war as “brutalising, in which quarter was neither given nor received. No European that fell into their hands could expect anything but a most cruel death... and therefore prisoners were not taken.” Williams was formerly Hon Editor of the Anchor Watch, and the last survivor of the founders of the Royal Naval Scripture Reader's Society, of which he had been the first Honorary Secretary when it was inaugurated at Devonport in 1860.

The exceptional Second War Arctic convoy ‘QP. 10’ B.E.M. group of five awarded to Galley Boy C. E. Slaughter, Merchant Navy, who was ‘aged about 15 years’ at the time of his gallantry aboard the stricken merchantman Harpalion British Empire Medal (Civil) G.VI.R., first issue (Charles Edward Slaughter); 1939- 45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted court-style, good very fine (5) £500-£700 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- B.E.M. London Gazette 18 August 1942, in a joint citation with Steward J. F. Whyte and Fireman E. Ulke: ‘During heavy enemy air attacks, Slaughter, Whyte and Ulke displayed bravery and initiative as volunteers in maintaining steam after the ship had received damage below and when the conditions in the stokehold were both difficult and dangerous. It was largely due to their efforts that the vessel was brought safely to port.’ In point of fact, their vessel, the freighter S.S. Harpalion, had to be sunk by gunfire from H.M.S. Fury, after sustaining fatal damage inflicted by Ju. 88s when convoy QP. 10 came under attack on 13 April 1942. Charles Edward Slaughter was, according to his captain’s action report, ‘about 15 years’ of age and ‘the first of the crew to volunteer’ to undertake perilous work in the stricken Harpalion’s stokehold. Arctic convoy QP. 10 departed Murmansk on 10 April 1942, a convoy of sixteen merchantmen bound for Iceland with a naval escort comprising the cruiser H.M.S. Liverpool and seven destroyers, in addition to a minesweeper and two anti-submarine trawlers. From the moment it departed, the convoy came under relentless attack, not least from Ju. 88s of III/K.G. 30. Harpalion’s D.E.M.S. gunners had already downed an enemy aircraft on the 11th but, as her captain’s report explains, the attacks on the 13th proved overwhelming: ‘We were all standing by the guns ready for an attack, and at 0607 the bombing attack commenced. About 8 bombs were dropped within 20-50 yards of my ship during this first attack, but no damage was done. We were firing with all our guns throughout the attack. The second attack began at 0703 and was made by 2 aircraft during which 4 bombs were dropped close to my counter and about 20 yards from the ship. These bombs had delayed action fuses and did not explode for some little time after hitting the water. When they did explode a column of water about 40 feet was thrown into the air. At 0842 2 aircraft made a third attack on my ship, one approaching from the bow and the other from the stern and 8 bombs in sticks of 4 were dropped by each aircraft on my port bow about 50 yards away. At 0940 a fourth attack was made. One aircraft flew in very close to my stern at a height of about 200 feet and dropped 4 bombs right under my counter some 10-20 feet from the stern. After this attack I found the vessel would not answer the bridge steering gear, so I ordered the after-hand gear to be put into operation, but I found that the quadrant moved but the rudder did not. I ordered an inspection to be made and it was found that the quadrant was broken away from the rudder and that the rudder post had been badly shattered. The engines were still working but the vessel was steaming away from the convoy as the ship was not under control … ’ At length, the order to abandon ship was given, but even then, the two boats that got away from the Harpalion were attacked by machine-gun fire from the Ju. 88s. Sold with copied research including Convoy reports.

The post-War ‘Cyprus operations’ M.B.E. group of five awarded to Lieutenant-Commander L. A. d’E. Lloyd, Royal Navy, late Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 2nd type breast badge; 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; War Medal 1939-45; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Cyprus (Lt. Cdr. L. A. D’E. Lloyd. R.N.) mounted court-style for display, good very fine (5) £800-£1,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Alan Hall Collection, June 2000. M.B.E. London Gazette 31 December 1957: ‘For distinguished service in operations in Cyprus during the period 1 July to 31 December 1957.’ Lawrence Aylmer D’Estampes Lloyd was appointed a Midshipman in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in April 1943, when he joined Combined Operations Headquarters under Vice-Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten. And he was likewise employed when advanced to Sub. Lieutenant in July 1943 and to Lieutenant in January 1944; the inclusion of his two campaign stars suggests he was at one stage detached for operational service. Granted a permanent commission as a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy in January 1946, he enjoyed several seagoing appointments over the following decade, among them the Antarctic Patrol Ship Protector in 1949-50. After being advanced to Lieutenant-Commander in January 1954, he joined Aphrodite in May 1956, the Cyprus base of the Flag Officer Middle East. The advent of the Cyprus emergency in the previous year had prompted the rapid arrival of supporting arms, military and naval, and Aphrodite’s staff were given responsibility for three specific areas of the island: Central – Nicosia, South – Episkopi and East – Famagusta; at the height of the troubles Episkopi had a Local Command Centre, looking after two destroyers and five other vessels. As one member of staff later recalled: ‘With the advent of the Commandos, the Amphibious Warfare Squadron and half a dozen Coastal Minesweepers, in addition to our Patrol Boats, our traffic level has shot up into the clouds. In September alone we handled 951 encrypted signals with a total of 70,033 groups and 1,019 unclassified signals.’ It was likely for his work under just such operational pressure that Lloyd was awarded his M.B.E., which insignia he received at Buckingham Palace on 21 March 1958. He joined the staff of the C.-in-C. Nore in the same month but was placed on the Retired List on account of ill-health in March 1961. He died in February 1976.

The outstanding Second War ‘Bismarck action’ D.S.M. group of ten awarded to Chief Petty Officer (Airman) S. E. Parker, Royal Navy, who flew as Telegraphist Air Gunner in the Swordfish piloted by Lieutenant-Commander Eugene Esmonde, C.O. of 825 Naval Air Squadron, in the first of two celebrated Fleet Air Arm attacks launched against the mighty Bismarck Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (FAA/FX.76360 S. E. Parker. P.O. Airman. H.M.S. Victorious); Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1936-39 (JX.133661 S. E. Parker. L.S. R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Air Crew Europe Star, 1 clasp, Atlantic; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Korea 1950-53, 1st issue (L/FX.76360 S. E. Parker C.P.O. R.N.); UN Korea 1950-54; Naval L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (FX.76360 S. E. Parker. C.P.O. Air. H.M.S. Daedalus) ship and part of rank officially corrected on this, mounted court-style for wearing, generally good very fine (10) £5,000-£7,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- One of five D.S.Ms awarded to the Fleet Air Arm for the Bismarck action in May 1941. D.S.M. London Gazette 16 September 1941: ‘To men of H.M. aircraft carriers and Naval Air Stations for gallantry, daring and skill in the operations in which the German battleship Bismarck was destroyed.’ The original recommendation states: ‘Petty Officer Parker is the Air Gunner in the Squadron Commander’s aircraft. He had been at Dunkirk on the same operation as Sub. Lieutenant D. A. Berrill. A fine rating in action in the face of the enemy. His single Vickers G.O. gun gave the guns’ crews of the Bismarck all that it could and never stopped once.’ Stanley Edgar Parker entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in 1929 and qualified as a Telegraphist Air Gunner - or ‘T.A.G.’ - in the Fleet Air Arm on the eve of hostilities. Posted to No. 825 Naval Air Squadron (N.A.S.) in the following year, he first witnessed active service during Operation ‘Dynamo’, when 825 carried out operations against U- and E- Boats in the Calais area. The Squadron was next embarked in the carrier H.M.S. Furious, from which, as Lieutenant-Commander Eugene Esmonde’s T.A.G., Parker participated in a strike against enemy shipping at Trondheim on 22 September 1940. But it was for their subsequent part in attacking the Bismarck that both men were decorated. The attack was launched from the pitching deck of the carrier Victorious at 10 p.m. on 24 May 1941, when, in particularly foul weather, Esmonde, with Parker, led off his flight of nine Swordfish. A journey of 120 miles lay ahead and not a few on board the Victorious thought that would be the last they saw of them. Bismarck’s gunners, of course, were fully alert, and Esmonde’s striking force was met with an ‘exceptionally heavy’ barrage of A.A. fire, several aircraft sustaining damage. Amidst this inferno, one eye-witness described seeing Parker ‘firing his gun madly,’ an observation surely supported by the words of the recommendation for his D.S.M. Moreover, one of Esmonde’s pilots claimed a torpedo hit amidships, thereby fatally slowing down the Bismarck. Re-forming away from the guns of their damaged and angered foe, the much-battered Striking Force made off for Victorious, a return flight fraught with danger as a result of the loss of radio contact. At length, however, having overrun the Victorious in pitch darkness and driving rain on at least one occasion, Esmonde, his gallant T.A.G., and the remaining aircrew touched down at 2 a.m. Once again the Fleet Air Arm had triumphed and Esmonde received a well-merited D.S.O. He went on to win a posthumous V.C. less than a year later, in his immensely courageous strike against the components of the ‘Channel Dash’. Meanwhile, 825 N.A.S. transferred to the Ark Royal, and witnessed extensive action in the Mediterranean, mainly on the Malta run, prior to the carrier’s loss to a torpedo strike in November 1941. Back home, Parker received his D.S.M. at a Buckingham Palace investiture held in May 1942 and ended the war as an instructor in Trinidad. His post-war appointments included photographic interpretation at the Royal Naval School of Photography at Ford, Sussex but he returned to sea in the carrier Glory at the time of the Korea War. On finally being pensioned ashore, Parker settled at Chichester, Sussex, where he became custodian of the town’s assembly rooms and mace bearer.

