Orders, Decorations and Medals

The Great War C.B. group of seven awarded to Rear-Admiral C. B. Miller, Royal Navy, who commanded the cruiser Nottingham from the outbreak of hostilities until her loss from torpedo attack in August 1916, a period encompassing her presence at Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank and Jutland, in which latter battle she fired 136 rounds from her 6-inch guns

The Most Honourable Order of The Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s neck badge, converted from breast wear, silver-gilt and enamel, in its Garrard & Co. fitted case of issue; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, no clasp (Naval Cadet C. B. Miller, H.M.S. Northumberland), official but later impressed naming; 1914-15 Star (Capt. C. B. Miller, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. C. B. Miller, R.N.); French Legion of Honour, Officer’s breast badge, gold and enamel, with rosette on riband; Khedive’s Star 1882, mounted as worn where applicable, generally good very fine (7) £2500-3000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte.

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C.B. London Gazette 15 September 1916.

Charles Blois Miller was born in Stanmore, Middlesex in March 1867 and entered the Royal Navy as a Naval Cadet in Britannia in July 1880. Joining the Northumberland on the Mediterranean Station in August 1882, aged 15 years, he was present in the Egypt operations, and was appointed Midshipman in February of the following year. His subsequent promotions pre-war were to Lieutenant in October 1890, to Commander in June 1903 and to Captain in December 1908.

By the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, Miller was in command of the cruiser Nottingham, in which ship he quickly saw action at Heligoland Bight and Dogger Bank, the latter engagement resulting in him being mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 2 March 1915 refers). But it was at Jutland above all, and particularly for his skilful manoeuvring of his ship, to avoid enemy salvoes, that he won greater distinction.

As part of the Second Cruiser Squadron, Nottingham was one of the first to sight the enemy’s High Seas Fleet on the afternoon of 31 May 1916 and, having delivered a torpedo attack, was subjected to 30 minutes of accurate fire, one officer on the bridge with Miller later describing how the ‘shells sometimes burst close to the ship and sent great fountains of water up to the height of the mast, while others would burst just 100 yards short and all the pieces would come hurtling over our heads, some hitting the ship’. The same officer also described Nottingham’s part in the night action that ensued:

‘Both ourselves and the enemy - we assumed afterwards that there were five enemy light cruisers - were firing with remarkable rapidity, and the noise became terrific, whilst every time our foc’sle gun fired we on the bridge were almost blinded by the flash. The range can have been little over 2,000 yards, which is almost point-blank range for 6-inch guns, and moreover, it was obvious that we and the enemy were on greatly converging courses, so I asked the captain if we should alter away a little, and he told me to do so ... Coming third in the line, we did not receive the same attention from the enemy as did the Southampton and Dublin, and although the searchlights were switched on to us and shells whistled all round, we were not hit. I think the fact that we were burning no searchlights saved us ... ’

Mentioned in despatches - ‘He commanded and fought Nottingham with great skill and gallantry’ - Miller was also gazetted on the same occasion for his appointment as Officer of the French Legion of Honour, in addition to being awarded the Russian Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class, with swords (London Gazette 5 June 1917), and the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, 3rd class.

Miller was still in command of the Nottingham when she was torpedoed in the North Sea by U-52 on 16 August 1916, on which occasion she went down with a loss of 38 of her crew:

‘Although the torpedoes fired had been seen from the Dublin, which was working with the Nottingham on the screen, Captain C. B. Miller had sighted nothing, and thought that his ship had struck a mine ... The Nottingham remained on an even keel, but her fires and lights were put out; the vessel was thus without power of manoeuvre, with everything below deck in darkness. The Dublin strove to keep down the submarine; but was herself attacked, and at 25 minutes past six another torpedo struck the Nottingham on the port side. Captain Miller had, by then, got his crew into the boats; and about 10 minutes before the ship went down the two destroyers arrived and helped in the work of rescue, although there were, in their turn, attacked. At 10 minutes past seven, the Nottingham sank.’

Just one week later, Miller was appointed to the command of the Glorious, in which ship he saw further action at Heligoland Bight on 17 November 1917, when she fired 57 of her 15-inch shells and gained a shared hit with the Courageous on the S.M.S. Pillow.

Appointed an A.D.C. to the King in 1919, and advanced to Rear-Admiral in February 1920, Miller was placed on the Retired List in May 1921.