New Zealand 1845-66, reverse dated 1847 (F. M. Johnson, Bos. Mate, H.M.S. Inflexible) officially impressed naming, small edge bruise, otherwise extremely fine and rare £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. Only 20 Medals issued with this reverse date, 5 Officers, 9 ratings and 6 Royal Marines, all serving aboard H.M.S. Inflexible. Frederick Johnson (alias John Johnson) was born in the Parish of Stoke Charles, near Plymouth, Devon. His date of birth is not recorded on his service sheet, but assuming that he was aged 55 when he retired in August 1872 as a 1st Class Bosun this would suggest that he was born in 1818. This fits well with him joining his first recorded ship H.M.S. Partridge on 25 September 1839, as an Able Seaman, aged 21. He served on Partridge for three years 176 days, of which 113 days were surprisingly in the rate of Musician. He paid off from Partridge on 26 June 1843, and signed on aboard Penelope on 14 October as Able Seaman. Two weeks later he was rated Captain of the Main Mast. He continued to serve in this rate until paid off on 20 May 1846, having spent two years 49 days on board. On 13 July 1846, he joined Inflexible as a Bosun's Mate and in this vessel sailed for the Pacific. Whilst aboard Inflexible a small Naval Brigade was landed for service on shore in New Zealand and took part in a number of skirmishes in support of the military operations and fought in the battle of Wanganui on 19 May 1847. On Inflexible’s return to England he paid off on 28 September 1849. By Admiralty Order No. 2348 he was allowed to change his name to Frederick H. Johnson. He was appointed a Bosun 3rd Class on 29 September 1849, and in this rank he joined Poictiers and served in this vessel for nearly a year before leaving her on 30 August 1850. He subsequently served aboard the following ships; Cumberland, 31 August 1850 to 6 January 1851, Boscawen, 7 January 1851 to 26 August 1852, Daring, 27 August 1852 to 24 October 1856, and Wellesley, 25 October 1852 to 27 January 1857. Whilst in the latter vessel he was promoted to Bosun 2nd Class on 28 January 1857. He then served aboard Cressey, 9 March to 24 April 1859, Cadmus, 10 May 1859 to 26 July 1860, Imaum, 27 July to 27 September 1860, and Wellesley, 28 September 1860. Whilst in this ship he was promoted to Bosun 1st Class on 17 July 1862. In this rank he served aboard Royal Oak, 30 April to 20 May 1863, Wellesley, 21 May 1863 to 5 January 1865, Pembroke, 6 January 1865 to 31 December 1867, Wellesley, 1 January to 31 March 1868, Cumberland 1 April to 31 December 1868. His last appointment was to Reserve on 1 January 1869, and on 31 August 1872 he was invalided to shore. His service records shows that he served in total 27 years 93 days of which 17 years 248 days were as a Warrant Officer. Sold with copied record of service.
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The unique Army of India medal awarded to Naval Schoolmaster H. J. Strutt, unique to this rank Army of India 1799-1826, 1 clasp, Ava (H. J. Strutt, Schoolmaster.) short hyphen reverse, officially impressed naming, sometime lacquered, otherwise nearly extremely fine and rare £1,800-£2,200 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Debenham Storr & Sons 1901; Christie’s, November 1982; Dix Noonan Webb, June 2005. H. J. Strutt is confirmed on the naval rolls for Ava as a Schoolmaster serving aboard H.M.S. Boadicea, the only such medal issued to this rare naval warrant rank. He was an Acting Schoolmaster until June 1826 when discharged upon promotion.
The Somaliland campaign medal to Sergeant H. J. Capon, Royal Marines, who was killed in action in the Dubai Incident, 24 December 1910 Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1908-10 (CH.9910 Sgt. H. J. Capon, R.M.L.I., H.M.S. Hyacinth.) extremely fine and a rare casualty £1,400-£1,800 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Henry John Capon, Sergeant, Royal Marine Light Infantry, was killed in action (bullet wound to centre vertex) at Debai (now Dubai) on 24 December 1910. Four seamen and one marine (Capon) were killed, and five seamen and four marines wounded in this little known action in the Persian Gulf. In early 1910 information was received aboard Hyacinth that rifles were being stored in houses on the seafront at Debai (also spelt Daibai and Dibai but now known as Dubai). The Sheikh, who had an agreement with the British Government not to export arms, was invited to co-operate in searching for them. A landing party was organised from Hyacinth and at 5.30 a.m. on the 24th December, 48 petty officers and men led by Captain J. D. Dick, the Flag Captain, and 33 marines led by Major G. M. Heriot, R.M.L.I., rowed ashore to begin the search. The Flag Captain proceeded to the Sheikh’s house and obtained permission while Major Heriot’s party began the search. Shortly afterwards the first arms were found, stored under the floor of a house. A number of men returned to the boats to collect picks and shovels and the task continued. After some two hours it became obvious that the Arabs had adopted a threatening attitude and shortly afterwards they opened fire on the Flag Captain’s party near the Sheikh’s house, on Major Heriot’s party and on the crews manning the boats. The whole incident was finished by about 10.20 a.m. after a few six-inch shells from Hyacinth had done some damage. The party was able to withdraw to their boats at about 12.30, accompanied by the Sheikh but with a large armed mob lining the beach. Henry John Capon was born at Peckham, London, on 23 April 1879. A Porter by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Marines at London on 9 September 1897. He joined Hyacinth in March 1909 and took part in the Somaliland operations (Medal with clasp). Capon was also entitled to the N.G.S. for the Persian Gulf operations but the medal roll notes that his medal was ‘Returned’, presumably to the Royal Mint. Sold with full details and copied service papers.
The campaign group of six awarded to Gunner E. N. A. Sayers, Royal Indian Marine, one of a small handful of Naval recipients of the Army G.S.M. for transport duties in the South Persia operations Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-1914 (Gunr. E. W. Sayers, R.I.M.S. Minto) note initials but as per medal roll; 1914-15 Star (Gunner E. N. A. Sayers, R.I.M.); British War and Victory Medals (Gnr. E. N. A. Sayers. R.I.M.); General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, S. Persia (Gnr. E. N. A. Sayers. R.I.M.); Jubilee 1935, one or two edge bruises and light contact wear, otherwise generally good very fine (6) £800-£1,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Edward Nelson Alleyn Sayers was born in Eastbourne, Sussex in September 1886 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in the course of 1903. Advanced to Ordinary Seaman in 1904, and to Able Seaman in 1905, he transferred to the Royal Indian Marine as a Gunner in late 1910. He served aboard the R.I.M.S. Minto in the Persian Gulf operations until October of the following year. Sayers next joined the Hardinge and remained in her for most of the Great War, seeing action against the Turks in 1915, when the latter attempted to block the Suez Canal. But it was while detached on transport duties to Bandar Abbas between late 1918 and the summer of 1919 that he qualified for his extremely rare G.S.M. Sayers was promoted to Boatswain in December 1922 and finally retired in October 1937. Sold with copied record of service and other research.
The rare Sudan campaign D.C.M. and Royal Marine M.S.M. group of five awarded to Colour Sergeant Frederick Evan Saddon, Royal Marine Artillery, for services at the battle of Gedid and during the final defeat of the Khalifa in November 1899 Distinguished Conduct Medal, V.R. (Col. Sejt. F. E. Saddon, R.M.A.) impressed naming; Queen’s Sudan 1896 (2602, Sgt. F. Evan Saddon, R.M.A.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (F. E. Saddon, Col. Sergt. No. 2602 R.M.A.) impressed naming; Royal Marine Meritorious Service Medal, E.VII.R. (2602 F. E. Saddon, Colour Sergeant, R.M.A.); Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, 3 clasps, Khartoum, Gedid, Sudan 1899, unnamed as issued, light contact marks, otherwise very fine and better (5) £14,000-£18,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Frederick Evan Saddon was born in November 1865 at Portsea, near Portsmouth, Hampshire and was a tailor before enlisting at Eastney on 26 January 1886. On completion of Recruit Training at the Walmer Depot he was posted as a Private to the Royal Marine Artillery on 23 September 1886, and promoted to Gunner on 19 December 1886. He embarked aboard his first vessel H.M.S. Cyclops (July 1887), returned to the R.M.A. Depot (August 1887) and was next afloat aboard Neptune (March 1898) being promoted to Bombardier. In this rate he joined Galatea (July 1889) and Magicienne (April 1890) being promoted to Corporal on 11 July 1891. He returned to the R.M.A. Depot (August 1893) and next joined Victory for Royal Oak (June 1894), promoted to Sergeant 14 September 1894. He again served at the Depot (1894-98), prior to embarking for service with the Egyptian Army in June 1898, being promoted to Colour Sergeant on 25 October 1898. His service record states that he was mentioned in the despatch published in the London Gazette of 30 January 1900, and awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal in the London Gazette of 18 September 1900 ‘For services during the final defeat of Khalifa November 1899’. The action at Gedid on 22 November 1899 resulted in the final defeat of the Khalifa and Ahmed Fedil, both of whom were killed, and brought to an end the reconquest of the Sudan. The Royal Marine machine-gunners Seddon, Seabright and Sears all received the D.C.M. for their deadly and decisive work in this battle. A further note on his service record dated 4 April 1899 states ‘Noted by direction of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty for excellent service with the Nile Expedition 1898.’ He returned to the R.M.A. Depot in October 1900 and served ashore until discharged on 23 January 1907, having served for 21 years. He was awarded his L.S. & G.C. medal in February 1901, and the Royal Marine Meritorious Service Medal in 1907. Although nearly 50 years of age, he was called up for War service as a Colour Sergeant on 9 February 1915, but invalided ashore on 20 May 1916.