An unusual Great War C.B. and Victorian campaign group of 12 awarded to Admiral Herbert Lyon, Royal Navy, who served with the Naval Brigades landed in Perak and in Zululand where he commanded a Gatling gun at Ginghilovo The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels; India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Perak (H. Lyon, Midsn. H.M.S. “Charybdis”); South Africa 1877-79, 1 clasp, 1879 (Sub: Lieut: H. Lyon. R.N. H.M.S. “Boadicea.”); 1914-15 Star (Capt. H. Lyon. R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Commre. 2 Cl.H. Lyon. R.N.R.); Ottoman Empire, Nichan-Imtiaz Medal, gold (Capt. H. Lyon R.N. 3rd Sept. 07.); Ottoman Empire, Nichan-Imtiaz Medal, silver (Capt. H. Lyon R.N. 3rd Sept. 07.); Greece, Kingdom, Order of the Redeemer, 3rd Class neck badge, gold and enamels, in its Lemaitre, Paris case of issue with neck ribbon, small enamel chip to reverse central cross; Spain, Kingdom, Order of Naval Merit, 3rd Class breast star, white model (special service), silver-gilt and enamels, in its Cejalvo, Madrid case of issue; Spain, Kingdom, Order of Military Merit, white model (special service), silver-gilt and enamels, in its José Mayor, Madrid case of issue; Spain, Kingdom, Order of Isabella the Catholic, 3rd Class neck badge, silver-gilt, gold and enamels, the first two campaign medals with edge bruising and contact marks, nearly very fine, otherwise generally nearly extremely fine (12) £4,000-£5,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Alan Hall Collection, June 2000. Herbert Lyon was born on 28 December 1856, at Woodley, Pilkington, Lancashire. He was the son of A. W. Lyon J.P., of Abbots Clownholme, Rochester, Stafford, and was educated at Windlesham House, Brighton, and the Reverend H. Burney's Royal Academy, Gosport. He entered the Royal Navy as a Cadet aboard the Training Ship Britannia, which he joined on 15 January 1870, at the age of 13. On passing out in December 1871 he gained six months’ sea time, and joined his first ship H.M.S. Sultan in December 1871, being promoted to Midshipman on 20 June 1872. He was appointed to Charybdis in October 1873 for service with the East Indies Squadron, and served aboard this ship for nearly three years, seeing action on shore with the Naval Brigade during the Lingi and Lukat River expeditions, the Straits of Malacca, and at Perak. For these services he received the Indian General Service medal with clasp 'Perak'. On returning to England, Lyon joined Topaz in June 1878, having been promoted to Sub Lieutenant on 20 June 1876. Next appointed to Excellent in September 1877 for College and examination, on passing out he was awarded a 2nd Class Certificate in Seamanship and 3rd Class Certificates in Gunnery and Navigation. In April 1878 Lyon joined Boadicea for service on the Cape of Good Hope Station and West Coast of Africa. Whilst in this ship he was landed in Zululand with the Naval Brigade, and served on shore from 19 March to 6 August, 1879. He was mentioned in Despatches by Commodore Sir Frederick Richards and recommended for promotion, having been in all of the operations leading to the relief of Ekowe and commanded a Gatling gun at Ginghilovo. For his services he was promoted to Acting Lieutenant on 21 January 1880 and appointed to Flora; he was later confirmed in this rank with seniority of 7 February 1880. In September 1880 he joined President for study and examination; on qualifying, he joined Garnet in July 1891. As a Lieutenant he served aboard Rifleman from November 1881; Himalaya from May 1883; Hercules from September 1884; Tourmaline from August 1886; Duke of Wellington from November 1889; and Impregnable from March 1890. He was promoted to Commander on 30 June 1894, and joined Vivid in September 1895. Lyon then served aboard Pelican from January 1898; Curacoa from February 1899; and Cleopatra from August 1900. On promotion to Captain on 31 December 1900, he took command of Sirius in July 1901, followed by: Retribution in June 1902; Vivid in October 1904; Trafalgar in April 1905; Cornwall in March 1906; Formidable in January 1907; and finally Tamar in August 1908, as Commodore 2nd Class and Naval Officer in Charge Hong Kong. Whilst holding this post he was appointed an A.D.C. to King Edward VII on 5 November 1908. In 1907, during the King’s visit to Spain, Malta and cruise in the Mediterranean, Lyon was awarded various Spanish and Turkish decorations, ‘private’ permission to wear being confirmed in most cases in his record of service, and all confirmed in Who’s Who. On returning to England, Lyon was promoted to Rear-Admiral on 14 April 1910, and at his own request placed on the Retired List on 24 January 1913. On the outbreak of World War I he offered his services to the Admiralty in any capacity available. He was appointed a Captain R.N.R. on 16 November 1914, and given Command of the Yacht Safar El Bahr on 23 August 1915, for service in the Eastern Mediterranean. On 24 October 1915, he was promoted to Vice-Admiral, and in October 1916 he was appointed to Egmont for charge of all armed patrol vessels at Malta, as Commodore 2nd Class R.N.R, remaining in this post until the end of the war. He was brought to their Lordships favourable notice by Rear-Admiral Ballard for valuable services whilst in Command of escort vessels at Malta and was awarded the C.B. (Military) for services in charge of auxiliary patrols, Malta (London Gazette 15 July 1918). He was admitted to Bighi Hospital, Malta, in February 1919, and died there on 15 March 1919, from illness contracted while serving afloat. He is buried in Ta Braxia Cemetery, Malta. Sold with copied record of service and other research.

The Naval General Service medal awarded to Captain Peter S. Hambly, Royal Navy, Master’s Mate in the Prince at the battle of Trafalgar, when he was one of the party in charge of the Santissima Trinidad before she was sunk, remaining on board until within a short time of her going down - the water when he left having reached above her lower deck - and being promoted in honour of the victory by commission dated December 1805 Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Trafalgar (P. S. Hambly, Master’s Mate.) extremely fine £10,000-£14,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: J. B. Hayward, March 1971; Peter Dale Collection, July 2000. Confirmed on the roll as Master’s Mate aboard H.M.S. Prince at Trafalgar. Peter Sampson Hambly entered the Navy on 1 December 1797, as Midshipman, on board the Ville de Paris 110, Captain Hon. George Grey, bearing the flag off Lisbon and in the Mediterranean of Earl St. Vincent. Subsequently removing to the Emerald 36, Captain Thomas Moutray Waller, he assisted in that ship, in company with the Leviathan 74, and was slightly wounded at the capture of the two Spanish frigates Carmen and Florentina on 7 April 1800, each laden with 500 quintals of quicksilver for the use of the mines at Lima. Independently of that service, he was frequently employed in the Emerald’s boats off the port of Cadiz; was instrumental to the capture of several privateers; and was a second time wounded. Between the summers of 1800 and 1802, he was next attached, as Master’s Mate, to the Florentina 36, Captain John Broughton, with which ship he served at the landing of the troops in Egypt and received a sabre-cut in the right wrist at the battle of Alexandria on 21 March 1801, the battle in which Sir Ralph Abercromby was killed. In April 1803, after he had been borne on the books of the Tonnant 80, Captain Sir Edward Pellew, for a short period, Hambly joined the Prince 98, Captain Richard Grindall, under whom he fought at Trafalgar on 21 October 1805. At the close of the conflict, he was then one of the party in charge of the Santissima Trinidad before she was sunk, remaining on board until within a short time of her going down; when he eventually left the sinking ship, the water had already reached her lower deck. Being promoted in honour of the victory by a commission dated 24 December of the same year, Hambly was next appointed on 27 March 1806 to the Morgiana sloop, Captains Robert Raynsford and William Landless, on the Mediterranean station; on 18 December 1806 to the Queen 98, Captains Erasmus Pender, William Shields, Charles Inglis, and Thomas George Shortland, employed off Cadiz, the Dardanells, &c.; and on 11 July 1808, to the Defence 74, Captain Charles Ekins. Captain Ekins, after assisting at the blockade of Flushing and Kronstat, entrusted Hambly with the erection and command of a battery on an island in the Gulf of Finland, for the purpose of obstructing the movements of the Russians, including the destruction of Russian vessels in 1809, and the blockade of Flushing in 1810. Later, in October 1810, Hambly was placed at the command of part of the flotilla employed at the defence of Cadiz, where - and at Tarifa - he continued in almost daily collision with the enemy, until the autumn of 1813, when he invalided. On one occasion a shot passed through the side of Hambly’s gun-boat, and it was with the greatest difficulty she could be kept afloat. In June 1814, he joined the flotilla on the river St. Lawrence, and when the 100-gun ship of that name was ready for launching he was appointed her First-Lieutenant. By the time she was nearly equipped for sea, he was sent to take the command on Lake Champlain, where he remained until the month of December. He then became Senior of the Psyche 32, Captain Peter Fisher, from which ship, stationed on Lake Ontario, he removed to the acting-command of the Star sloop on 11 July 1815. Later the same year, from 12 October until 30 November 1816, he was superintending the naval establishment on Lake Huron. He obtained a second promotal commission on 12 August 1819, and from 3 August 1838, until his Post-promotion on 23 November 1841, was employed in command of the Orestes 18, on the South American station, after which he was placed on half-pay. Captain Hambly died in 1847 when his phaeton overturned in a Devon country lane.

