Three: Captain A. L. Strange, Royal Navy

British War and Victory Medals (Commr., R.N.); Greece, Royal Order of the Redeemer, 3rd Class badge, 72 x 45mm., silver-gilt and enamel, lacking loop suspension, the three mounted court style for wear, last with edge bruising and enamel damage to arms, nearly very fine; medals very fine (3) £250-300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of British Groups with Foreign Awards.

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Andrew Lumsden Strange entered Britannia as a Naval Cadet in July 1894. In 1896 he was appointed a Midshipman when serving on the Majestic. He was promoted to Sub-Lieutenant in 1900 when on Jupiter; Lieutenant in 1902 when on Glory and attained the rank of Commander in June 1913 when at President. Specialising in ‘Gunnery’, he won the Egerton Prize in 1905. He served on the instructional staff of Excellent until October 1906 when he was appointed Gunnery Lieutenant of Queen, the Mediterranean flagship. In 1909 he joined the staff of the R.N. War College, Portsmouth. In August 1909 he was appointed Gunnery Officer of the King Edward VII with the Home Fleet. During 1912-13 he served in the Naval Ordnance Department, from which he was appointed for duty under the Greek Government as a member of the British Naval Mission under Admiral Mark Kerr. He remained there during the early days of the Great War. For his services, in August 1914 he was awarded the Royal Order of the Redeemer 3rd Class by the King of the Hellenes. Strange then returned to the U.K. and served at the Admiralty as a member of the Trade Division, Naval Staff. During 1918 he commanded the light cruiser Sentinel. After the war he was appointed an Assistant to the Director of Naval Ordnance in 1919. Serving as a Divisional Officer of the Coastguard in 1922, he retired in 1923 and was promoted to Captain (Retired) in 1926. Latterly living at 17 Norfolk Terrace, Brighton, he was adjudged to be bankrupt in 1928. Captain Strange died of natural causes whilst on active service on 24 June 1942 - being employed as Inspector of H.M. Coastguard, South-Eastern Division. With copied service papers, gazette extracts, The Times obituary and other research.