The rare Great War ‘East Africa, Lindi operations C.G.M. group of eight awarded to Able Seaman Harry Johns, H.M.S. Thistle, who showed exemplary conduct in at once going below into the after flat, when the ship was hit by an enemy 4.1 inch shell, in order to assist in extinguishing the fire’ Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, G.V.R. (183788. H. Johns, A.B. H.M.S. Thistle. Lindi. 11. June 1917.); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (H. Johns, Lg. Sea., H.M.S. Fox.); 1914-15 Star (183788. H. Johns. A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (183788. H. Johns. A.B. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (183788. Harry Johns. A.B. H.M.S. Thistle.); France, Third Republic, Medaille Militarie, blue enamel badly chipped on this; Croix de Guerre 1914 1917, with bronze palme, mounted as worn, contact marks, otherwise nearly very fine or better (8) £8,000-£10,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- C.G.M. London Gazette 19 December 1917: ‘For conspicuous gallantry during combined naval and military operations in the neighbourhood of Lindi, East Africa, on the 10th and 11th June, 1917. He showed exemplary conduct in at once going below into the after flat, when the ship was hit by an enemy 4.1 inch shell, in order to assist in extinguishing the fire, and by his coolness and judgement prevented the fire from spreading.’ Three C.G.M.s awarded for the Lindi operations in East Africa. Medaille Militaire London Gazette 28 August 1918. Croix de Guerre London Gazette 14 September 1918. Lindi, a port of German East Africa, was occupied by the British Forces in September, 1915, but ever since that time had been practically ‘bottled up’, the surrounding country being held by the Germans. Lindi does not lie on the coast, but on the northern shore of the estuary of the river Lukuledi, which is some seventy miles north of the Portuguese frontier. In view of operations that had been planned, it became very desirable in the summer of 1917, to clear a larger area round Lindi in order to secure a better water supply and to prepare the main exits from the town and harbour. With this object in view, the main Military force moved out on June 10th, 1917, and in three days had cleared the enemy from the estuary of the river. During these operations a surprise landing was carried out at a creek on the south side, where the Germans had a 4.1" gun which commanded the estuary and had proved very troublesome. This was a combined naval and military operation. Upon the Navy, represented by the Hyacinth, Severn, Thistle and Echo, devolved the duty of embarking some 2,800 troops and 700 porters and conveying them to their starting point. This had to be done under cover of night. To reach the selected landing place the heavily laden boats had to pass close to enemy positions. The passage by water started at 1800 on the 10th September, the night being dark and the tide fair. An officer, Lieut. Charlewood, D.S.C., of the Echo, led the advance in a motor boat and placed lights, invisible to the enemy, on prominent points as leading marks. Although the Germans appeared to know that there was some movement on foot they either reserved their fire or did not observe the tows of boats passing them. The Thistle and Severn, which were following the boats, were sniped at. The main column was successfully landed by 2230 and by 0600 the next morning had occupied the hills covering the landing. It was not until 0300 on the 11th that the Germans opened fire with their 4.8" gun. Their shooting was very wild and caused no damage. The Thistle, which had anchored to superintend and cover a landing, was obliged, by the low state of the tide, to remain stationary, but fortunately, she was hidden from the enemy by a thick mist which lasted till 0700. When the mist cleared away the Germans immediately opened fire on her and after about 20 rounds, scored one hit. This killed an E.R.A. and wounded a leading stoker, also causing extensive damage. The auxiliary exhaust, fire mains, dynamo pipes, and two bulkheads were pierced. The shell, after passing through the ship's side, struck the after magazine hatch, which it completely broke up. A fire started in the magazine flat, a small confined space with the magazine below it. After the burst of the shell, the flat was on fire, and filled with fumes, smoke and steam from the holed exhaust pipe. Mr. Mark Methuen, Gunner, followed by Leading Stoker George Pascall and Able Seaman Harry Johns went into the flat and succeeded in extinguishing the fire before any further harm resulted. They all suffered from the effect of the fumes, Mr. Methuen having to go on the sick list. When the fire was extinguished, Leading Stoker Pascall went to assist in the Engine Room. Here he found that the E.R.A. had been killed, but that Leading Stoker James Leach, who was wounded in two places, had continued to stand by the engines although the engine room was filled with steam and water was pouring through the burst fire mains. Leading Stoker Leach persisted in carrying on with his duty until ordered to go up for medical treatment. The expedition was successful, the enemy being driven from his positions and forced to retire inland. Mr. Methuen received the D.S.C., and Leading Stoker Pascal, A.B. Johns and Leading Stoker Leach were awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal for their conduct on this occasion. Harry Johns was born at Bristol on 1 December 1879, and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 10 May 1895. Hr progressively through the rates to become Petty Officer 2nd Class on 22 June 1905, but for some reason reverted to Able Seaman just 11 days later and remained as such until the expiration of his Continuous Service engagement on 3 December 1909. Joining the Royal Fleet Reserve on the following day, he was recalled for service on 2 August 1914, joining H.M.S. Challenger. He removed to H.M.S. Thistle on 17 April 1916, and to H.M.S. Defiance on 1 October 1918, from which ship he was Shore Demobilised on 16 May 1919. He received his L.S. & G.C. medal on 12 November 1917, shortly before he received the C.G.M. These and the two French awards are all confirmed on his record of service. Sold with copied record of service.
The superb campaign group of seven awarded to Paymaster Captain W. R. Dodridge, Royal Navy Ashantee 1873-74, no clasp (W. R. Dodridge. Clerk, R.N. H.M.S. Beacon. 73-74.); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 1 clasp, Alexandria 11th July (W. R. Dodridge. Ast. Paymr. R.N. H.M.S. “Cygnet”) rank officially corrected; India General Service 1854-95, 1 clasp, Burma 1885-7 (W. R. Dodridge, Asst. Paymr. R.N. H.M.S. Bacchante) officially impressed naming; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (St. Paymr. W. R. Dodridge, R.N. H.M.S. Gibraltar.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Payr. Mr. in Ch. W. R. Dodridge. R.N.); Coronation 1911, unnamed as issued; Khedive’s Star, dated 1882, with Tokar clasp, unnamed as issued, mounted for display, good very fine or better, the last very rare (7) £2,600-£3,000 --- 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. Approximately 14 Tokar clasps issued to Royal Navy officers, including 7 to H.M.S. Dolphin. William Reid Dodridge was born in Portsmouth, Hampshire, on 6 July 1853. He entered the Royal Navy as an Assistant Clerk in December 1870, was promoted to Clerk in December 1871, Assistant Paymaster in December 1874, Paymaster in June 1890, Staff Paymaster in June 1896, and Fleet Paymaster in June 1898. He reached the pinnacle of his profession on promotion to Paymaster in Chief in 1909, which rank was later changed to Paymaster Captain. He retired in 1911 after 40 years service including time spent on shore with Naval Brigades in Ashantee in 1873, in Burma during 1885 and in the Sudan in 1891. The rare aspect of this group is not in the 4 different campaign medals, which are however not common, but in the 'Tokar' Clasp on the Khedives Star. No British medal was issued for the action at Tokar in the Sudan, which took place on 19 February 1891. Those officers and men from H.M. Ships Dolphin and Sandfly became entitled to an undated Star and Clasp, or Clasp only if already in possession of a Star for previous service. Dodridge was Paymaster of Dolphin from September 1890 to October 1893, during which period the ship assisted the Egyptian Army with transport duties at Tokar. Recalled for service in World War I, he served on shore at President and Fisgard, and received the British War Medal. He died on 5 January 1928, aged 75. Sold with copied record of service.
The rare Second War Italy operations M.M. group of four awarded to Marine F. P. Tyman, No. 40 R.M. Commando, who made two escape attempts on being taken P.O.W. in January 1944 Military Medal, G.VI.R. (CH.X.113132 F. P. Tyman. Mne. R.M.); 1939-45 Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45, mounted as worn, edge bruising to the first, otherwise nearly very fine or better (4) £3,000-£4,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- M.M. London Gazette 8 February 1944: ‘For courage, determination and resource in silencing a German mortar position single handed in an operation in Italy.’ The original recommendation states: ‘Mne. Tyman was sent forward by himself to try and locate a German L.M.G. position which was causing trouble to the main position. He worked his way forward about 3/4 of a mile in front of our forward position and located a mortar position by the cemetery above Pizzo, which was firing. He threw a grenade into the Bty. and withdrew. Later one German was found dead. This action of Mne. Tyman caused the mortar to discontinue firing. The L.M.G. had moved and could not be located. On his way back he saw an Italian section moving forward and he shot two with his sniper’s rifle. Throughout this patrol he displayed great initiative besides skill and determination, gathering valuable information.’ Frederick Philip Tyman was born in the Wayland district of Norfolk on 1 January 1923 and enlisted in the Royal Marines in January 1934. His M.M.-winning exploits were enacted under the auspices of Operation ‘Ferdy’, when 40 R.M. Commando and two Troops from No. 3 Commando made an amphibious dawn landing at Vibo Valentia, on the southern tip of Italy, on 7 September 1943. The following day, the commandos advanced on the town of Pizzo, where Tyman knocked out a German mortar position and dispatched two Italian soldiers. Following the action at Pizzo, he would have shared in 40 Commando’s daring patrols on the Garigliano front, up until his capture at Castello Forta on 20 January 1944. He ended the war at Marlag Milag Nord Camp, Westimke/Westertime. However, his P.O.W. debrief reveals that he made two escape attempts in the interim, the first of them from Campo 78 at Sulmona, during an air raid on nearby Pescara, and a second attempt in Rome, from a train, with two Airborne companions. He was recaptured on both occasions, once by Italian fascists and secondly by German patrol as he approached Allied lines. Tyman died in October 2005.
The rare Defence of Legations group of five to Colour-Sergeant A. E. Saunders, R.M.L.I., one of the three senior N.C.O.s of the Legation Guard at Peking China 1900, 1 clasp, Defence of Legations (Sergt. A. E. Saunders, R.M.L.I.); 1914-15 Star (CH. 4932 Cr. Sgt. A. E. Saunders. R.M.L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (CH. 4932 A. E. Saunders. R.M.L.I.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (CH. 4932 A. E. Saunders, Colr. Sergt., R.M.L.I.) mounted court-style, very fine (5) £8,000-£10,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Of the 78 officers and men who comprised the Guard of the British Legations at Peking during the siege, Sergeants Murphy, Preston and Saunders were the senior N.C.O.’s under Captains Halliday, Strouts and Wray. Sergeant Saunders was mentioned in despatches by Sir Claude MacDonald, British Minister at Peking, ‘Those that came under my special notice were Sergeant Murphy, Saunders, and Preston, and Corporals Gregory and Gowney, who are all worthy of the highest praise’. Captains Halliday (awarded the V.C.), and Wray, and Sergeant Saunders were selected to receive their medals personally from the hands of King Edward VII at a special ceremony. Alfred Edward Saunders was born in Cork, Ireland, on 20 August 1871, and enlisted into the R.M.L.I. at London on 20 September 1888. He joined ‘B’ Company at the Recruit Depot, Walmer, in September 1888 until posted to the Chatham Division in May 1889. Promoted Lance Corporal, April 1895; Corporal, September 1895; Lance Sergeant, January 1898; Sergeant, November 1899; Colour-Sergeant, January 1901. Discharged in February 1910, he was recalled for service on 2 August 1914, until demobilised on 1 May 1919. Sold with copied record of service which confirms medal with clasp for Defence of Legations and records his death on 9 August 1958.
The rare post-War Operation ‘Musketeer’ D.S.M. group of seven awarded to Leading Seaman T. Dyer, Royal Navy In a quite unique episode of the Suez crisis, the cruiser H.M.S. Newfoundland sank the Egyptian frigate Domiat in a ferocious engegement, both ships sustaining casualties: high on the list of subsequent recommendations was Leading Seaman Dyer, who commanded a Bofors gun and ‘did good work in hosing down Domiat’s deck with 40mm.’ Distinguished Service Medal, E.II.R., 1st issue (L.S. T. Dyer, P/JX 163578); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Burma Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45; Naval General Service 1915-62, one clasp, Near East (P/JX.163578 T. Dyer D.S.M. L. Smn. R.N.) mounted as worn, good very fine (7) £7,000-£9,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- One of just two D.S.Ms awarded for the Suez operations. D.S.M. London Gazette 13 June 1957: ‘In recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the operations in the Near East. October to December 1956.’ On the evening of 31 October 1956, the Fiji-class cruiser H.M.S. Newfoundland was patrolling in the Red Sea, south of Suez, when she encountered a darkened ship, later identified as the Egyptian frigate Domiat. Closing to 1,500 yards, Newfoundland came parallel to the then unidentified ship and asked it to heave-to. Instead, however, it extinguished its running lights and trained its guns on the Newfoundland, thereby prompting the latter’s captain to give the order to open fire. A ferocious firefight ensued, the enemy frigate’s 4-inch guns causing damage and six casualties aboard the Newfoundland. But Domiat’s armament was no match for the British cruiser and, much shot about, she capsized with a loss of six officers and 50 ratings. Newfoundland and her consort, the destroyer Diana, rescued 69 Egyptians, who were later dropped off at Djibouti. A glimpse of Leading Seaman Thomas Dyer in action is to be found in an account written by one of Newfoundland’s Midshipmen. He takes up the story as the cruiser fired her first broadside: ‘WOOMFAH! The whole ship shook as I had never felt her shake before. We were firing on the beam with the guns almost horizontal. Away went a nine-gun, full charge, full-calibre cruiser broadside of 130-pound High Effect shell, smack into the bridge structure of the Egyptian frigate Domiat, about 1400 yards away … Our next broadside smashed into Domiat’s bows and ignited her paint shop so that her bows glowed cherry red in the dark night. Diana, astern, had seen Domiat turn and got in seventeen rounds of 4.5-inch from her A and B. As we closed the range the 4-inch and Bofors joined in and the Captain of one of the port Bofors later received a D.S.M. for his good work hosing Domiat’s deck down with 40mm. Y turret was able to join in again later. After five minutes or so, at 0130, and after 51 rounds of 6-inch in nine broadsides, we checked fire because the Domiat was visibly sinking. She capsized and sank five minutes later. We picked up two Egyptian officers out of the water, and Diana recovered 67 other survivors, but then we decided that hanging about in the area might be silly because of the M.T.B. threat, so asked a nearby South African merchantman - what must they have thought about all the pyrotechnics? - to see if they could find any more people in the ocean. She was one of a large number of merchant ships getting out of the Gulf of Suez just as quick as they could … ‘ Sold with a replacement group of seven medals, as listed above except the D.S.M. which is 2nd type and the N.G.S. which is marked ‘Replacement’.