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

The 2-clasp Naval General Service medal awarded to Joseph Beddows, a Private Royal Marines aboard the Stately at the destruction, in company with H.M.S. Nassau, at the destruction of the Danish 74-gun Prinds Christian Frederick in March 1808, and in the boats of the Princess Caroline on 25 July 1809, in a most desperate and sanguinary conflict with four Russian gun-boats and an armed brig in the gulf of Finland Naval General Service 1793-1840, 2 clasps, Stately 22 March 1808, 25 July Boat Service 1809 (Joseph Beddows.) minor edge bruising and marks, otherwise very fine £8,000-£10,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Spink N.C., September 1957 and December 1959; Peter Dale Collection, July 2000. Joseph Beddows is confirmed on the rolls as a Private Royal Marines aboard H.M.S. Stately at the destruction, in company with H.M.S. Nassau, at the destruction of the Danish 74-gun Prinds Christian Frederick on 22 March 1808; and in the boats of H.M.S. Princess Caroline on 25 July 1809. 31 and 36 clasps issued for these actions respectively. On 22 March 1808, at 2 p.m., the British 64-gun ships Stately, Captain George Parker, and Nassau, Captain Robert Campbell, proceeding towards the Great Belt, descried and chased a strange sail. At 4 p.m., off the Jutland coast, the stranger was made out to be an enemy, and at 5 p.m., a Danish ship of the line, which evidently intended to run herself ashore, if no other means of escape presented itself.

At 7.40 p.m. the Nassau got up with, and opened fire upon the Danish 74-gun ship Prindts Christian Frederick, Captain Jessen, and, in a few minutes afterwards, the Stately closed and did the same. A running fight was thus maintained, with great obstinacy on the part of the 74, until 9.30 p.m., when the Prindts Christian Frederick struck her colours. At this time the latter was within less than 500 yards of the shore of Zealand, and, before the first lieutenant of the Stately, who had gone on board to take possession, could cut away her anchor, the prize grounded. The two British ships, fortunately for them, had already brought up near her. The remaining part of the night was employed in removing the prisoners, but it was found impossible to get the captured ship afloat. In the evening of the 23rd, as the Danes were preparing their artillery on the coast, and as the wind blew strong on the shore and a good deal of sea was running, the Prindts Christian Frederick was set on fire by her captors, and in a short time blew up.
 The loss on the part of the Stately was two seamen and two marines killed, and one lieutenant, the boatswain, one master's mate, 23 seamen and two marines wounded. The Nassau had one seaman killed and one missing, and one first-class volunteer, 10 seamen and five marines wounded; the total British loss amounting to five killed and 45 wounded and missing. The Prindts Christian Frederick, out of a complement on board of 576 men and boys, had 55 killed and 88 wounded.

On 25 July 1809, Captain Charles Dudley Paten, commanding a British squadron, composed of his own ship the Princess Caroline 74, the Minotaur 74, Captain John Barrett, the 18-pounder 32-gun frigate Cerberus, Captain Henry Whitby, and the 18-gun ship-sloop Prometheus, Captain Thomas Forrest, permitted the latter to lead the boats of the squadron, 17 in number, to the attack of four Russian gun-boats and an armed brig, lying at Fredericksham, near Apso roads, in the gulf of Finland. After dark the boats, commanded by Captain Forrest, pushed off from the squadron, and at 10.30 p.m. commenced the attack. After a most desperate and sanguinary conflict, three of the gun-boats, mounting two long 38-pounders each, and having on board between them 137 men, besides an armed transport brig, with 23 men, were captured and brought off.
 Costly, indeed, were the prizes. The British loss amounted to one lieutenant, one second lieutenant of marines, one midshipman, and six seamen and marines killed; Captain Forrest himself, one lieutenant, three midshipmen, and 46 seamen and marines wounded. The Russians, on their side, acknowledged a loss of 28 killed and 59 wounded, making a total of 47 men killed and 110 wounded, in obtaining possession of three gun-boats. One of these gun-boats, No. 62, was so obstinately defended, that every man of her 44-man crew was either killed or wounded before she surrendered, 24 of these being killed. The result of this enterprise was a defeat to the Russians certainly, but under circumstances that reflected the brightest honour upon the character of their navy. For the gallantry he had shown on the occasion, Captain Forrest was promoted to post-rank.

The scarce Boer War ‘Naval Brigade’ D.S.O. group of four awarded to Captain G. P. E. Hunt, Royal Navy, who commanded one of the 4.7-inch guns with great distinction Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamels, with integral top riband bar; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 5 clasps, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek (Lieut: G. P. E. Hunt, R.N, H:M:S Forte); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Gambia (Commdr: G. P. E. Hunt, D.S.O. R.N.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Captain G. P. E. Hunt. DSO. RN.) later impressed naming, mounted for display, good very fine (4) £6,000-£8,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Alan Hall Collection, June 2000. D.S.O. London Gazette 6 November 1900: ‘In recognition of services during the war in South Africa.’ One of 3 such awards to the Royal Navy for South Africa. Mentioned in despatches by Captain E. P. Jones, R.N., dated at Ladysmith, 6 March 1900: ‘Lieutenant Hunt has acted as Brigade Major, Quartermaster & Chief of my Staff rolled into one - as well as commanding a 4.7-inch gun, often being uo the greater part of the night with paper work after lomg fatiguing days. His services have been invaluable to me.’ Mentioned in despatches by Captain James, dated at Van Wyk, 14 June 1900, for services on 6th June: ‘I desire particularly to mention Lieut. Hunt, “Forte”, who acts as Chief of Staff for me & gunnery officer. His ability in a tight place, energy & hard work are beyond all praise.’ Mentioned in despatches by General Sir Redvers Buller, 30 March 1900, London Gazette 19 June 1900. George Percy Edward Hunt was born at Shooling, Southampton, on 15 April 1863, the son of George Jenkins Hunt and Mary Cooper. He was educated at the Merchant Navy Training Ship Conway and, on passing out he entered the Merchant Marine. He obtained a Second Mate Certificate at Liverpool on 13 November 1882, a Mates Certificate on 5 May 1884 and his Masters Certificate on 20 December 1886. He joined the Royal Navy Reserve as a Sub Lieutenant on 30 June 1890, and was promoted to Lieutenant on 29 October 1894. He was one of a hundred R.N.R. Lieutenants who were invited to join the Royal Navy as a Supplementary Lieutenant in October 1895. He was appointed as a Lieutenant R.N.R. to the cruiser H.M.S. Sybille in January 1895. He served in this vessel with the Mediterranean Fleet for three years and on paying off was appointed to the Duke of Wellington at Portsmouth in June 1898. During the next several months he underwent Gunnery and Torpedo Courses at Excellent and Vernon, and was awarded 1st Class Certificates. He was next afloat as Gunnery Officer aboard the cruiser Forte in April 1899, for service on the Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa Station. Whilst serving in this vessel he was landed for service with the Naval Brigade during the opening actions of the Boer War. He Commanded a 4.7-inch naval gun and was three times Mentioned in Despatches. Whilst continuing to serve in Forte he was specially promoted to Commander 'For services in South Africa on 1 January 1902'. He remained with Forte when the ship sailed for Gambia in West Africa, where the Insignia and Warrant were presented to Lieutenant Hunt on board Forte by the Governor of the Gambia in July 1901. A Naval Brigade under Captain Sparkes, with Commander Hunt as Second in Command, was landed from H.M. Ships Dwarf, Forte and Thrush. The ships boats proceeded up river to attack the town of Dunbutu where the murderers [of two travelling Commissioners and their escort in June 1900] were known to live. The troops including the Naval Brigade marched approximately 8 miles to the rebel town and despite a heavy fire the town and its stockade were quickly taken. The British losses were 1 killed and 4 wounded. Those responsible for the murders were captured and later hanged. The Naval Brigade having completed their mission returned to their ships at Bathurst. For his services Hunt was Mentioned in Despatches. On paying off from Forte he joined Galatea in May 1902 for service with the Home Fleet, and was next appointed to Dido in February 1903, and President, September 1904, for Senior Officers War Course. On passing out he obtained a 1st Class Certificate and joined Empress of India, February 1905, Flag Ship of the Reserve Division at Devonport. Appointed to Barfleur, September 1906, and the Prince George, March 1907. On promotion to Captain on 31 December 1907, he underwent courses in Gunnery, Torpedo and Signals and a further War Course during 1908. Appointed to the command of the cruiser Ariadne, April 1909, and subsequently the command of the recently built cruiser Newcastle, August 1910. Remained in command whilst the ship served with the China Squadron and on paying off he retired at his own request on 5 July 1913, having reached 50 years of age. Recalled for war service on 17 August 1914, and appointed to President as Senior Naval Officer Port of London. During August and September 1914 he was engaged in the fitting out of armed merchant cruisers at Tilbury. Their Lordships expressed their high appreciation of his services. On 1 November 1916 he was appointed to Vivid as Assistant to the Captain of Devonport Dockyard and Assistant King's Harbour Master, Harmoaze. In this post he was responsible for various salvage operations, in particular the SS Broadfield in November 1916 and H.M.S. Mars in July 1917. Their Lordships expressed their appreciation of the excellent salvage on these and other occasions. On 22 August 1917 he was found dead in his official residence with a revolver by his side. The subsequent Court of Enquiry recorded the cause of death as a self inflicted bullet wound to the head while temporarily insane.

