A well-documented Great War Battle of Jutland D.S.M. group of six awarded to Chief Engine Room Artificer 1st Class J. G. Ashton, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (268623 J. G. Ashton, C.E.R.A. 1 Cl., H.M.S. Erin, 31 May-1 June 1916); 1914-15 Star (268623 C.E.R.A. 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (268623 C.E.R.A. 1, R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (268623 C.E.R.A. 1 Cl., H.M.S. Pomone); Defence Medal 1939-45, all but the last mounted as worn, numbers on the first and last with minor corrections, generally good very fine (6) £1200-1500

D.S.M. London Gazette 15 September 1916:

‘For services rendered by Petty Officers and men of the Grand Fleet in the action in the North Sea on 31 May-1 June 1916.’

John George Ashton was born at Stonehouse, Devon in June 1874 and entered the Royal Navy as an Acting Engine Room Artificer 4th Class in November 1895. Gaining steady advancement to E.R.A. 2nd Class, he was serving aboard the Orwell on the occasion her collision with the Pioneer in the Gulf of Corfu in January 1903, when 15 lives were lost, and was awarded £10 for his meritorious conduct on the same occasion.

Advanced to C.E.R.A. 1st Class in January 1909, and awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in November of the following year, Ashton was serving in the battleship Erin on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, and remained similarly employed throughout the War, thereby being present in the Battle of Jutland, on which occasion he won his D.S.M.. He was demobilised in March 1920.

Sold with a large quantity of original documentation, including the recipient’s Greenwich Hospital School report, dated June 1890; his parchment Certificate of Service; an impressive scrap book and photograph album, with approximately 80 images, several of them showing the damaged Orwell and others scenes in Japan and China while serving in the Far East in the Monmouth 1908-10, together with a quantity of unmounted photographs (approximately 10), these either group shots or of a portrait nature, among them the recipient in Chinese dress; a charming postcard from the recipient’s daughters, dated 30 September 1914 (‘God bless my Daddy and keep him safe’), with their portrait photographs attached; surrender of the German Fleet “Der Tag” paper; an “Old Erin’s” Reunion Dinner menu card, 12 December 1936, and other related memorabilia, including a silver rum-measure, Chinese hallmarks, with engraved inscription, ‘E.R.As Whaler’s Race 1909, J. Ashton, C.E.R.A., China’, with related turned ebony base.