The extremely rare Empire Gallantry Medal pair awarded to Coxswain and R.N.L.I. Gold Medallist John Howells, Fishguard Lifeboat Empire Gallantry Medal, G.V.R., Civil Division (John Howells); Royal National Lifeboat Institution, G.V.R., gold (John Howells, Voted 17th December 1920.) good very fine or better (2) £7,000-£9,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- A total of 130 Empire Gallantry Medals were awarded in the period 1922-40, 62 Military, 64 Civil, and 4 Honorary awards. The Empire Gallantry Medal was superseded by the George Cross in September 1940 and surviving holders of the E.G.M. were required to exchange their award for the George Cross. Coxswain Howells had by this time died and his award is, therefore, in addition to the four Honorary awards which were not eligible for exchange, one of only ten E.G.M’s not exchanged for the George Cross. 11 Gold R.N.L.I. Medals and one Bar awarded during the reign of King George V, from a total of 118 gold awards from 1824-1996. E.G.M. London Gazette 30 June 1924: ‘Ex-Coxswain John Howells, Fishguard Motor Life-Boat. For rescuing, in circumstances of great peril, seven of the crew of the motor schooner Hermina of Rotterdam, which was wrecked in a N.W. gale on Needle Rock, off Fishguard, on the night of 3rd December 1920. To effect the rescue involved taking the life-boat into a position of great danger among rocks.’ Coxswain Howells was also awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, together with three Silver and nine Bronze awards to the crew members of his life-boat: ‘3 December 1920. The three masted Dutch motor schooner Hermina, anchored outside Fishguard breakwater, Pembrokeshire, was dragging her anchors in a north-westerly gale. The self-righting motor lifeboat Charterhouse launched but, when she arrived, the schooner was grinding heavily on the rocks with tremendous seas making a clean breach over her. Veering down, in spite of great difficulties, seven men were taken off but the Master and two Mates refused to leave. Coxswain Howells prepared to return to Fishguard, but the lifeboat had sprung a leak and it was found impossible to restart her engine. Her sail was hoisted, but she lost her mizzen sail, which left her with only the mainsail set. Second Coxswain Davies and crew member Holmes succeeded in setting the jib sail and, although waterlogged, the lifeboat managed to reach her station at midnight, three hours later. Although flares were shortly after seen from the Hermina, the lifeboat was unable to return, and the schooner’s Master and First Mate were rescued by life saving apparatus; the Second Mate had drowned.’ In April, 1921, Coxswain Howells, his crew and lifeboat went on the train to London to receive their R.N.L.I. awards. Howells was 66 years old at the time of the rescue. As part of the R.N.L.I. Centenary celebrations in 1924, seven of the eight surviving Gold medallists were received at Buckingham Palace on 30 June by King George V, who presented each man with the Empire Gallantry Medal. The Charterhouse was the Fishguard Lifeboat from 1901 to 1931. It was instrumental in many gallant rescues but none more so than the famous rescue of the crew of the Dutch motor schooner Hermina at needle rock located between Fishguard lower town and Dinas Head. She was the first motorised lifeboat but also had the capacity for up to 12 persons to row. In 1920 Coxwain John Howells aged 66, received a call that flares had been sighted at needle rock and so on that cold dark December night he immediately put the Charterhouse to sea in perilous conditions and made way across the bay for needle rock. The Hermina under the command of Captain Vooitgedacht was on a return journey back to Rotterdam but diverted to Fishguard to escape the teeth of the strong NW gale. Once in the bay she dragged her anchors and ended up in a perilous position, being bashed by huge waves in between needle rock and the tall sheer north cliffs. Once the Charterhouse arrived, Howells gave order to anchor down wind and run a line between the two vessels, but this proved very perilous and after an hour of struggling against horrendous seas, the crew of the Charterhouse managed to get 7 men off the Hermina. The Chief Officer and Mate would not leave the ship despite the efforts of persuasion by the lifeboat crew. They were later rescued from the base of the cliffs by the coastguard. Their troubles at this point were far from over, the lifeboat’s engine would not restart and in a desperate situation the crew took to the oars in a frantic effort to get away from the cliffs but with little effect. The mizzen sail was then raised but caught the wind and ripped to shreds. In absolute frantic desperation a jib sail was lashed together which involved two men risking their lives climbing across the forefront of the lifeboat with waves crashing over them to set a temporary sail. In great relief they managed to pull away from the cliffs and sail 2 miles out to sea before getting sufficient angle to eventually be able to sail back into Goodwick harbour. The Dutch Government awarded Howells a gold pocket watch and silver pocket watches to all the lifeboat crew; the R.N.L.I. also awarded medals to all the crew of the Charterhouse and to John Howells the highest honour of a gold medal. The Charterhouse was loaded onto a train at Goodwick railway station and the entire crew made for London to meet the Duke of Windsor, President of the R.N.L.I. to receive their medals. The Charterhouse remained for one week on display outside the houses of parliament. The Charterhouse now resides at the West Wales Maritime Museum in Pembroke Dock where she is undergoing restoration to preserve this very important piece of Pembrokeshire maritime history. John Howells, as a young man served in the Royal Navy and was a shipmate of King George, then a naval cadet. On leaving the Navy, he entered the service of the Great Western Railway Company, and when Fishguard Harbour was opened for Irish traffic in 1907, he was put in charge of the coaling gang at the harbour under the Marine Department. He was a deacon of Bethesda Baptist Church, for many years its Honorary Treasurer, and Superintendent of the Sunday School. He was Coxswain of the Fishguard Lifeboat from 1910-21 and died at Fishguard on 14 March 1925, aged 72.
H.M.S. Worcester Training Ship, gold presentation medal 45mm, the obverse with bust of young head Victoria facing left, the reverse with inscription ‘Presented by her Majesty the Queen’ and engraved in the centre (To Charles George Budge H.M.S. Worcester Training Ship 1886) fitted with a decorative straight bar and uniface double-dolphin suspension in silver-gilt, total weight 63.65g, minor marks, otherwise nearly extremely fine and rare £1,400-£1,800 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Charles George Budge was commissioned from H.M.S. Worcester Training Ship as Midshipman in the Royal Naval Reserve on 2 August 1886.
The Mercantile Marine B.E.M. group of six awarded to Mr Rowland Goldman, Quartermaster in the S.S. Makalla when she was sunk by enemy action in August 1940 British Empire Medal (Civil) E.II.R. (Rowland Goldman); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, 1 clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45, together with commemorative medal issued by Thos. & Jno. Brocklebank Ltd., Liverpool, to the crew of the S.S. Makalla which was sunk by enemy action on 24 August 1940, silver and enamels, this last with damage to enamel, otherwise extremely fine and rare (7) £600-£800 --- 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 14 June 1969: ‘Mr Rowland Goldman, Quartermaster, S.S. “Makrana”.’ The Cunard Brocklebank letter of congratulation states: ‘Your record since you joined the Company on the 11 Oct 1937 has been completely unblemished and you were serving as quartermaster in the ‘Makalla’ when in 1940 she was sunk by enemy action. This is a wonderful record and one of which you may justly feel very proud.’ Rowland Goldman served with the shipping company, Thos. & Jno. Brocklebank Limited, from 11 October 1937. He was Quartermaster aboard the S.S. Makalla when, on 24th August 1940, she was sunk by enemy aircraft soon after commencing her voyage from London to Calcutta with a general cargo of 2500 tons. The Makalla was a Defensively Equipped Merchant Ship armed with one 12-pounder, one 4.7 inch gun and a Hotchkiss gun, and carried a compliment of 87 officers and crew, including one naval gunner. The lot is sold with the following original documentation: Award letter from Thos. & Jno. Brocklebank Ltd. (29 October 1940) for their commemorative medal; Award letter from Downing Street for the B.E.M. (10 June 1969); Letter of congratulations from Cunard Brocklebank (20 June 1969); Two Board of Trade letters regarding the investiture; named Buckingham Palace forwarding letter for the B.E.M.; and a copy of the report submitted by Captain A. S. Bain, Master of the S.S. Makalla.
The rare Siberia 1919 ‘Kama River Flotilla’ M.S.M. group of four awarded to Private F. J. Williamson, Royal Marine Light Infantry, H.M.S. Kent 1914-15 Star (PLY. 15043. Pte. F. J. Williamson. R.M.L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (PLY. 15043. Pte. F. J. Williamson. R.M.L.I.); Royal Naval Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R. (PLY/15043 Pte. F. J. Williamson. R.M.L.I. “Kent” Kama River May 1919.) mounted for wear, nearly extremely fine and rare (4) £600-£800 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- M.S.M. London Gazette 5 March 1920 'Honours for services in Siberia.' H.M.S. Kent relieved H.M.S. Suffolk at Vladivostock in January 1919. Williamson had been serving with the Armoured train manned by parties from the Suffolk, but with the arrival of Kent he transferred to that ship. It was decided to take the 6-inch gun and the four 12-pounders out of the armoured trains and place them in two ships of the Russian Naval Flotilla at Perm. Volunteers were called for from the Royal Marine Detachment of H.M.S. Kent and at the beginning of April, Captain T. H. Jameson and 34 Royal Marines, one mate, one surgeon-lieutenant, one warrant officer, one armourer and one sick berth attendant, Royal Navy, proceeded to Perm arriving on the 27th April on which day the ice broke and started to flow down the river. The Naval Mission remained first at Perm and then at Omsk whilst the Naval Force under command of Captain Jameson, R.M.L.I. joined the Flotilla. Practically all the ice had disappeared by the 1st May and they were introduced to Admiral Smirnoff, C.M.G., in command of the Russian Flotilla and were handed the two ships to be gunned and manned by the British. The British Force were allotted to the Third Division of the Flotilla, commanded by Captain Fierdoroff; the ships allotted to them were a fast oil driven tug and a barge. The 12-pounders were mounted in the tug which was christened the Kent and the 6-inch in the barge named Suffolk. Throughout May and June Kent and Suffolk were constantly and heavily engaged in fighting against Bolshevik forces, both on the river and providing artillery support for the land forces. All was to no avail, however, with the front troops falling back daily from the advancing Bolsheviks, and it was therefore decided to disarm the First and Third Divisions, the Second remaining at the front. On the 26th June Kent proceeded to the magazine, near which was the British Naval armoured train and commenced to dismantle, placing armour, guns, ammunition and stores in the train; on this day the Suffolk engaged the enemy in the Veltanka district, and again the next day at the village of Stralka she routed large numbers of the enemy at close range. She fired 256 rounds and having expended all her amunition was recalled to Perm, arriving at Motavaileka Works on the 28th. As no workmen could be obtained the crews of the two ships were obliged to dismantle the ships themselves and to load the material, all 225 tons of it, onto railway trucks for which they had no engine. Perm was expected to fall that night, confusion was everywhere, the station overflowing with refugees and every train was loaded to the fullest extent. As a last resort they searched the repair shop for an engine and took the only one available, which the Russians reluctantly gave them; it was only just capable of drawing the train and they eventually left Perm at 6 a.m. on 29th June, having sunk Kent and Suffolk the previous afternoon. The party of 37 of all ranks was crowded into two wooden trucks and travelling was very slow; their rations consisted of the biscuits and beef of their reserve rations. On arriving at Omsk they volunteered to form the British Naval Armoured Train but the Admiralty decided to withdraw the Force completely. Accordingly, they proceeded in two waggons to Vladivostock arriving there on 18th August, having taken 52 days to complete the journey from Perm. They were taken on board H.M.S. Carlisle and transferred at Shanghai to H.M.S. Colombo, reaching England on 10 November 1919. This gallant band of men received the following awards for their part in this remarkable episode: 1 D.S.O., 2 D.S.C.’s, 1 D.S.M. and 8 M.S.M.’s. Frank James Williamson was born on 24 December 1891 in the village of Freethorpe in Norfolk. He earned his living as a footman prior to joining the Plymouth Division of the Royal Marines on 10 August 1910. After recruit training at Deal he joined H.M.S. Hawke in February 1912, transferred to Merlin in March 1913 and returned to shore early in 1914. He next joined Benbow in October 1914 and served in this battleship until January 1917, taking part in the Battle of Jutland. He joined Suffolk in May 1917 and landed in Siberia for active service with Suffolk’s Armoured Train in August 1918 on the Ufa front. He transferred to Kent in January 1919 and landed as part of the Kama River Naval Expeditionary Force from which he returned to england via Carlisle and Colombo. He returned to the Plymouth Division in November 1919 and joined Valiant, his last seagoing ship, in May 1920 and remained with her until June 1922 when he was discharged having completed 12 years. He joined the Royal Marine Police where he served until discharged on 15 December 1945. Sold with full research including a copy of Captain Jameson’s ‘Report on the proceedings of the British Naval Force acting with the Kama River Flotilla.’