The post-War C.B.E. and Second War D.S.C. group of six awarded to Captain (E.) H. G. Southwood, Royal Navy, who was decorated for H.M. submarine Regent’s gallant mission to the Gulf of Kotor in April 1941, in order to rescue a British diplomat. After frantic negotiations with Yugoslavs and Italians alike, the absent diplomat failed to appear; more reliable were the two German aircraft that did, the pair of them machine-gunning and bombing Regent with consequent damage and casualties The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Civil) Commander’s 2nd type neck badge, complete with neck cravat in its Toye, Kenning & Spencer Ltd. case of issue; Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., reverse officially dated 1941, hallmarks for London 1941; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf, mounted court-style as worn, good very fine (6) £3,000-£4,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- C.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1967. D.S.C. London Gazette 30 September 1941: ‘For daring, enterprise and coolness in taking H.M. Submarine Regent into the port of Kotor to try to embark His Britannic Majesty’s Envoy-Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary accredited to the Government of Yugoslavia, and in keeping her there for nine hours though surrounded by large forces of the Italian Army.’ The original recommendation states: ‘This officer coolly went from compartment to compartment during the latter half of the bombing attacks, looking for defects. He arranged for the destruction of the remaining secret publications, the moment the order “Abandon Ship” was given. He gave every possible assistance to Sub. Lieutenant Anderson in taking charge and by his coolness kept up the spirits of the ship’s company.’ M.I.D. London Gazette 5 May 1942: H.M.S. Regent. Eight Mediterranean War Patrols from October 1940 to August 1941. Horace Gerald Southwood was born in Portsmouth on 19 April 1912, and entered the Royal Navy an Engine Room Artificer Apprentice in August 1927. Having then served in the Mediterranean and Home Fleets in the battleships Resolution and Barham, he attended engineering courses at the shore establishment Fisgard and the R.N.C. Greenwich. Commissioned as an Acting Sub. Lieutenant (E.) in July 1935, he next attended a submariner’s course at Dolphin and was serving as a Lieutenant (E.) in the Regent at the outbreak of hostilities. She was then stationed in the Far East in the 4th Submarine Flotilla but transferred to the 1st Flotilla at Alexandria, Egypt in April 1940. Initially employed on mine-laying duties, Regent transferred to regular war patrols in the Eastern Mediterranean and Adriatic in second half of the year, where she accounted for at least two Italian merchantmen. But it was for his part in Regent’s gallant foray into the Gulf of Kotor in April 1941 that Southwood was awarded the D.S.C. On that occasion, having negotiated two minefields, Regent’s captain, Lieutenant-Commander H. C. Browne, R.N., was charged with obtaining the release of a British diplomat. Much has been written of subsequent events, for her nine-hour mission inside enemy territory was of an exceptional nature, comprising as it did two ports of call, much heated negotiation with Italians and Yugoslavs and then finally Regent coming under sustained attack. Her first port of call was at Ercegnovi, where two Yugoslavs offered to inform the resident Italian commandant of Regent’s diplomatic mission, while she lay off the small harbour sporting her White Ensign. In due course, the Yugoslavs advised Browne to make for Zelenika, where an Italian commandant and staff officer were received with due ceremony on Regent’s fore-casing. Here, it was ascertained that a British officer would have to journey ashore for a meeting with an Italian Admiral at Kotor. Browne delegated one of his officers, Lieutenant Lambert, but only on the proviso the Italian staff officer remained aboard Regent in exchange. Regent then lay off Zelenika all the forenoon, closed up at diving stations, awaiting Lambert’s return. When, however, two German aircraft appeared on the scene, Browne alerted Alexandria and Malta of his predicament. He then made his way to the bridge, joining his First Lieutenant and a Petty Officer, and it was at this moment that the two enemy aircraft commenced to bomb and machine-gun Regent. A related article, by George A. Brown, A Trip to the Dalmatian Coast, takes up the story: ‘The first run of bombs lifted Regent sufficiently out of the water to force air out of the ballast tanks and gave Lieutenant-Commander Browne the impression the pressure hull had been pierced and he gave the order to the Control Room to prepare to abandon ship. A fire was hastily lit with only waste in the engine room to burn the cypher books, and the fuses of the depth charges, carried to destroy the submarine, were laid. At the same time a compartment-to-compartment inspection was carried out to determine the extent of the damage. It was possible at the end of the third or fourth bombing run, a few minutes after the order to prepare to abandon ship had been given, [for Southwood] to report to the bridge that the submarine appeared to have suffered no structural damage. The First Lieutenant was wounded in the chest, and the Petty Officer, who had a flesh wound, were assisted down the conning tower. The captain pressed the klaxon and Regent disappeared into her natural element. Nine hours had now elapsed since Regent first entered Topla Bay and although Lieutenant-Commander Browne had promised Lieutenant Lambert that he would wait for him as long as possible, he appreciated it he was to leave the harbour at all, it had to be at night. Remaining dived, and conning the submarine through the periscope, he navigated her out through the entrance and through the minefields to the open sea, running the gauntlet of the fire of the shore batteries mounted on the surrounding hills. Lieutenant-Commander Browne had several flesh wounds at the back of his neck and legs, partly from splinters and partly from machine-gun fire. However, he had lost little of the toughness which had gained him his Irish International and Naval rugby caps, and he remained in the Control Room until the submarine was safely in the open sea. By this time stock of the situation had been taken and it was found that the battery had been badly damaged. Some 60 cells were cracked which necessitated disconnecting one of the three sections to the battery and reducing the voltage in the other two. A submarine without a battery is not a submarine at all and Regent was fairly lame. The five-day passage back to Malta was a weary and anxious time. The Sub. Lieutenant, who had only joined the submarine a few days before, and the Engineer Officer [Southwood] were in two watches, which together with their other duties of navigating, cyphering, nursing the battery and so on, left them little time for rest. The captain was able to keep watch for the first day or so, with the assistance of a homemade shooting stick, until the weather deteriorated and the wound in his leg made it impossible. Fortunately, enemy surface vessels, which were usually patrolling the Otranto Straits, were not encountered as it was unlikely Regent’s battery would have stood up to a prolonged attack and certainly not depth charges. The homeward passage was as uneventful as the outward one six days previously. It became known afterwards that the British minister, together with about 50 Belgian, Dutch and Polish...

