Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War O.B.E., D.S.C. group of nine awarded to Paymaster-Captain V. C. G. Eason, Royal Navy, who served as Secretary to Vice-Admiral Sir C. H. Thursby, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., throughout the war, including the ANZAC landings at Gallipoli

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) 1st type, the reverse hallmarked London 1919; Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., the reverse hallmarked London 1917; 1914-15 Star (Asst. Payr. V. C. G. Eason, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Payr. Commr., R.N.); Jubilee 1935; Coronation 1937; Order of the Redeemer, Officer, silver-gilt and enamels, enamels to obverse centre and several arms damaged; Order of St Maurice and St Lazarus, Chevalier, gold and enamels, mounted as worn, generally good very fine (9) £1400-1800

O.B.E. London Gazette 11 June 1919: ‘For valuable services as Secretary to Vice-Admiral C. H. Thursby, K.C.B., K.C.M.G., whilst holding important commands throughout the War.’

D.S.C. London Gazette 20 July 1917: ‘For services on the Staff of Vice-Admiral, Eastern Mediterranean Squadron between June 1916 - June 1917.’

Victor Cecil Gould Eason joined the Navy as Assistant Clerk on 15 July 1904, being promoted to Clerk in the following year and to Assistant Paymaster in July 1906. He joined H.M.S. Queen in October 1914 as Secretary to rear-Admiral C. H. Thursby, and served on his personal staff until the end of the War, and for a time afterwards. Thursby in Queen was in charge of the landing of the Australian and New Zealand forces north of Gaba Tepe, Gallipoli, on 25th-26th April 1915. Sir Ian Hamilton, in his despatch dated 20 May 1915, said: ‘The assistance of the Royal Navy here as elsewhere has been invaluable. The whole of the arrangements have been in Admiral Thursby’s hands, and I trust I may be permitted to say what a trusted and powerful friend he has proved himself to be to the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps’ (London Gazette 6 July 1915).

Eason followed Admiral Thursby into H.M.S. Lord Nelson in May 1916, when he was in command of the British Adriatic Squadron, and later as Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Mediterranean; and in August 1917 to H.M.S. Centurion, when he was Commanding Coast Guard and Reserves. In August 1918, he went with Thursby to the Impregnable, when he was Commander-in-Chief, Devonport. Eason became Paymaster Commander in December 1925, and Paymaster Captain in June 1936, and was appointed accountant officer of H.M.S. Excellent, gunnery school, Portsmouth, in 1937. He died at Haslar Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, on 18 September 1960.