The Second War D.S.M. group of five awarded to Signalman H. E. Tobin, Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve, for the sinking of U-501 south of Greenland by H.M.C.S. Chambly on 10 September 1941 Distinguished Service Medal, G.VI.R. (V.8336 E. H. Tobin, Sgln. H.M.C.S. Chambly); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Canadian Voluntary Services Medal, with overseas clasp; War Medal, Canadian issue in silver, with small M.I.D. oak leaf, good very fine and very rare (5) £3,000-£4,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- During the Second World War 114 members of the Royal Canadian Navy were awarded the D.S.M., in addition to two Second Award Bars. D.S.M. London Gazette 3 March 1942: ‘For bravery and enterprise in action against enemy submarines.’ M.I.D. London Gazette 23 March 1942. Hugh Eugene Tobin was decorated for his services in the corvette H.M.C.S. Chambly in the course of North Atlantic convoy SC. 42 in September 1941, namely a slow convoy of merchantmen from Nova Scotia to Liverpool. It was attacked over an extended period, 16 ships being sunk and four damaged, and as those losses mounted, a call went out to reinforce the convoy’s naval escort. The Far Distant Ships, by Joseph Schull, takes up the story: ‘The order for reinforcements had gone out from the Admiralty, and by nightfall the corvettes Chambly and Moose Jaw were approaching. The two ships had been carrying out a training cruise south of Greenland, and the opportunity to put their training into practice arrived with unusual promptness. As they came in from ahead of the convoy, Chambly’s lookouts sighted two white rockets well down on the horizon. They were the signal indicating that a ship had been torpedoed. Chambly increased speed and made for the position from which the rockets had come. Moose Jaw was beside her on her starboard beam. Seventeen minutes after sighting the first rockets two more were seen. One minute later Chambly got a submarine contact on her asdic. She followed the echo for two minutes, then let go her depth charges. Just as she was preparing to fire a second pattern the U-boat surfaced about four hundred yards off Moose Jaw’s port bow and proceeded to run across her course. Moose Jaw opened fire, and was bearing down rapidly on the U-boat when the German stopped his engines, abandoning any attempt to escape. Moose Jaw ran up alongside to find most of the Nazi crew on deck with their hands up. As the corvette closed, the U-boat captain leaped from his own deck to the deck of the corvette, not even wetting his feet in the process. Moose Jaw sheered off to prevent any further boarding; and as she did do the U-boat got under way again and attempted to cross her bow. The corvette promptly rammed. Some of the Nazi crew made for their forward gun; but a round or two from Moose Jaw’s gun discouraged the attempt. By now Chambly had come alongside to put a boarding party onto the U-boat. Lieutenant Edward T. Simmons, the officer in command of the party, ordered eleven Germans on the deck to go below. They refused, even at pistol point, which made it obvious the submarine had been scuttled; but the boarding party made a brave attempt at salvage. They went down through the conning tower to the interior to discover that all instruments had been smashed; continued a little further to find the lighting system out of action. Then from beneath them came a warning rush of water and they turned back, but not quite soon enough. If the boat could have been saved, or even some of its secret equipment recovered, it would have been a valuable prize of war. The risk of investigation was justified; but it was not to be made without cost. With a sudden lurch, the craft began to settle. Most of the boarding party scrambled to safety before it went down, but Stoker William I. Brown was sucked into the swirl and drowned. When the effort to rescue Brown was seen to be hopeless, Chambly and Moose Jaw picked up all eleven of the U-boat’s crew from the water and rejoined the other escorts of the convoy.’ The Far Distant Ships, by Joseph Schull, adds: ‘The U-boat captain was a rarity in the German submarine service. He proclaimed that he had given himself up in order to insist that Moose Jaw rescue his men, but the explanation did not go down well either with friend or foe. When later he offered his hand to his chief quartermaster, it was refused.’
The important ‘Royal Yacht’ M.V.O., Great War ‘Coastal Motor Boats’ D.S.C., Anglo-Persian Naval Mission 1920, and Second War Posthumous M.I.D. group of thirteen awarded to Captain R. F. J. Onslow, Royal Navy, who gained his posthumous mention for gallant services as Captain of the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Hermes when she was bombed and sunk by Japanese aircraft in April 1942 The Royal Victorian Order, M.V.O., Member’s 4th Class breast badge, silver-gilt, gold and enamels, the reverse officially numbered ‘1389’; Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., hallmarked London 1918; 1914-15 Star (S. Lt. R. F. J. Onslow, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. R. F. J. Onslow. R.N.); Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Iraq 1919-1920 (Lieut. R. F. J. Onslow. R.N.); Coronation 1937; Russia, Empire, Order of St Stanislas, breast badge with swords, silver-gilt and enamels, of continental manufacture, badly chipped, these last eight mounted as worn; together with 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Burma Star, War Medal, with M.I.D. oak leaf, good very fine or better, the N.G.S. rare (13) £6,000-£8,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- M.V.O. 4th Class London Gazette 1 January 1938: Commander of H.M. Yacht Victoria and Albert (dated 29 July 1937). D.S.C. London Gazette 20 September 1918: ‘For services in the Auxiliary Patrol, Minesweeping and Coastal Motor Boats, between the 1st January and 30th June, 1918.’ The recommendation states: ‘For consistent good service in C.M.B.s on the Belgian Coast over a period of months. He was in command of a C.M.B. in the operation on the 4 February, 1918, when mines were laid in the Ostend approaches, which subsequently sank enemy Torpedo Boat A10.’ Russian Order of St Stanislaus: C.W. 10241 of 1920. ‘Granted permission to accept and wear ribbon of the Russian Order of St Stanislaus 3rd Class with swords.’ M.I.D. (Posthumous) London Gazette 10 November 1942: ‘For great bravery when H.M.S. Hermes was sunk by Japanese aircraft.’ The Admiralty letter forwarding the M.I.D. certificate to his widow in November 1942 states: ‘I am commanded by my Lord Commissioners of the Admiralty to send you the enclosed Certificate of a Mention in Despatches, awarded by the King to your husband, Captain Richard Francis John Onslow, M.V.O., D.S.C., R.N., for distinguished service in the action in which he lost his life. H.M.S. HERMES was bombed and sunk by Japanese aircraft in April, 1942. Captain Onslow handled and fought his ship with the utmost determination to the last in the face of an overwhelming attack.’ The life and loss of the Hermes On 9 April 1942 H.M.S. Hermes, the Royal Navy’s first purpose-built aircraft carrier, was steaming north up the east coast of Ceylon returning to Trincomalee in company with the Australian destroyer H.M.A.S. Vampire when the two ships were spotted by a reconnaissance aircraft from the Japanese ship Haruna. Within an hour Admiral Nagumo launched a force of some 85 dive bombers against Hermes and Vampire which at the time were without any air cover; 15 minutes after the attack started both ships had been hit many times and sank. A total of 306 (307 according to some sources) officers, ratings and Royal Marines of Hermes’s crew of some 600 lost their lives, including the ship’s commander, Captain R. F. J. Onslow, M.V.O., D.S.C., though the ship went down less than five miles off the coast. Hermes was the ninth ship of the Royal Navy to carry the name. She was built by Armstrong-Whitworth on Tyneside and was launched in September 1919, nine months after she was laid down. She completed her trials in 1923. Hermes was a small ship by modern standards, with a normal displacement of 10,950 tons (12,900 fully loaded) and a length of just under 600 feet. Her speed was 25 knots and she was built to carry 15 to 20 aircraft. Her complement was 551 to 664 excluding aircrew and her armament six 5.5-inch guns, four 4-inch guns and nine 2-pdr anti-aircraft guns. Hermes spent most of the period from 1925-35 on the China Station, based at Hong Kong. She returned to home waters in 1933 for a long refit at Devonport and on 1 November 1934, she was re-commissioned for service again on the China Station. She was placed in the Reserve Fleet at Devonport in 1937 and later was used as a training ship for the Fleet Air Arm in 1938-39. When war was declared in September 1939 Hermes was immediately put into service on Atlantic patrols searching for U-boats. She was also involved, together with ships of the French fleet, in searching for the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee. In late October Hermes and her accompanying French destroyers captured the German supply ship Santa Fe which her crew attempted to scuttle by opening the sea cocks before taking to their boats. Hermes returned to port at Dakar, Senegal, with her prize following at reduced speed. After a refit at Plymouth in early 1940 Hermes returned to the Dakar station and was for a period transferred from there to the east coast of Africa where she captured several Italian ships, including the Leonardo Da Vinci, which were leaving the port of Mogadishu with valuables. Captain Richard Onslow took over the command of Hermes from Captain Fitzroy E. P. Hutton on 25 May 1940. When France fell in June 1940 the governor of Senegal declared that the colony was pro the French Vichy government and Hermes was ordered to leave Dakar at only a few hours’ notice and take up a position to blockade the port since former allies were now regarded as enemies. The French battleship Richelieu, one of the most modern and powerful warships in the world, had sailed into Dakar a few days earlier and there was some on-board speculation that she might follow and try to sink Hermes. Captain Onslow was appointed acting rear admiral for the period 7 to 11 July 1940, making Hermes the temporary flagship of the small British squadron now on patrol off Dakar. On 3 July a British fleet had carried out a pre-emptive attack on units of the French navy at Mers-el-Kebir in Algeria, and four days later Hermes issued an ultimatum to the French admiral at Dakar. When no reply was received by the specified deadline, a plan to attack Richelieu inside Dakar harbour with depth charges was put into action. Shortly before midnight Hermes’s 25-foot motor boat, which had been painted black, loaded with four depth charges and manned by a volunteer crew of ten men, slipped away from Hermes, passed over the harbour boom and with some difficulty in the dark found their target. The depth charges were dropped under Richelieu’s stern where, despite being triggered, they failed to explode. The motor boat, pursued by a French vessel which became caught up in the boom nets, eventually returned safely to Hermes. Shortly before dawn on 8 July six Swordfish aircraft from Hermes launched an attack and one of their torpedoes is thought to have detonated the depth charges, making a 60ft hole in Richelieu that resulted in some flooding and caused her stern to sink to the bottom; she was pumped out after a few days and made seaworthy for emergency service. In the London Gazette of 6 September 1940 the following awards for ‘bravery and skill in operations off Dakar’ were announced to men who crewed the motor boat: Distinguished Service Order to Lieutenant Commander Robert H. Bristowe; Distinguished Service Cross to Commissioned Gunner Frederick W. Grant; Distinguished Service Medals to E.R.A. 2nd Class Cyril Ford and Acting Leading Seaman Patrick J. Kearns;
China 1900, no clasp (Lieut. B. H. Jones, R.I.M.S. Canning) good very fine and rare £500-£700 --- 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; Dix Noonan Webb, June 2006. Only 12 European recipients of medals to this ship. Benjamin Henry Jones joined the Royal Indian Marine in December 1891; Lieutenant, 27 November 1896; Commander, 13 October 1907; Captain, 1 January 1918; Retired 1920. Captain Jones was awarded the C.B.E. London Gazette 3 June 1919.