The exceptional Great War destroyer captain’s D.S.O., inter-War M.V.O. group of five awarded to Commander J. O. Barron, Royal Navy, who displayed exceptional gallantry at Jutland, when, as captain of the destroyer Acasta, he braved a galling fire to offer assistance to Loftus Jones, V.C. in the destroyer Shark Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamels, with integral top riband bar; The Royal Victorian Order, M.V.O., Member’s 4th Class breast badge, silver-gilt and enamels, the reverse officially numbered ‘1100’; 1914-15 Star (Commr. J. O. Barron, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Commr. J. O. Barron. R.N.) mounted as worn, good very fine (5) £3,600-£4,400 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- D.S.O. London Gazette 11 December 1918: ‘For services in Grand Fleet destroyers in the period 1 January to 30 June 1918.’ M.V.O. London Gazette 23 July 1920. John Ouchterlony Barron was born in Reigate, Surrey on 5 October 1882, the son of an army officer, Netterville Barron, and his wife Louisa, daughter of General John Twiss. Entering the Royal Navy as a Cadet in Britannia in July 1896, Barron was advanced to Lieutenant in December 1903 and to Lieutenant-Commander in December 1911. He married Evelyn Buckle in June of the latter year and their son, also John, became a well-known actor, best remembered for his role as ‘CJ’ in the comedy series The Rise and Fall of Reginald Perrin, starring Leonard Rossiter. Another happy event in 1912 was Barron’s appointment to his first command, the destroyer H.M.S. Acasta, and she was quickly called to action in the Great War, when she sallied forth to intercept the enemy squadron that bombarded Scarborough on 14 December 1914. But it was at Jutland that Barron and the Acasta gained wider fame, as made clear by the extensive, glowing commentary afforded both. One witness to the destroyer’s plucky performance was moved to exclaim, ‘Perfectly magnificent! Thank God I’m an Englishman!’ On that occasion, in the company of her consorts from the 5th Destroyer Flotilla, Acasta was attached to the 3rd Battle Cruiser Squadron, and took part in a spirited counter-attack against German destroyers before coming under fire from enemy light cruisers. Barron takes up the story: ‘Things very quickly became unpleasantly warm. The German shooting was undoubtedly good, their salvoes falling close together – perhaps too close together, really – but at first we were little hit, although a piece of shell scalped a signalman on our bridge, and a lot of shell splinters were flying about. We afterwards picked out 30 or 40 pieces from the mattresses slung round the bridge. Also, on the bridge we were all soaked through by the spray thrown up by shell, causing the sub.-lieutenant to remark that, “An umbrella would be handy” … ’ The Jutland Honours, by Chris Bilham, continues: ‘The Acasta received her first hit, right forward on the waterline; it felt as if the whole ship had been pushed sideways and the mess deck was badly damaged. Barron then noticed that Shark had been hard hit; Acasta came alongside and Barron offered his assistance. “Don’t get sunk for us!” Loftus Jones shouted back, and ordered Barron away. While approaching Shark, Acasta noticed the Lutzow on her port quarter and turned to attack her. She approached to within 4,500 yards and launched a torpedo; Barron believed that it hit, but this was not confirmed by post-war investigation. For twenty minutes the Acasta was under a storm of fire from the battlecruiser’s secondary armament and from her escorting cruisers and destroyers. She was hit repeatedly; two shells burst in the engine-room killing or wounding the Engineer Officer and four men. They smashed the steering engine, set fire to the engineer’s store, wrecked the dynamo and cut various exhaust pipes. The engine-room filled with scalding steam and had to be evacuated. Barron rang down “Stop” and “Astern” but with no result. As a result, the destroyer was unable either to steer or stop her engines and was tuning wild circles directly in the path of the approaching Grand Fleet. She managed to barge her way through the escorting destroyer screen without collision, more by good luck than management. At around 18.30 the crew finally managed to cut off steam at the boilers and the ship came to a halt, flying the signals “Not under control” and “Am in danger of sinking.” The lines of battleships swept past only a couple of hundred yards away, some to port and some to starboard, just as if Acasta was the royal yacht at a fleet review. The men were very excited and cheered each ship as she passed, with a particularly loud cheer for the Commander-in-Chief in Iron Duke. For their part, men in the battleships were impressed by the display of enthusiasm from the battered destroyer’s indomitable crew. An officer in the Marlborough recalled, “We passed a disabled destroyer on our starboard bow, very close to us. She was badly holed forward and aft, and was very much down by the bows, but the crew were clustered aft cheering us and the other ships as we passed, and then she disappeared astern, rolling heavily in the wash of the battle-fleet, but with her ensign still flying, apparently not done for yet.” Barron inspected his wrecked ship: “The engine-room was in an awful mess, and the store-room just abaft it absolutely wrecked and smouldering. The dynamo had ceased to exist, there was oil-fuel everywhere, and the upper deck all round the after part of the engine-room was riddled with holes. We did our best to fill up holes in the side with hammocks, canvas, etc., but it didn’t make much difference. We had great difficulty in getting down to the engine-room, as there was still a lot of steam escaping, but eventually we got all the people up from there … The destruction of the dynamo left us with no lights except candles, which made repair work very difficult, especially later when it got dark, but the engine-room department did wonders particularly when it is remembered the store-room had been wrecked, and that they were left with practically no spare parts or tools. The remarks of the artificers trying to fit a three-eighths nut on to a five-eighths bolt, by candle-light in some out-of-the-way corner, working up to their waists in oil and water, were distinctly illuminating.” Around midnight these repairs enabled Acasta to steam about two or three knots and she set a zig zag course towards Scotland. At 9.45 a.m. on 1st June she encountered the destroyer Nonsuch which escorted her towards Aberdeen. Around noon the Nonsuch took Acasta in tow as her fuel was almost exhausted and the weather was deteriorating. The two ships arrived at Aberdeen on the evening of the 2nd. Her casualties were six killed, one wounded. Acasta was so badly damaged that she practically had to be rebuilt.’ Loftus Jones of the Shark was awarded a posthumous V.C. and Barron a mention in despatches (London Gazette 15 September 1916, refers). His service record further records his special promotion to Commander: ‘This officer stood by Shark under a very heavy fire and although the engine room was wrecked and steering gear broken down, and the ship a partial wreck, he successfully by the aid of Nonsuch returned to harbour.’ Following Jutland, Barron commanded the destroyers Nizam (June-October 1916), Restless (October 1916-July 1917), Onslaugh...

The outstanding Great War Dogger Bank D.S.C. and Antarctic 1902-04 group of six awarded to Lieutenant-Commander F. E. Dailey, Royal Navy, a carpenter by trade, he assisted in the building and fitting out of the Discovery and lent valuable service in Scott’s first expedition, service duly recognised by the naming of Dailey Islands in McMurdo Sound; subsequently Chief Carpenter of the cruiser Lion for much of the Great War, he was present at Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank and Jutland, the latter action resulting in him being awarded the Russian Order of St. Anne Medal of Distinction for Foreigners Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., hallmarks for London 1916, the reverse privately inscribed, ‘Chief Car. F. E. Dailey, “Dogger Bank”, H.M.S. Lion, 1915’; 1914-15 Star (Ch. Carpr. F. E. Dailey, D.S.C., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Cd. Shpt. F. E. Dailey, R.N.); Polar Medal 1904, E.VII.R., silver, 1 clasp, Antarctic 1902-04 (Carpenter F. E. Dailey. “Discovery”); Royal Geographical Society’s Silver Medal for Scott’s Antarctic Expedition 1902-04, the edge officially impressed, ‘F. E. Dailey, R.N.’, where applicable, mounted as worn, generally very fine and better (6) £18,000-£22,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Provenance: Christie’s, November 1987; R. C. Witte Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, March 2013. D.S.C. London Gazette 3 March 1915. As per Admiral Beatty’s despatch for gallant services in the action off the Dogger Bank, dated 24 January 1915. Frederick Ernest Dailey was born in Portsmouth in 1873 and served his apprenticeship as a carpenter in Devonport Dockyard, following which, after ‘seven years of practical and theoretical shipbuilding’, he transferred to the Royal Navy and was serving in Ganges when recruited by a friend of Scott’s, a naval officer by the name of Arthur Ewart, for the Antarctic expedition. Scott wrote to Dailey from his residence in Chelsea in November 1900, confirming his appointment as Carpenter: ‘Before you go to Dundee, where the ship is building, I shall hope to see you in London and tell you more of our plans and your work.’ Scott’s first expedition Having duly assisted in the construction and fitting-out of the Discovery, Dailey was embarked for the journey South, a voyage during which he quickly made his mark with Scott, who wrote: ‘In his own department our carpenter, F. E. Dailey, worked with the same zealous care as the Boatswain. He possessed the same ‘eye’ for defects and the same determination that his charge should be beyond reproach.’ So, too, with the expedition’s Deputy Chief Scientist, George Murray, F.R.S., who was compelled to return home once the Discovery reached South Africa. Immediately on his return to the U.K. he wrote to Dailey’s mother in the following terms: ‘I promised your son when I left the Discovery at Simon’s Bay to write and assure you of his good health and and excellent spirits. He was respected and trusted by all his officers and personally I found him most useful and obliging on the voyage out to the Cape. He is a man of such excellent character that I regard him as one of the mainstays of the Expedition.’ A mainstay indeed, for, as verified by numerous published sources, he went on to participate in a number of sledging trips, Dr. Wilson noting in his diary on Wednesday 24 September that Dailey, in company with Koettlitz and Bernacchi, ‘went off man-hauling a lightly loaded sledge towards the west to investigate the old penknife ice Royds had met with in his journey’, and similarly of their return nine days later - ‘They were pretty tired out, but very perky and pleased to get home again.’ Next employed in one of the teams supporting Scott’s ‘Southern Journey’, Dailey was out on the ice sledge-hauling from 2-12 November 1902, before turning back for Hut Point on the latter date; and again six weeks later, having received a ‘Sledging Order’ from Lieutenant C. Royds, R.N., dated 31 December 1902: ‘You will proceed tomorrow with Mr. Ford and Whitfield, with provisions for 14 days, to the depot off the Bluff, the position of which you already know, taking with you 3 bags of provisions, one gallon of fuel and one box of biscuit, as a depot for Lieutenant Armitage ... Owing to the number of parties away, there is not sufficient gear to send a relief party out, should you require it. Wishing you a pleasant trip ... ’ A trip that lasted for 17 days. By this stage, Dailey had clearly established himself as a popular member of the expedition, Dr. Wilson, among others, enjoying his company: Monday 22 June 1903: ‘We sat down to our Christmas dinner to which the four Warrant Officers had been invited, namely the Bo’sun, the Second Engineer, the Chief Carpenter [Dailey] and the Steward. They were great fun and enjoyed themselves well. I had the Carpenter next me at dinner, the nicest of the four. We had the remains of the champagne that was sent on board specially for the King at Cowes. It was by no means bad stuff. The Carpenter asked me what it was about three parts through dinner. He said it wasn’t like any champagne he had ever drunk, because it “didn’t seem to do you any good.” He had done his best and had been unable to get any forrarder on it.’ Champagne interludes aside, Dailey continued to lend valuable service, and was back out on the ice man-hauling with Scott in September 1903, in a journey to the Western Depot, and again in the ‘Western Attempt’ journey of 12-21 October 1903, Scott noting in his journal of the 14th that Dailey was ‘a bit seedy, probably a little overcome with the march.’ Given the prevailing temperature of circa -50, no great surprise. With the arrival of the relief ships Morning and Terra Nova in January 1904, the expedition came to a close, although the Discovery did not break free of the ice until February. And the return voyage was not without incident in terms of Dailey’s post as Carpenter, Wilson noting how he came to the rescue when Discovery’s rudder was ‘smashed up’ at the end of the same month: ‘The only thing to do was to hoist it and put in our spare one. It is at all times a heavy and tricky undertaking, as the rudder weighs about 5 tons. Our spare rudder is a good deal smaller than the broken one and there are doubts as to whether it will steer the ship. How the shaft of our rudder got broken is not quite clear. It may have happened at the glacier, where our stern got a heavy bump, or it may have happened in Wood Bay when we were backing in some very heavy pack. Anyhow the shift is splintered and revolves in the collar with no answering movement of the blade. Dailey the carpenter noticed it.’ Dailey was invested with his Polar Medal by King Edward VII in December 1905, having earlier that year been presented with his Royal Geographical Society Medal by Admiral Sir Lewis Beaumont, G.C.B., at that time C.-in-C. Devonport. And, as verified by Scott’s post-expedition geological observations, he also left behind a permanent memorial in Antarctica: ‘The Dailey Islands are fine small conical masses surrounded by the ice in the middle of McMurdo Sound. Only one of these - the largest - has been visited, and the usual scoriaceous basalts were procured.’ Heligoland Bight and Dogger Bank Dailey served with Scott in t...