The rare Boxer Rebellion D.S.O. group of four awarded to Captain Eric Charrington, R.N., decorated for gallantry with the storming party at the capture of the Taku Forts, one of only five naval D.S.O.’s for China Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamels, with integral top riband bar; East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Benin 1897 (Lieut. E. Charrington. H.M.S. Philomel.); China 1900, 2 clasps, Relief of Pekin, Taku Forts (Lieut. E. Charrington, R.N. H.M.S. Alacrity.); United States of America, Military Order of the Dragon, with Pagoda top suspension brooch (Lieutenant Eric Charrington D.S.O. Royal Navy H.M.S. Alacrity No. 1239) the first with minor chips to green enamel wreath, the last with small edge bruise, otherwise extremely fine (4) £12,000-£16,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Eric Charrington was born in August 1873 and educated at Brighton and Portsmouth. He obtained four first-class certificates at College as Sub-Lieutenant and entered the Navy in 1885. He served as Lieutenant of Philomel in Zanzibar in 1896, was mentioned in despatches and witnessed the bombardment and capture of the Sultan’s palace on 27 August, by the Squadron of Rear-Admiral H. H. Rawson, C.B.. In the same ship he took part in punitive expedition commanded by Rear-Admiral Rawson, C.B., and landed from the Squadron to punish the King of Benin for the massacre of the political expedition, ending in the capture of Benin City, 18 February 1897 1897, on which occasion he commanded a 7-pounder gun and rocket tube (Medal with clasp). He served in China as Lieutenant of Alacrity, and was with the storming party at the attack and capture of the Taku Forts, and the relief of and operations around Tientsin, Haiku, and capture of Peiyang Arsenal, June 1900. For his services at the capture of the Taku Forts he was specially mentioned in despatches for gallant conduct and created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (London Gazette 9 November 1900). The insignia were presented at Hong Kong by the Rear-Admiral, Second-in-Command on the China station (Medal with two clasps). Promoted Commander in June 1905 and retired on 19 August following. He died as a Retired Captain at Wormstall, Newbury, Berkshire, on 15 September 1927.
The magnificent and rare ‘Kassassin’ C.G.M. group of nine awarded to Colour-Sergeant Benjamin White, Royal Marine Artillery, later Yeoman of the Queen’s Body Guard, the first Royal Marine N.C.O. so honoured Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, V.R., 2nd issue (Color Sergeant B. White, R.M.A.); Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 1 clasp, Tel-El-Kebir (Cr. Sergt. B. White, R.M.A.); Jubilee 1897, bronze issue; Coronation 1902, bronze issue; Coronation 1911; Jubilee 1935; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (Benjamin White, Sergt. 13th Co. R.M.A.) impressed naming; Royal Marine Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R., Field Marshal’s bust (No. 206. Benjamin White, Q.M. Sergt. R.M.A.); Khedive’s Star, dated 1882, mounted court-style as worn, contact marks to the earlier medals, otherwise nearly very fine or better (9) £14,000-£18,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, December 2009. Only 6 C.G.M’s. were awarded for the operations in Egypt 1882, all to the Royal Marines, including two for the battle of Kassassin. The following citation for Benjamin White’s Conspicuous Gallantry Medal was submitted by Lieutenant Colonel Tuson, R.M., in December 1882: ‘For gallant conduct at Kassassin on 28 August 1882. Having detached a company to prevent the enemy from out-flanking our left, and to prevent two guns advancing up the banks of the canal, which were doing mischief on our line. This Non-Commissioned Officer on two occasions under a very heavy fire, advanced up the Canal Bank and shot the horses each time they limbered up, and so prevented their advance.’ Benjamin White was born in April 1848 in Hatherleigh, Devon, and was a labourer prior to enlisting in the Corps at Exeter on 20 June 1866. He served ashore with the Royal Marine Artillery for nearly two years prior to embarking aboard his first ship H.M.S. Juno in May 1868. He was promoted to Bombardier on 2 April 1874 and to Corporal on 20 March 1875. He embarked aboard Minotaur in August 1875 and was promoted to Sergeant on 27 February 1876. He served ashore for nearly six years during which time he was promoted to Colour Sergeant on 13 January 1881. He was next embarked for service with the Royal Marine Mediterranean Battalion in June 1882 and was landed for service on shore to take part in the battles of Kassassin and Tel-El-Kebir. He returned to England aboard the SS Greece in October 1882 and disembarked to the R.M.A. Depot, being promoted to Quarter Master Sergeant on 9 December 1882. He continued to serve on shore until 9 April 1888, when he was discharged from the Corps having completed 21 years service. His Conspicuous Gallantry Medal was presented by Queen Victoria at a special Audience held at Windsor Castle on 21 November 1882. He received the rare distinction of being appointed to the Queen’s Bodyguard of the Yeomen of the Guard on 5 February 1893, being the first Royal Marine N.C.O. so honoured. He served in this capacity until his death in his 90th year on 19 March 1937. Over the course of forty four years he had served three Monarchs and had been the senior serving Yeoman for some years. During his long and faithful service he received the 1897 Jubilee Medal, the 1902 and 1911 Coronation Medals, and the 1935 Jubilee Medal being the only member of the Bodyguard thus honoured.
The Zulu War medal awarded to Leading Seaman William T. Plastine, Royal Navy, who died of severe wounds received at the battle of Majuba Hill in February 1881 South Africa 1877-79, clasp, 1879 (W. T. Plastine, Lg. Seam. H.M.S. “Boadicea”) small edge bruise, otherwise extremely fine and a rare casualty £2,400-£2,800 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Leading Seaman William T. Plastine was severely wounded by a gun shot which perforated his abdomen at the battle of Majuba Hill, 27 February 1881, and died of his wounds on 11 March 1881. A Naval Brigade comprising 64 petty officers and seamen, under Commander Francis Romilly, R.N., with one Lieutenant and one Surgeon, took part in the battle of Majuba Hill, during the First Boer War. The Naval Brigade suffered heavy casualties with 20 killed or died of wounds, including Romilly and his Lieutenant, and 12 men wounded.
The rare Siberia 1919 ‘Kama River Flotilla’ M.S.M. group of three awarded to Petty Officer J. B. D Whyte, Armourer’s Crew, H.M.S. Suffolk British War and Victory Medals (M.8666 J. D. B. Whyte. Ar. Cr. R.N.); Royal Navy Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R. (M8666 J. B. D. Whyte, Armr. Crew “Suffolk” Kama River May 1919) mounted for wear, pitted and worn, therefore good fine or better and rare (3) £400-£500 --- 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. M.S.M. London Gazette 5 March 1920 ‘Honours for services in Siberia.’ The following details are taken from Admiralty recommendations for honours: ‘For valuable services rendered with the British Naval Forces on the River Kama. While on active service in Siberia with the British Naval forces operating on the Kama River, this man distinguished himself by the praiseworthy manner in which he carried out his duties throughout the expedition. This man has been on active service in Siberia since August 1918 having served with the British Naval Armoured Train on the Ufa Front.’
John Brigum David Whyte served aboard the barge named Suffolk on the Kama River. Smaller than the tug Kent, the Suffolk carried a complement of nine men, of all ranks, under Gunner C. W. Clarke, R.N. who was awarded the D.S.C. Of the honours awarded to the Kent and Suffolk, the latter ship received the greater share compared with her significantly smaller compliment. In addition to Clarke’s D.S.C. the ship was awarded the one D.S.M. and four of the eight M.S.M.’s. One D.S.O., two D.S.C.s, one D.S.M. and eight M.S.M.s were awarded to the Kent and Suffolk during the Kama River operations. All but the two D.S.C.s and Whyte’s M.S.M. were awards to the Royal Marines. The Kent and Suffolk were, respectively, a small ship and a barge, on which were mounted 12-pounders and 6-inch guns removed from the Naval Armoured Train which had operated on the Ufa front the previous year. Sold with full research including a copy of Captain Jameson’s ‘Report on the proceedings of the British Naval Force acting with the Kama River Flotilla.’
The Naval General Service medal and R.N.I.P.L.S. Gold medal and Second Award ‘Boat’ awarded to Commander Henry Randall, Royal Navy and H.M. Coastguard Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Basque Roads 1809 (H. Randall, Midshipman.); Royal National Institution for the Preservation of Life from Shipwreck, G.IV.R., gold, with additional Second Award Gold ‘Boat’, attached by gold chains to suspend below the medal, the medal inscribed (Lieut. Henry Randall, R.N., Voted Feb. 9. 1825) the boat neatly inscribed across the four thwarts (Lieut. H. / Randall, R.N. / Voted 21 May / 1834) contained in a contemporary fitted case; together with a Georgian silver presentation salver, 27.5mm diameter, hallmarked London 1831, maker’s mark ‘W.K.R.’ for William Ker Reid of Chancery Lane, with central engraved presentation inscription: ‘Presented to Lieut. Henry Randall, R.N., Chief Officer of Coast Guard, by the Underwriters on the Wanderer Schooner wrecked near Elie 3d February 1833, to record His Humane Exertions in saving the lives of the Captain & Crew of that Vefsel.’, edge bruise to the first and light contact marks to the second but generally very fine and very rare (3) £8,000-£10,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Gold Medal, voted 9 February 1825: ‘Lieut., R.N., H.M. Coastguard, Elie, Scotland. On 17 January 1825, after the schooner Devoran had been wrecked at the Bridge of Don, north of Aberdeen, her Mate was washed overboard and was drowned. The wreck was seen at 6 a.m.; Lieutenant Randall set up the Manby rocket apparatus on the beach and succeeded in throwing a line on board the casualty at the fourth or fifth attempt. This enabled a boat, manned by coastguards, to bring off the four survivors.’ Gold Boat, voted 21 May 1834: ‘Lieut., R.N., H.M. Coastguard, Elie, Scotland. On 2 February 1833, when the schooner Wanderer was wrecked at Elie, Fife, in a violent storm, Lieutenant Randall and Mr. McCulloch put off in the Coastguard gig with two other men and, at the third attempt, rescued the Master and six men. They were landed under a salute of three cheers from several hundred spectators on the beach.’ Henry Randall entered the navy in June 1806 as a Midshipman. In the Pallas he witnessed the destruction of the French shipping in Aix Roads in April 1809, and accompanied the expedition to the Walcheren. In the Manilla, he was wrecked on the Hakk Sands, near the Texel, and taken prisoner on 28 January 1812, remaining in captivity until 1814. On his restoration to liberty he joined the Prince 98, flag-ship of Sir Richard Bickerton at Spithead, and in August 1815 - at which period he had been stationed for three months off Havre de Grace in the Euryalus - he was presented with a commission bearing the date 22 February 1814. He was advanced to Commander in January 1846, having served in the Coast Guard from June 1820. He survived to claim the N.G.S. medal for Basque Roads, and was one of only five recipients of the R.N.L.I gold medal and gold boat (not counting Sir William Hillary, who uniquely had three gold boats).
China 1900, no clasp (Engr. J. F. Ellis, R.I.M.S. Clive.) nearly extremely fine and rare £500-£700 --- 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; Dix Noonan Webb, June 2006. Only 13 European recipients of medals to this ship.
The rare Great War D.S.M. group of seven awarded for gallantry on land in France to Master-at-Arms W. C. Hatherley, Royal Navy Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (196082. W. C. Hatherly, Sh. Cpl. 1Cl. Service in France.); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (W. C. Hatherley, Ord. H.M.S. Terrible.); China 1900, no clasp (W. C. Hatterley, Ord. H.M.S. Terrible.); British War and Victory Medals (196082 W. C. Hatherley. M.A.A. R.N.) the War medal officially re-impressed; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (196082 W. C. Hatherly, Ship’s Corpl. 1CL., H.M.S. New Zealand) note variations in spelling of surname; together with H.M.S. New Zealand silver commissioning medal 1913, mounted court-style for display, generally good very fine (7) £2,400-£2,800 --- 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 21 January 1916. The recommendation for a Distinguished Conduct Medal (Immediate) was submitted by Major-General C. Barter, Commanding 27th (London) Division in France, and states: ‘For gallant conduct at the QUARRIES near VERMELLES on December 30th 1915. The detachment of a Machine Gun having all become casualties owing to shell fire, this Petty Officer, assisted by Petty Officer W. Bright, voluntarily manned the gun and brought it into action again, thereby materially assisting to repulse a German attack.’ Very few D.S.M.’s were awarded to the Regulating Branch in W.W.1; two only to Ship’s Corporals, including Hatherley, and six to Masters at Arms. Photographs of both Hatherley and Bright were published in The War Illustrated, 13 May 1916, with the caption: ‘Petty Officer W. Bright and Ship’s Corporal W. C. Hatherley, both awarded the D.S.M. While visiting the front line trenches, seeing a gun-team knocked out, they manned the gun at once and kept it in action most successfully.’ William Cecil Hatherley was born at Kenton, Devon, on 12 March 1882, and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. Impregnable on 19 October 1897. He served in South Africa and China aboard H.M.S. Terrible, from September 1899 to October 1902. He achieved Petty Officer status in November 1906 and joined the Regulating Branch in August 1910, as Ship’s Corporal 2nd Class, advancing to Ship’s Corporal 1st Class in February 1911 and to Master-at-Arms in July 1917. He joined H.M.S. New Zealand in November 1912 and remained in her for most of the war, including the battle of Jutland. He was awarded the L.S. & G.C. medal in March 1915 and is also entitled to the 1914-15 Star. Hatherley was discharged to pension on 11 March 1922. Sold with copied record of service and other research.
The rare Great War C.S.I. group of seven awarded to Admiral Arthur Hayes-Sadler, Royal Navy, Senior Naval Officer during the Persian Gulf operations 1914-15 The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, C.S.I., Companion’s, neck badge, gold and enamel, with central onyx cameo of a youthful Queen Victoria, the motto of the order set in rose diamonds, suspended from a five-pointed silver star and silver-gilt ring suspension, with neck cravat; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 1 clasp, Alexandria 11th July (A. H. Sadler. Midn. R.N. H.M.S. “Sultan”); 1914-15 Star (R. Adml. A. Hayes-Sadler,); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (R. Adml. A. Hayes-Sadler.); Khedive’s Star, dated 1882; France, Third Republic, Legion of Honour, Commander’s neck badge, gold and enamels, 58mm, with neck cravat, the five campaign medals mounted as worn, the Egypt medal with light pitting, otherwise nearly extremely fine (7) £5,000-£7,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- C.S.I. London Gazette 4 May 1916. One of only three operational awards of the Star of India given to Naval officers during the entire Great War. M.I.D. London Gazette 5 April 1916. Arthur Hayes-Sadler was born on 9 October 1865, at Spa, Belgium, son of Sir James Hayes-Sadler, K.C.M.G. He entered the Royal Navy via H.M.S. Britannia on 15 January 1877, and served in various ships until appointed Midshipman on 21 June 1879. In H.M.S. Sultan, he witnessed the bombardment of Alexandria in 1882 and served ashore with the Naval Brigade shortly afterwards. He was thereafter promoted Sub-Lieutenant on 21 June 1883; Lieutenant on 30 June 1886; Commander on 1 January 1890; Captain on 30 June 1904; Rear-Admiral on 19 July 1915; Vice-Admiral on 3 November 1919; and Admiral (Retired) on 1 August 1924. In October 1914, Hayes-Sadler was ordered to the Persian Gulf in the battleship Ocean to conduct operations against the Turks. The key to the Gulf then, as now, was Basra, the great emporium of Mesopotamian trade, situated 70 miles up the Shatt-al-Arab. On 19 October, Ocean made a rendezvous with Dufferin and elements of the Gulf Expeditionary Force under Brigadier-General W. S. Delamain, and reached Bahrain four days later. On the 31st, the Admiralty sent authority to begin hostilities against Turkey. By 3 November, the convoy was off the outer bar of the Shatt-al-Arab, which Ocean could not cross. Next day, Hayes-Sadler armed various tugs and launches, and prepared to force a passage past the Turkish fort at Fao which guarded the entrance to the river. The following morning he set forth in the sloop Odin with an armed tug, and having silenced Fao’s guns, landed a party of Ocean’s Marines and some 600 troops who threw the enemy’s ordnance into the river. By 10 November, the whole of General Delamain’s force was ashore at Saniyeh awaiting reinforcements under Lieutenant-General A. A. Barrett. Under German influence, a Jihad had been declared, and therefore prompt action was everything. On the 17th, the land forces advanced, supported by Hayes-Sadler’s sloops, Odin and Espiegle, and two armed launches, providing fire from the river. Having put the enemy to flight, an entrenched camp was established at Sahil, and the wounded evacuated, preparatory to a strike on Basra. It was then learned that the Turks had attempted to block the Shatt-al-Arab with the sunken Hamburg-Amerika liner and two smaller vessels. Accordingly, the next day Hayes-Sadler went upstream to see what could be made of the obstacle. As he approached, he was fired on by a 500-ton gunboat, the Marmariss, by an armed launch and by a battery of 15-pounder Krupp guns. Espiegle replied with such effect that the launch was sunk, the battery silenced and the Marmariss put to flight, without the sloop suffering a single hit. Having ascertained that the obstruction could be cleared to afford a passage, Hayes-Sadler returned to the scene the following day. However, the clearance work had hardly begun when a launch appeared with a deputation from Basra, confirming the rumour that the garrison, evidently in awe of the Espeigle’s performance, had fled and pleading the British to come up and save the city from looting Arabs. To secure Basra, and capitalise on this success, it was proposed to proceed a further 45 miles to Kurnah on the confluence of the Tigris and Euphrates. During the early days of December, Hayes-Sadler spent much of his time in advance of the main force, conveying troops of the Kurnah detachment, finding suitable landing places, negotiating the uncharted shallows of the river and giving supporting fire. Finally on 8 December, two battalions of the 110th Light Infantry and 104th Rifles, and a Mountain battery, under Colonel Frazer, crossed the Tigris and made a concerted attack on Kurnah. However, it was felt that it was too late in the day to engage in street fighting and the attack was halted. The river flotilla continued firing until sunset and held their positions in readiness for the attack next day. Kurnah, though, had had enough, and early in the middle watch a steamer flying a flag of truce approached. Hayes-Sadler, being unable to communicate with the Generals, then took the surrender of the Turks. Thus, within a matter of weeks from the declaration of war on Turkey, Britain had a firm hold on the water-gate of Mesopotamia. On 13 December he sailed in Ocean for Suez, where he was to become Senior Naval Officer until further orders. In early 1915, Hayes-Sadler took part in the unsuccessful attempt to neutralise the forts that dominated the straits of the Dardanelles. On 4 March, Ocean was shelling Sedd-el-Bahr in support of survey and beach parties. At noon, Major Palmer, R.M.L.I., responded to a signal from the battleship to report on progress ashore, and communicated that he could not advance without a further 200 men, which Hayes-Sadler at once made ready. However, this request was denied by General Totman viewing operations from Irresistable, with the end result that the troops were forced to retire to the destroyers from which they had started. On the 18th of the same month, a second attempt was made under a revised plan which gave Hayes-Sadler command of the Second Division, comprising the 3rd, 4th, and 5th sub-Divisions. At 1.45, Admiral de Roebeck ordered the Second Division to relieve the French line which until then had been engaged in hazardous close work. As Hayes-Sadler’s ships took up their positions, the French ship Bouvet was hit with the loss of some 600 men. Closing to a range of 10,600 yards from the shore positions, the ships of the Second Division engaged their respective forts and used their secondary armament against the guns firing on the boats which were rescuing survivors of the Bouvet. By 5.10, the Irresistable was sinking and Hayes-Sadler was standing by to tow her out of action, but the former’s list, combined with the considerable cross-fire made it quite impossible. And so under a heavy fire from Dardanos and Saundere, the Ocean began to withdraw. At about five past six, a sudden heavy explosion announced that she had struck a mine, and almost simultaneously a shell found its mark, causing Ocean to take a list of 15°. Fortunately, Hayes-Sadler was able to signal three passing destroyers, the Colne, Jed and Chelmer, and evacuate the crew, albeit still under fire. However, after dark it was found that four men had accidentally been left aboard and Hayes-Sadler returned in Jed to take them off, leaving the abandoned Ocean to her fate. From August 1916, Rear-Admiral Hayes-Sadler commanded the British detachment in the Aegean, with his flag in Exmouth and then in Impla...
The rare lady’s Memorial Plaque to Miss Hilda May Bowman, Women’s Royal Naval Service Bronze Memorial Plaque, ‘She Died for Freedom and Honour’ (Hilda May Bowman) good very fine £3,000-£4,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Hilda May Bowman served as a Clerk with the Women’s Royal Naval Service and died on 24 October 1918. She is buried in Dover Cemetery, Kent.
An extremely rare Arctic M.S.M. pair awarded to Quarter Master John Davis, H.M.S. Investigator Arctic 1818-55, unnamed as issued; Arctic Meritorious Service Medal, Arctic Expedition 1854 (John Davis, Qr. Mr., H.M.S. Investigator) fitted with scroll suspension, very fine and better (2) £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: Formerly in the collection of Captain Douglas-Morris who owned both known examples. One of only four Arctic Meritorious Service Medals awarded, with all recipients belonging to the Investigator on its historic voyage of 1850-53 which resulted in the discovery of the North West Passage. The Arctic Meritorious Service Medal is the first officially awarded medal for service in the Arctic and paved the way for the Arctic Medal 1818-55 which was instituted in May 1857 (vide Naval Medals 1793-1856 by Captain K. J. Douglas-Morris). John Davis/Davies, born at Teignmouth, Devon, joined the Navy aboard H.M.S. Poictiers in September 1842 as an Ordinary Seaman at the age of 21. He was advanced to the rate of Quarter Master on 15 April 1853, aboard the ice-bound Investigator in Mercy Bay - a few days after the crew had been visited by Lieutenant Pim from H.M.S. Resolute bringing news of their impending rescue. A medical survey was carried out on the Investigator’s crew a month later, revealing that John Davies ‘… has been 93 days under treatment for scurvy, 55 days in 1853 and 38 days in 1852. The gums are now tumid, livid and supporating …’ On 17 October 1854, soon after John Davies had returned home to England aboard H.M.S. North Star, he left the Navy after serving some 12 years. His advancement to Petty Officer status in the latter part of Investigator’s Commission caused a small problem when the apportionment of the £5,000 Parliamentary gratuity were being calculated. The Accountant General requested instructions from the Admiralty Board as to whether John Davies should share in the Parliamentary Grant as an A.B. or Quartermaster. The decision was minuted in customary laconic style ‘… to share as an A.B. …’, dated 7 November 1855. Thus his share was reduced from that due to a Q.M. of £87-8-4 to that for an A.B. of £29-1-5. If John Davies had left the navy with the expectation of receiving a small fortune, he must have been disappointed indeed.
Pair: Sergeant William Henniker, Royal Marines Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., Anchor obverse, reverse inscribed, (W. Henniker, Serjeant, Chatham Division, Royal Marines, 22 Years, January 1840) fitted with scroll suspension; Royal Marines Meritorious Service Medal, V.R., dated ‘1848’ below the bust (Serg. W. Henniker, R.M. 16 Jan. 1849) officially engraved naming, mounted for wear, heavy contact marks, good fine and rare (2) £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: John Tamplin Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, December 2008. Just 39 Royal Marine M.S.Ms. with ‘1848’ dated obverse issued, Henniker being the first listed recipient and one of only two recorded in combination with Anchor type L.S. & G.C. medal.