The Naval General Service medal awarded to Midshipman James R. Crawford, Royal Navy, for his part in one of the most celebrated and sanguinary Gold Medal actions of the war - the capture of the French 74-gun Rivoli by the 74-gun Victorious under Captain John Talbot, R.N. Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Victorious with Rivoli (J. R. Crawford, Midshipman.) small edge nick, otherwise good very fine £6,000-£8,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Christie’s, November 1986. James R. Crawford is confirmed on the roll as Midshipman aboard the Victorious. Approximately 66 clasps issued for this exceptionally bloody action, for which the Naval Gold Medal was awarded to Captain John Talbot, in addition to a Knighthood. Crawford does not appear to have passed for Lieutenant. On 16 February 1812, the British 74-gun ship Victorious, Captain John Talbot, accompanied by the 18-gun brig-sloop Weazel, Captain John William Andrew, arrived off Venice, to watch the motions of the new French 74-gun ship Rivoli, Commodore Jean-Baptiste Barré, and two or three brigs of war, lying ready for sea in that port. Foggy weather made it the 21st before Captain Talbot was enabled to reconnoitre the port. On that day, at 2.30 p.m., the Victorious descried a brig in the east-north-east, and at 3 p.m., in the same direction, a large ship, with two more brigs, and two settees. The ship was the Rivoli herself; the three brigs were the Jéna and Mercure of 16, and the Mamelouck of eight guns; and the two settees were gun-boats; all about 12 hours from Venice, bound to the port of Pola in Istria, and at this time steering in line of battle; the two gun-boats and one brig ahead, then the Rivoli, and astern of her the two remaining brigs. The British 74 and brig were presently under all sail in chase, and soon began to gain upon the French squadron. At 2.30 a.m. on the 22nd, perceiving that one of the two brigs in the rear had dropped astern, and that the Rivoli had shortened sail to allow her to close, Captain Talbot hailed the Weazel, and directed Captain Andrew to pass the Victorious if possible, and bring the sternmost brig to action. Captain Andrew was so prompt in obeying the order, that at 4.15 a.m. the Weazel overtook the Mercure, and engaged her within half pistol-shot. After the action between these two brigs had lasted about 20 minutes, the brig that had been in company with the Mercure, the Jéna, shortened sail, and engaged the Weazel distantly on her bow. Thus opposed, the latter still continued a close and well-directed fire upon the Mercure until another 20 minutes had elapsed, at the end of which the French brig blew up. In an instant the Weazel lowered down her boats, but only succeeded in saving three men, and those much bruised. In the meanwhile, taking advantage of the darkness of the morning and the damaged state of the Weazel’s rigging, the Jéna had made off, and soon disappeared. At daylight, however, the British brig regained a sight of both French brigs, one a short distance astern of the other, and, having by this time refitted herself, she crowded sail in pursuit, sweeping occasionally, owing to the lightness of the breeze; but the Jéna and Mamelouck outsailed the Weazel, and kept gradually increasing their distance. At 4.30 a.m., just a quarter of an hour after the Weasel had begun her engagement with the Mercure, the Victorious, having a light air of wind on her larboard beam, arrived within half pistol-shot of, and opened her starboard guns upon, the Rivoli, who immediately returned the fire from her larboard broadside, and continued, with courses clewed up, but royals set, standing on towards the gulf of Triest. A furious engagement now ensued between these two line-of-battle ships, interrupted only when, for a few minutes together, the fog or the smoke hid them from each other’s view. In the early part of the action, Captain Talbot received a contusion from a splinter, that nearly deprived him of his sight, and the command of the ship devolved upon Lieutenant Thomas Ladd Peake, who emulated his wounded chief in bravery and judgement. After the mutual cannonade had thus continued for three hours, and the Rivoli, from the superior fire of the Victorious, had become unmanageable and reduced to such a resistance as two quarterdeck guns only could offer, Lieutenant Peake, by signal, recalled the Weazel, to have the benefit of her assistance, in case either ship, the Victorious herself being in a disabled state, and both ships at this time in seven fathoms’ water off the point of Groa, should happen to get aground. Having bore up in obedience to the signal, the Weazel stood across the bows of the Rivoli and, at 8 a.m., when within musket-shot distance, poured in her broadside. This the brig, wearing or tacking as necessary, repeated twice. Meanwhile the Victorious maintained a steady cannonade, and at 8.45 a.m. shot away the Rivoli’s mizen mast. In another quarter of an hour the French 74 fired a lee gun, and hailed the Victorious that she had struck. The Victorious had her rigging cut to pieces, gaff and spanker-boom shot away, her three topmasts and mainmast badly wounded, her boats all destroyed, except a small punt belonging to the ward-room officers, and her hull struck in several places. Out of her actual crew of 506 men and boys (60 of the men sick, but only a few absent from their quarters), she had one lieutenant of marines, and 25 seamen and marines killed, her captain (slightly), one lieutenant of marines (mortally), two master’s mates, two midshipmen, and 93 seamen and marines wounded; in total, 27 killed and 99 wounded. The Weazel had the good fortune not to have a man hurt, either in her forty minutes’ engagement with the Mercure, or her very spirited, and in all probability, not ineffective cannonade of the Rivoli. Captain John Talbot not only received a Small Naval Gold Medal for this action but was also knighted. Lieutenant Peake was promoted and Captain John W. Andrew of the Weazel was rewarded with a Post Captain’s Commission. Weazel’s part in this action was commemorated with a separate clasp inscribed ‘Weazel 22 Feby 1812’, but there were only 6 claimants for it including Captain Andrew.