 William Henniker was born in about 1799 in the Parish of Boughton, near Faversham, Kent. On 5 March 1818 he enlisted into the Royal Marines at Rochester, aged 19 years. On 5 January 1841, having served ‘upwards of twenty-two years with irreproachable character’, and that his service ‘has been distinguished by his good conduct’, he was recommended for the Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. This was approved by the Lords Commissioners on 11 January, and he was awarded a gratuity of £15 and the Medal. At the time he was in the Chatham Division of the Royal Marines. Henniker continued to serve, and on 24 April 1849, having had 31 years service, he was awarded the very first Royal Marines Meritorious Service Medal together with an annuity of £15 from that date. At the time he was ranked as a Sergeant, with the appointment of Drum Major, serving in the 17th Company Royal Marines. William Henniker died on 11 July 1876. Sold with full copied research.
The Egypt and Sudan pair awarded to Petty Officer Patrick Collins, Royal Navy, one of only 12 men of the Royal Navy present with the Nile Flotilla at Kirbekan Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 3 clasps, Alexandria 11th July, The Nile 1884-85, Kirbekan (P. Collins, A.B, H.M.S. “Invincible”); Khedive's Star, dated 1882, unnamed as issued, some pitting from Star, otherwise nearly very fine and very rare (2) £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: Palmer War Medal Collection catalogue 1914; Alan Hall Collection, June 2000. Only 12 Kirbekan clasps issued to the Royal Navy. Patrick Collins was born in Liverpool, Lancashire, on 17 May 1862. He entered the Service as a Boy 2nd Class aboard the training ship H.M.S. Impregnable on 19 September 1878, aged 16 years. He transferred to Ganges October 1878 and was advanced to Boy 1st Class on 17 December 1878. On advancement to Ordinary Seaman on 25 May 1880, he served aboard Royal Adelaide May 1880, Hercules August 1880, Warrior May 1881, Royal Adelaide October 1881, Hecla March 1882, and Invincible May 1882. During service in the latter vessel he was present at the bombardment of Alexandria on the 11 July 1882, and was advanced to Able Seaman on 1 August 1882, and also awarded the Egypt Medal with clasp 'Alexandria 11 July' and Khedives Star 1882. In the rate of Able Seaman he transferred to Monarch October 1884, for service with the Nile Flotilla and was present at the battle of Kirbekan on 10 February 1885 (awarded the clasps 'The Nile 1884-85' and 'Kirbekan'). He was next posted to Excellent in June 1885 for a Gunnery Course, and on passing joined Pylades in August 1886. Returned to Excellent November 1889, where he was rated Acting Captain of Gun and in this rate he next joined Asia in January 1890. He was transferred to the Coast Guard Service as a Boatman at Shannon in January 1890, served at Limerick, Knockalla in July 1893, and Newhaven, Chichester Harbour January 1896. In the latter posting he was advanced to Commissioned Boatman and was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct medal on 5 May 1898, as a member of the Coast Guard Service. The lateness of receiving the award was due to a character rating of 'good' in 1882 necessitating a restart in his 15 years of continuous 'very good' character rating required for the award of the medal. Collins transferred to Milford July 1898 and Lymington June 1900. Served on this station until 4 July 1902 when he was pensioned ashore having completed 22 years adult service. He joined the Royal Fleet Reserve at Portsmouth on 5 July 1902, and was reengaged as a Petty Officer 1st Class pensioner on 13 July 1902. He served aboard Australia for duty with the Boom Defence Service at Southampton. He transferred to Apollo January 1903 and served until discharged to shore on 28 May 1904. By this time his adult service had risen to 23 years. He continued to serve with the Royal Fleet Research and was mobilised on the 2 August 1914 aboard Victory I. Being over 50 years of age he was immediately released from active service. Sold with copied record of service.
A rare Arctic medal pair awarded to Benjamin Ball, 1st Engineer of the Private Yacht Pandora in her voyage to Arctic Regions, June to November 1876 China 1857-60, no clasp, unnamed as issued; Arctic Medal 1875-76 (Benjn. Ball, 1st Engr. Pandora) mounted for display, nearly extremely fine (2) £4,000-£5,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- 33 Arctic medals medals awarded to the crew of the Pandora. Benjamin Ball was born at Landport, Hampshire, in March 1830. He earned his no clasp medal for the 2nd China War for service as a Stoker aboard H.M.S. Adventure. He had served previously as a Stoker aboard H.M.S. Devastation, 19 May 1851 to 26 June 1855, and aboard H.M.S. Wye, 27 June 1855 to 28 February 1857. His China medal was sent to Asia from which ship he was paid off on 10 May 1861. Sold with copied medal roll extracts and some research notes.
Polar Medal 1904, G.V.R., 1st issue, bronze, 1 clasp, Antarctic 1910-13 (R. Oliphant, A.B., Terra Nova:) good very fine and very rare £8,000-£10,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- One of only six medals for Scott’s last expedition awarded in bronze to those crew members who made only one voyage. Oliphant’s medal was presented by the King on 26 July 1913. Sold with copied entry from Polar Medal roll and confirmation that Oliphant is not entitled to Great War medals.
Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp (Commr. Edwd. Danvers, Hoorungotta Str.) nearly extremely fine and extremely rare £1,400-£1,800 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Edward Danvers entered into the employ of the Government, and in particular the Bengal Marine Department, on 1 December 1848. He was appointed Acting 3rd Officer of the steamer Fire Queen, and on 6 January 1852, Third Officer of the steamer Enterprise. On 26 May 1852 he was appointed Chief (later called Second) Officer of the steamer Mohanuddy; on 15 April 1854 to the Shoe Gong as Third Officer; and on 13 March 1856, in the same rank on the steamer Fire Queen. He was appointed Acting Commander of the Goomtee cargo boat on 21 June 1857. His date of seniority as Acting Commander is given as 1 April 1857, and as Commander as 4 August 1858. In July 1858 he is shown as Commander of the Ferry boat Benares, and in October 1858 as Acting Commander of the steamer Hoorungotta. It was whilst in this latter vessel that Danvers qualified for his Indian Mutiny medal, one of only 4 officers and 4 seamen shown on the roll for this vessel. The various directories show his subsequent appointments as Commander of the Inland steamer Hoorungotta in 1859-60, described as a vessel of 200 tons and 60 h.p., of the Bengal Marine; as Commander of the Government Inland steamer Jaboona in 1861, a vessel of 279 tons and 120 h.p.; as Commander of the Government steamer Adjai in 1863, a vessel of 292 tons and 60 h.p.; and as Captain of the steamer Industry in 1864, a 120 h.p. vessel belonging to the Bengal River Company, Ltd. Thacker’s Bengal Directory of 1865 shows him as Assistant Superintendent of Police on the East Indian Railway, but his name does not appear after 1867. Sold with research notes by John Tamplin.
The rare Boxer Rebellion C.G.M. group of four awarded to Leading Seaman Herbert George, H.M.S. Orlando, for gallantry at Hsiku, Taku Forts, in June 1900 Conspicuous Gallantry Medal, V.R., 2nd issue (Herbert E. George, Leadg. Seaman R.N. China 1900) officially engraved naming; China 1900, 1 clasp, Relief of Pekin (H. George, Lg. Smn., H.M.S. Orlando); British War Medal 1914-18 (162772 H. E. George, P.O. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (162772 H. E. George, Boatn. H.M. Coast Guard) light contact marks, otherwise very fine and better (4) £16,000-£20,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Douglas-Morris Collection, Dix Noonan Webb, February 1997. Only 8 Conspicuous Gallantry Medals were awarded for services in China 1900. C.G.M. London Gazette 22 March 1901: ‘For services in connection with the recent operations in China.’ The following recommendation was submitted by Commander C. D. Granville on 16 November 1900 (Ref S.316/1900): ‘Close by the Taku Forts on 22 June Able Seamen George and Turner were in the leading junk conveying twenty wounded men down the river, which had got some distance ahead of the other junks, when a heavy fire was suddenly opened from the Chinese troops on the right bank at forty yards distance, killing two of the Seamen Guard, wounding one Chief Petty Officer and one American seaman. The men manning the two ropes on the left bank took cover and the junk was left drifting down stream towards the Chinese on the right bank. Turner and George, who formed part of the guard in the junk, at once hauled up and manned the empty sampan which the junk was towing. They succeeded in towing their junk back 200 yards against the stream into safety behind a bend in the river where other junks were lying. Surgeon Pickerton of H.M.S. Centaur, who was in the junk in charge of the wounded, is of the opinion that it was owing to the behaviour of these two seamen that the lives of many if not all in the junk were saved.’ The following report was submitted by Captain B. H. McCalla, U.S. Navy: ‘Edward Turner, Leading Seaman, and Herbert George, Able Seaman, were part of the guard in one of the junks in which there were British and American wounded and which on the 22 June (1900) at Hsiku drifted across the river under a heavy fire and grounded on the bank occupied by the Chinese. These two men sprang overboard pushed the junk clear of the bank, manned an empty sampan and towed the junk out of the line of the enemy fire, though this was not accomplished until three of the wounded in the junk had been killed.’ It is interesting to note that Captain McCalla was the only American recipient of the British medal for China, presented to him through the British Embassy at Washington in June 1903. On 24 April 1901 the American Ambassador forwarded two gold medals awarded by the Life Saving Benevolent Association of New York to be presented to George and Turner in recognition of their services to a drifting junk filled with American and British wounded at Taku on 22 June 1900. George's medal was presented to him aboard H.M.S. Duke of Wellington on 30 July 1901, in the presence of the ships officers and men. George was also granted an annuity of £10 per annum to accompany the C.G.M. on attaining the rate of Petty Officer 1st Class. Herbert Edward George was born in Leyton, Essex, on 27 March 1876, and entered the service as a Boy 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. Impregnable on 2 September 1891, when aged 15 years. Whilst serving in Orlando he was landed as part of the Naval Brigade and took part in the operations to relieve Pekin. He was specially advanced to Leading Seaman on 10 August 1900, for services in China, and received his China medal personally from H.M. King Edward VII. He was advanced to Petty Officer in July 1902 and, in November 1903, volunteered to join the Coast Guard Service. He was posted to the Eastern District at Clacton as a Boatman in November 1903, subsequently serving at Cleethorpes, being advanced to Leading Boatman in June 1911 and transferred to the Southern District, Kingston on Sea in November 1913. He was advanced to Petty Officer (Coast Guard) in January 1916 and transferred to the Scottish District at St Abbs Head in July 1916. He served next at Kingston on Sea and returned to St Abbs Head in January 1918, being demobilised on 8 March 1919. He was awarded his L.S. & G.C. medal in April 1909 whilst serving with the Coast Guard Service at Cleethorpes. Sold with copied record of service.
Indian Mutiny 1857-59, no clasp (Commr. Wm. E. Sanderson, Myoo Ferry Boat) nearly extremely fine and extremely rare £1,400-£1,800 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- William Eggleston Sanderson entered into the employ of the Government, and in particular the Bengal Marine, on 20 August 1851. He was appointed a Gunner’s Yeoman on the steamer Nemesis on 22 February 1852. He is first shown in the Bengal Directory of 1855 as a Master Mariner, residing at 12 Kerr’s Lane, Calcutta. In 1857 he is shown as Chief Officer of the steamer Forbes, and in 1858 as commanding the Megna and the Myoo steam ferry boats, presumably in succession. Sanderson took part in the suppression of the Indian Mutiny and at one stage ‘he bravely resisted an attack on the boat at Gampur.’ He received his Indian Mutiny medal as Commander of the Myoo Ferry boat, one of only two medals issued to this vessel, which was described as being of 40 tons. In 1861 he is shown as the Commander of the Tug steamer Andrew Henderson, but his absence from the directories of 1863 indicates that he probably died during 1862. Sold with research notes by John Tamplin.