The Great War Memorial Plaque to Major F. J. W. Harvey, Royal Marine Light Infantry, who was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross aboard H.M.S. Lion at the battle of Jutland Memorial Plaque (Francis John William Harvey) with Buckingham Palace enclosure and card envelope, extremely fine £5,000-£7,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Victoria Cross London Gazette 15 September 1916: ‘Whilst mortally wounded and almost the only survivor after the explosion of an enemy shell in “Q” gunhouse, with great presence of mind and devotion to duty ordered the magazine to be flooded, thereby saving the ship. He died shortly afterwards.’ Francis John William Harvey was born in Upper Sydenham, Kent, on 29 April 1873, to Commander John William Francis Harvey and Elizabeth Edwards Lavington Harvey (née Penny). In 1884, aged 11, he moved with his family to Southsea where he attended Portsmouth Grammar School, achieving excellent academic results. After leaving school, Harvey was accepted by both the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, graduating in 1892 and the following year was made a full lieutenant, joining H.M.S. Wildfire for his first seagoing commission. After just a year at sea, he was sent on gunnery courses at H.M.S. Excellent, qualifying in 1896 as an instructor first class in naval gunnery. Between 1898 and 1904, he spent much of his time attached to the Channel Fleet, practising and instructing in gunnery, and on 28 January 1900, he was promoted to Captain. In 1903 he was posted aboard H.M.S. Royal Sovereign, teaching gunnery to the heavy units of the Channel Fleet. In 1910, Harvey became Instructor of Gunnery at Chatham Dockyard and the following year was promoted to Major, a report commenting: "The degree of efficiency in the Gunnery Establishment at Chatham is very high, both as regards general training and attention to detail. Great credit is due to all concerned but particularly to Major F. J. W. Harvey”. On the strength of this report, he was posted as senior marine officer aboard H.M.S. Lion, the 27,000-ton flagship of the British battlecruiser fleet, commanded by Rear-Admiral David Beatty. H.M.S. Lion had eight 13.5-inch guns and Harvey was stationed in “Q” turret, directing their operation and fire. After action in the Battle of Heligoland Bight, Lion was badly damaged during the Battle of Dogger Bank and returned to Rosyth for repairs where Harvey remained for the whole of 1915 and the first five months of 1916, continuing his gunnery training and preparing for major fleet action. He wrote to a fellow officer in H.M.S. Orion describing his experiences: “As to the fighting in a turret, one doesn't suffer any discomfort and my chief feeling has been of 'curiosity' mixed with the idea that whoever else is coming to grief, oneself will be all right. I am under no delusion though, that if a projectile does hit one's turret it will in all probability come right in and send one to glory.” His preparations for action came to fruition on 31 May 1916, when the British fleet sailed to engage the main body of the German High Seas Fleet at the Battle of Jutland. During the battle, H.M.S. Lion was hit by nine shells from the German battlecruiser, Lutzow. One shell struck “Q” turret, where arvey was at Action Stations, and punched a piece of the 9-inch face plate into the turret before detonating, blowing off the armoured roof of the turret and starting a fire. The initial explosion killed or wounded everyone stationed in the gun house itself, but Harvey, despite severe wounds and burns, gave orders down the voice pipe for the magazine doors to be closed and the magazine compartments to be flooded, an action which would normally prevent the cordite in the magazines detonating. The magazine was consequently flooded and locked up within minutes of the hit; however, there were still ready charges in the gun room and gun barrels. Many crewmen remained in the shell room and magazine below and the fire, which was thought to have been extinguished, gained strength and ignited the remaining cordite charges, setting off a large explosion that killed all the men in the vicinity, the flame of the explosion reaching as high as the top of the ship's masts. Other ships of the battlecruiser fleet were not so lucky; at about the same time as Harvey's death, H.M.S. Indefatigable, H.M.S. Queen Mary, and Rear-Admiral Horace Hood's flagship, H.M.S. Invincible were destroyed with a combined loss of 3320 lives. All three ships were lost due to magazine explosions similar to the one narrowly avoided on H.M.S. Lion. In the aftermath of the battle, Major Harvey was buried at sea with full military honours alongside the other 98 fatal casualties on H.M.S. Lion. His bravery in the face of certain death did not go unnoticed as he was mentioned by name in Admiral Jellicoe's post-battle dispatch and he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. His widow Ethel was presented with the award at Buckingham Palace by King George V on 15 September 1916. Winston Churchill later commented: "In the long, rough, glorious history of the Royal Marines there is no name and no deed which in its character and consequences ranks above this." Harvey’s Victoria Cross group of medals is held by the Royal Marines Museum.

The Second War and post-War bomb and mine clearance operations O.B.E. group of six awarded to Lieutenant-Commander F. G. Gregory, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, who dealt with over 40 UXBs within the Port of London authority The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, 1 clasp, France and Germany; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Bomb & Mine Clearance 1945-53, E.II.R., 1st issue (Lt. Cdr. F. G. Gregory. O.B.E. R.N.V.R.) mounted for display, extremely fine (6) £2,400-£2,800 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Alan Hall Collection, June 2000. Approximately 145 Naval General Service Medals, or clasps, were issued for six months’ consecutive work in bomb and mine disposal duties in different parts of the world. The Medal was issued with three obverse types, viz. G.VI.R., 2nd issue, and E.II.R., 1st and 2nd issues. O.B.E. London Gazette 13 October 1944: ‘For gallantry devotion to duty.’ The original recommendation states: ‘During the last three years, Lieutenant-Commander F. G. Greogry, R.N.V.R., has been the officer attached to the Port of London for Bomb Disposal duties. During that period he, assisted by Lieutenant R. G. Peacock, R.N.V.R., has disposed of over 40 enemy bombs, including several of 1,000 kg. weight. Many of the operations have involved lengthy and hazardous pit sinking in order that recovery might be affected, and the bombs, by reason of their age and partially corroded condition, had, at all times, to be regarded as being dangerous condition.’ Information held in ADM 1/30159 reveals a number of devices dealt with by Gregory in the period leading up to August 1944, most of them UXBs discovered around St. Katherine, Millwall, Surrey Commercial, Royal Victoria and the West Indies Docks. But he dealt with devices elsewhere, at Barnes, Beckton gas works and, in January 1944, at Hammersmith Bridge, where the bomb had come to a rest 20 feet below the tow path: ‘In spite if an enormous ingress of water, the bomb was successfully recovered and removed for disposal.’ Frank Gordon Gregory joined the Sussex Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in January 1937 and was commissioned as a Sub. Lieutenant on graduating from the Hove training establishment King Alfred shortly after the outbreak of war. Having then served in small craft in home waters, including the armed yachts Aarla and Amalfi, he volunteered in November 1941 for duty outside the Admiralty in the Department of the Director of Unexploded Bomb Disposal. Gregory remained likewise employed until December 1945, an unusually long tour of duty for bomb and mine disposal operations, a tour rewarded by his promotion to Lieutenant-Commander in July 1943 and the O.B.E. in October 1944. He received the latter distinction from the King at Buckingham Palace in October 1945, following his services as ‘a Bomb Safety Officer for Rendering Mines Safe’ in port clearance duties with Naval Party 1137 in Germany in the period April-September 1945. Gregory transferred to the London Division of the R.N.V.R. on being demobilised at the end of 1945 and, having been granted a special extension from the Admiral Commanding Reserves, remained actively employed until 1961, when aged 60. In that period, he attended assorted refresher courses, including a month-long attachment from Vernon to the Headquarters of the R.E. Bomb Disposal Unit U.K. in 1953. And, as cited by accompanying research, ‘he was on a number of occasions called upon by military and police authorities to render safe unexploded bombs and land mines that were unearthed during site clearance and building work in and around London.’

Britains - A Group of Post-War Boxed Sets. Comprising: Set No. 1711 'The Foreign Legion'; Set 76 'The Middlesex Regiment' & Set 2044 'U.S. Air Corps'. Conditions generally appear Good to Excellent overall, contained in generally Good to Good Plus set boxes. See photo. 

Britains - World War 1 Range - A Group of Boxed Sets. Comprising: Set No. 23033 '1916 British Regimental Aid Post Set No. 3 Stretcher Bearers'; plus sets 23023, 23052 & 00160. Conditions generally appear Near Mint overall, contained in generally Excellent set boxes. Not checked for completeness. See photo. 

Britains & Similar - A Large Group of Pre & Post-War Lead Soldiers. Includes: Set 2022 'Papal State Swiss Guard' & Others. Conditions generally appear Fair to Good overall. Not checked for completeness. See photo. 

Britains, Timpo & Similar - A Large Group of Pre & Post-War Lead Soldiers. Including Timpo 'U.S. Army Series' (c.1950). Conditions generally appear Fair to Good overall. Not checked for completeness. See photo. 

Britains, Timpo & Similar - A Large Group of Pre & Post-War Lead Soldiers. Comprising various issues/regiments including a number of Highland Regiments. Conditions generally appear Fair to Good overall. Not checked for completeness. See photo. 

Britains - World War 1 Range - A Pair of Boxed Sets. Comprising: Set No. 41110 'Dodge Ambulance' & 41115 'Regimental First Aid Post'. Conditions generally appear Excellent to Near Mint overall, contained in generally Good Plus set boxes. Not checked for completeness. See photo. 

Britains, Quiralu & Others.  A Group of vintage lead / metal figures including Britains post-war lifeboatmen.  Conditions generally appear Fair to Good.  Not checked for completeness.  See photo. 

Britains - Set No. 50 'The Life Guards and 4th Hussars', Boxed. (Early Post War Version). Conditions generally appear Good Plus to Excellent overall, contained in a generally Fair to Good original set box. Not checked for completeness. See photo. 

Britains, Timpo & Similar - A Large Group of Pre & Post-War Lead Soldiers. Including Timpo 'West Point Cadets' (c.1950). Conditions generally appear Fair to Good overall. Not checked for completeness. See photo. 

Britains, Wend-Al, Fylde & Similar - A Large Group of Pre & Post-War Lead Soldiers. Comprising various issues/regiments. Conditions generally appear Fair to Good overall. Not checked for completeness. See photo. 

Britains, JoHillCo & Similar - A Large Group of Pre & Post-War Lead Soldiers. Comprising various wartime issues/regiments . Conditions generally appear Fair to Good overall. Not checked for completeness. See photo. 

Britains, Timpo & Similar - A Large Group of Pre & Post-War Lead Soldiers. Including Timpo Sailors (c.1950). Conditions generally appear Fair to Good overall. Not checked for completeness. See photo. 

Britains - A Group of Various Unboxed Guards Regiments. Including: Set 101 'Band of The Life Guards' (post-war version) & Others. Conditions generally appear Excellent to Near Mint overall, contained in Excellent set boxes. Not checked for completeness. See photo. 

Britains - World War 1 Range - A Pair of Boxed Sets. Comprising: Set No. 23021 'British Royal Field Artillery 18 Pound Gun & Crew, 1916' & Set 23031 'British Regimental Aid Post...'. Conditions generally appear Near Mint overall, contained in a generally Near Mint set boxes. Not checked for completeness. See photo. 