The Naval General Service medal awarded to Major William Bleamire, 49th Regiment, for his service aboard H.M.S. Polyphemus at the battle of Copenhagen Naval General Service 1793-1840, 1 clasp, Copenhagen 1801 (Wm. B. Bleamire, Capt. 49th Regt.) original frosted finish, some very minor scuffing, otherwise extremely fine and extremely rare £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: Dix Noonan Webb, June 2000. Captain William Bird Bleamire, 49th Foot, was present at the battle of Copenhagen aboard H.M.S. Polyphemus. 23 medals were issued to the 49th Foot for Copenhagen, together with two to the Rifles and one to the Artillery. The 49th Foot, under Colonel Brock, together with two companies of the Rifle Corps, and a detachment of Artillery, were embarked aboard various ships of the fleet, under the command of Admiral Sir Hyde Parker, with Vice-Admiral Lord Nelson as second-in-command. It was during this engagement that Nelson famously ignored Parker’s signal of recall when, with his glass to his blind eye, he said, ‘I have a right to be blind sometimes... I really do not see the signal.’ William Bird Bleamire was appointed Ensign in the 49th (or Hertfordshire) Regiment on 3 September 1795; Lieutenant on 22 February 1796; Captain on 23 September 1797; and Major on 6 August 1803. He appears in the 1806 Army List as Major in the 49th Regiment, but is not traced in the 1807 Army List. Major Bleamire died at Bath on 22 March 1850, aged 71.
Pair: Chief Petty Officer Harry Morris, Royal Navy, who was landed in charge of the small Naval Brigade from H.M.S. Heron on the expedition to Illah in October 1898 and received one of only ten ‘1898’ clasps awarded to the Royal Navy East & West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, 1898 (H. Morris, C.P.O., H.M.S. Heron); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R. (Harry Morris C.P.O. H.M.S. Heron) impressed naming, light contact marks, otherwise good very fine and extremely rare (2) £3,000-£4,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Provenance: Alan Hall Collection, June 2000. Only 10 medals with this clasp awarded to the Royal Navy. Chief Petty Officer Morris was the senior non-commissioned officer landed and had charge of the small Naval Brigade. Henry ‘Harry’ Morris was born in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, on 9 July 1863. He was employed as a Labourer prior to entering the service as a Boy 2nd Class aboard H.M.S. St Vincent on 14 October 1879, aged 16 years. He was advanced to Boy 1 Class on 20 October 1880, and in this rate he joined Hannibal in July 1881 and Boadicea in August 1881. In the latter vessel he was advanced to Ordinary Seaman in September 1881. In this rate he subsequently joined Rambler, September 1881, Duncan, March 1884, and Wanderer, May 1884. During his service in the last named vessel he was advanced to Able Seaman in August 1884. As an Able Seaman he subsequently served aboard the Duke of Wellington, February 1888, Duncan, April 1886, Wildfire, April 1889, Pembroke, June 1902 and Daphne, October 1892. During a three year commission in the latter vessel he was advanced to Leading Seaman on the 24 October 1892, Petty Officer 2nd Class, 24 July 1893 and to Petty Officer 1st Class on 1 February 1894. In this new elevated rate he joined Grafton, January 1896 and Pembroke, February 1896. In the latter shore establishment he was advanced to Acting Chief Petty Officer on 15 April 1896 and confirmed in this rate on the 27 April 1897. In this senior rate he subsequently joined the small River Gunboat Heron in March 1898 for service on the West coast of Africa. He was landed in charge of the small Naval Brigade from Heron that formed part of a larger force under Lieutenant-Colonels Wilcocks and Pilcher who commanded respectively the expeditions to Bongu and Illah in June and October 1898, sent to punish the Enuos of Lapai and Argunga who had been slave raiding the towns along the Niger River. In an earlier Borgu expedition under Lieutenant Colonel Wilcocks the gunboats Heron and Jackdaw secured the base of operations at Badjibo, However, this service did not qualify the gunboats crews for the clasp ‘1898’, as they did not land. Four men from Heron were later landed in June 1898 and accompanied Lieutenant Colonel Wilcocks during the expedition to Borgu. A further six men under the command of Chief Petty Officer Morris were landed and accompanied the Illah expedition in October 1898. The ten men from Heron, who had taken part in the two expeditions, received the East and West Africa medal with clasp '1898'. Whilst serving aboard Heron he was also awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct medal in February 1899, after 18 years; the lateness of the award was due to having received character assessments of 'fair' in 1881 and 1883, and 'good' in 1882. He was later transferred on the same station to the Jackdaw in January 1899 and served until 'paid off’ on 3 January 1899, when both the gunboats Heron and Jackdaw were transferred to the Nigerian Marine. Morris subsequently joined Pembroke 1 in February 1899 and continue to serve aboard this vessel until pensioned ashore on 7 July 1906, having completed 25 years adult service. He joined the Royal Fleet Reserve at Chatham on 21 July 1906, and was mobilised aboard Pembroke I on 2 August 1914, but only served until 9 October 1914, when he was discharged ashore, medically unfit. His short service of less than 2 months appears not have qualified him for the British War Medal. His service record also states that he was not eligible to receive a war gratuity. Sold with copied record of service.
A rare Trafalgar Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund Certificate awarded to Lieutenant Thomas Wearing, Royal Marines, voting him the sum of £30 in consideration of the wounds he received at Trafalgar whilst serving on board the Conqueror The certificate voting Lieut. Thomas Wearing “ .... the Sum of Thirty Pounds in consideration of the Wound you received in contributing to the signal VICTORY obtained by the British Fleet consisting of 27 Sail of Line under the command of the ever to be honoured and lamented the late Vice Admiral Lord Viscount NELSON over the combined Fleets of France and Spain consisting of 33 Sail of the Line, off Cape Trafalgar, on the 21st day of October last; when 19 Sail of the Line were captured from the enemy; and in the words of Vice Admiral Lord Collingwood who so nobly completed the triumph of the day, “every Individual appeared a HERO on whom the Glory of his Country depended.” Inscribed in ink to ‘Lieut: Thomas Wearing, Royal Marines, His Majesty’s Ship, Conqueror’ and signed James Shaw, Mayor, 330mm x 240mm., framed, a few minor stains, otherwise good condition (2) £4,000-£5,000 --- Importation Duty This lot is subject to importation duty of 5% on the hammer price unless exported outside the UK --- --- Thomas Wearing was born in Norton, Cheshire, in 1788, and was commissioned into the Royal Marines as 2nd Lieutenant in 1804. On board H.M.S. Conqueror he saw active service and was wounded at the battle of Trafalgar, his ship being responsible for the destruction of the French flagship Bucentaure. As a result of his wound, he was awarded £30 by the Lloyd’s Patriotic Fund and subsequently was awarded the N.G.S. with one clasp for Trafalgar in 1849 (sold at Sotheby’s in February 1990). After various spells ashore and at sea, in 1815 he was employed in carrying despatches between the Fleet and the Duke of Wellington and arrived on the field of Waterloo on the evening of 18 June, just after the fighting had ceased. He thus did not qualify for the Waterloo medal which, in combination with his N.G.S. Trafalgar medal, would have been unique. Thereafter, he saw service on H.M.S. Wye (1818-19), H.M.S. Hastings (1835-38), H.M.S. Impregnable (1841) and finally on H.M.S. Cambridge (until 1843). On 25 November 1851, Wearing - by this time a Lieutenant-Colonel - was appointed R.M. Aide-de-Camp to Queen Victoria, a position he held until 1855. Further promotions saw him as Lieutenant-General in 1857, on the ‘active list’ at the age of 69 years. Following an edict of the Admiralty in relation to the Royal Marines, on 28 March 1863, Wearing became the first General Officer to be appointed Colonel of the Plymouth Division. He died on 19 May in the same year and was buried at St. Mary’s church, Torquay, Devon. Sold with some research notes and a small framed stipple engraving of Lord Nelson.
The Master of Marradi (active in Tuscany, 1480-1500) Madonna and Child Enthroned, oil on panel, exhibition labels and previous auction details verso, image 85.5 x 63.5cms, in gilt frame 107 x 84cms total.Exhibition: Royal Academy of Arts - Winter Exhibition, 1881. No.184 'Small full-length figure of the Virgin and Child enthroned, in a red undergarment and dark blue mantle; the Child, seated on a red cushion on her lap, holds a jewelled clasp in his l. hand; on either side of the richly decorated throne is seen in a landscape with buildings, and on the l. figures on foot and horseback proceeding along a road. Panel 34 by 25' - To see the catalogue listing click here Exhibition of Early Italian Art From 1300 to 1550: The New Gallery, Regent Street, 1893-4 - 115 'Full-length under life-size figure of the Virgin seated facing in a very richly ornamented shrine; the Infant Christ is seated on a cushion on her right knee playing with a jewel which hangs from her mantle; landscape background. Panel 34X 25 in. Follow Link Royal Academy of Arts Exhibition - 1896 No.147 'Small fully-length figure of the Virgin enthroned, holding the Child, Whi is seated on a red cushion on her lap and holds the jewelled fastening of her robe in His l. hand...'. Provenance: Lot 137 - Christie, Manson & Woods, Catalogue of highly important pictures by old masters, the property of the late Charles Butler, Sold £1,102. Thence by descent. Notes: Previously attributed to Bernardino di Betto, known as Pinturicchio (Little Painter), this rare work has only recently been uncovered as a work by The Master of Marradi. The full-length Madonna and Child shows the Christ-Child holding a pendant suspended from the neck of the Virgin Mary. Seated on an altarpiece set within a landscape, behind a procession and town can be seen. The work was verified by Everett Fahy (1941-2018) in the mid-1990s and images and details are available in the Everett Fahy Photo Library found here.The Master of Marradi produced altarpieces, tondi, ornamented chests or forzieri, and small devotional panels in Tuscany between the late 15th Century and the early 16th Century. The artist is named after the location where a large nucleus of his works are located, conserved in the church of San Lorenzo at Marradi, in the province of Florence, situated in the Appennines dividing Tuscany and Emilia Romagna. His works were originally situated in the nearby abbey church of Santa Reparata in Salto at Badia del Borgo, and consist of five altarpieces, the most important of which represents the titular saint of the abbey complex, the Santa Reparata Altarpiece, dated 1498. The latest work in his oeuvre can be dated with certainty; it is the Enthroned Madonna and Child of Montefiridolfi of 1513.During the last century, various scholars identified this anonymous artist with a specific artistic personality: among them were Roberto Longhi and Wilhelm Suida, who proposed different names. However, it was during the 1960s that Federico Zeri coined the current and generally accepted name, based on his identification of the most substantial body of works by this anonymous Master at Marradi. Zeri identified this artist as a follower of Domenico Ghirlandaio and his circle, active in both Florence and its territories, as was the case with Marradi. Moreover, the artist reflects the influence of his contemporaries, including Botticelli, Filippino Lippi, and Perugino, by creating works (such as the present one being offered) in which rigorous compositional sobriety is combined with a delicate linearism. This is seen in the figures’ gracefully depicted faces and draperies, and in the detail, such as the Virgin’s transparent veil.
Vintage French Horse Racing Gambling Game in the form of a pocket watch with original pictorial box and instruction sheet. Name on box "Jeu Des Petits Chevaux" Game Of little Horses. Still in perfect working order, box in several pieces so needs some attention. Rare to find one in a box with instructions.
Programme Rare Single sheet Reading v Chelsea Football League South at Elm Park 29th April 1944. This match should have been played at Stamford Bridge as a Chelsea home match but a match between England and the Combined Services took preference and the original match was arranged at short notice at Reading. Score inserted.
Britains, John Hill & Co. (JoHillCo) & Similar - A Large Group of (Mostly) Pre-War Lead Soldiers. Includes: set of "VERY RARE, USA Aviation painting of the pilot figure which was to appear as a pilot of the Royal Air Force in set 1894 in 1940..." (Quoted from Opie's 'The Great Book of Britains' p.229, pic 369) & Others. Conditions generally appear Fair to Good overall. Not checked for completeness. See photo.
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