Sundry items, including a reproduction post box, a cuckoo clock, typewriter, etc

Case of vintage silk and other scarves, Liberty fabric, table linens etcThank you for your enquiry. Whilst it is outside of our usual criteria for posting, given the volume, we could on this occasion make an exception and send it by ParcelForce. We would estimate a cost of £15-20. if you are successful and want us to post the lot to you, please give us a call before you pay your invoice.Kind regards,Reeman Dansie

16mm Documentary Films, seventeen 16mm Mixed subject Documentaries 1960/70s colour positive / negative separate optical soundtracks with three soundtracks only, all with metal containers, all contain detailed note inside comprising Deep Test Well (Arabic version) Building of a Brewery, The Carlsberg Story x 2, Girls, Scot Post, Heathrow Hotel, Handshakes, Macbeth Project, Titchle (London Version) Brown & Polson, Untitled x 3, Dysmature Infant x 3 - various conditions - Catalogued by the 'Film is Fabulous!' team at De Montfort University

Four copper printing plates, Hanna-Barbera cartoon characters;   Philately - a school boy's stamp album, 1960 - 1980;  another;   ten unmounted mint 5d stamps RMS Queen Elizabeth 2;  Portuguese mint stamps, Electric trams, 1.25euros;; 191**Postal History - First UK Aerial Post  postcard, 1911, in brown, green half penny stamp;  a Victorian sealed envelope, dated 1847;  A green  moire taffeta type fabric sash, printed with pictorial panel  for Independent Order of Oddfellows;  silver three penny bits, pre 1920;  French silver 50 cents; Nine  Great Britain One Pound notes,  Elizabeth II in court robes to right. Rev, Sir Isaac Newton at centre right, Chief Cashier Somerset,  1981-1983, BZ02 845677-85

Pocket knives including George Wostenholme, single blade, ivorine scales printed Fruit Knife, brass linings, nickel silver bolsters; another I*XL, wood scales; a novelty Richards Lamp Post pocket knife in the form of a Yale style key; a Spratts 'Stripper', ivorine scales printed Spratts Stripper (faded);  others including Wheatley Brothers (af), Roberts, Howarth, Herbert Robinson etc.

A silver National Clarion Cycling Club pin badge,  pierced with Clarion  on a post horn, 5cm long, Birmingham 1897, cased

Action Man - a pre 1973 'fuzzy' brown hair Action Man in Mountain and Arctic uniform (faults); another post 1973 'gripping hands' 'fuzzy' blonde hair, HMS Victory sailor outfit; a Panzer Captain uniform (not checked for completeness)

WMF MATCHBOX COVER. A WMF matchbox cover, c.1906, stamped to the spine, 'NS' & '1/0'. (Illustrated in their 1906 catalogue). 6 x 3.7cm. Condition Report: Undamaged but plating worn. This cover has worn silver (plating) to both sides and the spine. The front, right hand, bottom corner is slightly bent upwards. Apart from this, there are no splits and no dents. The mark ‘NS’ and ‘1/10’ are clearly stamped on the spine. Post and packing to a UK mainland address will be approx. £14 by Royal mail tracked and signed for.  Please note that all items in this auction are previously owned & are offered on behalf of private vendors. If detail on condition is required on any lot(s) PLEASE ASK FOR A CONDITION REPORT BEFORE BIDDING. The absence of a condition report does not imply the lot is perfect.WE CAN SHIP THIS LOT, but NOT if part of a large, multiple lots purchase.

ST. KEVERNE VIEW POSTCARDS. Three real photograph postcards of views of St. Keverne including an early 20thc. Street view showing the Post Office & two with a view of the church.  Please note that all items in this auction are previously owned & are offered on behalf of private vendors. If detail on condition is required on any lot(s) PLEASE ASK FOR A CONDITION REPORT BEFORE BIDDING. The absence of a condition report does not imply the lot is perfect.WE CAN SHIP THIS LOT, but NOT if part of a large, multiple lots purchase.

19th CENTURY LIZARD SIGNAL STATION STUDIO PORTRAIT. A late 19th century studio cabinet photograph portrait by Harrison of Helston. Inscribed to reverse 'John Emmott Lizard Coastguard'. Note: Apparently, an early photograph of John James Emmott, Chief Signalman at Lloyds Signal Station on Bass Point, The Lizard in the uniform of Lloyds of London. He probably held this post until the 1940's. Provenance: The Martin Matthews Collections.  Please note that all items in this auction are previously owned & are offered on behalf of private vendors. If detail on condition is required on any lot(s) PLEASE ASK FOR A CONDITION REPORT BEFORE BIDDING. The absence of a condition report does not imply the lot is perfect.WE CAN SHIP THIS LOT, but NOT if part of a large, multiple lots purchase.

WEARNES BAKERY HELSTON WWI CORRESPONDENCE. A file of letters dated 1939, from national companies, suppliers to Wearnes Bakers of Helston, explaining the introduction of wartime regulations at the onset of WWII. They also explain that all orders must be made by post as their representatives have been 'called up'. Also included is correspondence between Wearnes & the Ministry on supplying bread to troops at Praa Sands & a later dispute about the arrangement. Provenance: The Martin Matthews Collections.  Please note that all items in this auction are previously owned & are offered on behalf of private vendors. If detail on condition is required on any lot(s) PLEASE ASK FOR A CONDITION REPORT BEFORE BIDDING. The absence of a condition report does not imply the lot is perfect.WE CAN SHIP THIS LOT, but NOT if part of a large, multiple lots purchase.

A Set of Seventeen Large Printed Advertisements on Card of Post Offices in England

A Collection of Late 20th Century Pocket Lighters, all Untested, Please Note with are Unable to Post this Lot

Cast metal post box with keys.

Collection of postcards inc RP Rounton Village Hall and Rounton Grange (Ross, Whitby), RP Hutton Rudby (The Steven Series), The Monarch Series, Phoenix Series, Fenton, Piercebridge (J. C. C.), Potto, Stainton in Cleveland, Old Sharlston, Rainford Post Office, Hill Top Sawrey, etc.

Chelsea programmes from the Post season 1997 tour of the Far East. Brunei National team Tour brochure 21st to the 25th May 1997 and the VIP programme against Brunei National team 24th May 1997 plus the programme against the Thai National XI 27th May with teamsheet. Generally good

Chelsea Post season Tour Itinerary to Sweden June 1947 given to the players and officials detailing their trip. Chelsea played 3 matches in Sweden against Norrkoping, Stockholm and Gothenburg. Very rare item. Some slight restoration on inside back page. Generally good

A collection of 35 Magazines and Newspapers 1930s to 1990s mostly 1960s to 1980s and mostly featuring Manchester United to include Picture Post April 29th 1939 previewing the FA Cup Final Wolverhampton Wanderers v Portsmouth, a few World Sports Magazines from the 1960s, Manchester Evening News and a South China Sunday Morning Post in July 1997 previewing the Manchester United tour of the Far East. Fair to generally good.

After Utagawa Kunitsuna (Kuitero) 1829-1874, a tryptich, 'Minamoto no Yoshitsune and his nineteen retainers on a boat', 1859, approximately 35 x 74cms; after Utagawa Kunitsuna (Kuitero) 1829-1874, a tryptich 'The great battle between the Minamo to and the Taira at Akama Bay', approximately 35 x 74cms; after Utagawa Yoshitora circa 1860, a tryptich 'Kumasaka's night attack on Ushiwaka Maru at Akasaka post-station in Mino province', approximately 35 x 74cms; after Utagowa Kunihisa (II), a tryptich 'The battle of Ukiyo-e', approximately 35 x 74cms; all later mounted, framed and glazed. (4)

A W & T Avery G.P.O (General Post Office) scale set together with a smaller Frederick Hill & Co "Trustworthy" scale set together with various weights to include graduating brass bell weights, iron examples, etc

An unusual folk art post / totem decorated with applied carved and painted flora and fauna to include an owl, woodpecker, buzzard, squirrel etc, 160cm high

Two British post-war studies, female nudes, the largest double sided with portrait verso, 52 x 43cm (2)

Singapore & Asian interest. c1910 album of postcards, majority depicting Singapore after the turn of the century. Including postcards of the Y.M.C.A., Raffles Hotel, Raffles Museum, The Singapore Anti Opium Society, Jinrikisha Station, the Police Station, Tanjong, Boustead Institute etc. The first photograph depicting an Asian man posting with camera, wearing boater hat & whites, captioned by hand Chan Tian Song. Approx. 96 post cards in album, all bar the portrait captioned in Chinese to lower corner & with either hand written or typewritten captions. In contemp. half cloth binding, captioned to front Chan Nin Pun.

Architectural interest - Banham, Reyner. 1966 The New Brutalism - Ethic or Aesthetic? Publ. The Architectural Press London in orig. unclipped dust wrapper designed by Hanns Lohrer Stuttgart. Illustrated in black and white throughout with examples of Brutalist buildings. An uncommon criticism on the post-war Brutalist movement; along with 1979 L'Architecture Rurale Francaise Midi toulousain et pyreneen by Claude Rivals. Publ. Berger-Levrault, complete with unclipped dw & illustrated with diagrams and illustrations. 4to.

Large Mixed Lot: Picture Post, London Illustrated News and other magazines

A Kingfisher traditional Victorian post lantern as new with original box

A Draper fence post auger

A box containing various albums of post-cards

A box containing an album of post-cards and various loose post-cards