Orders, Decorations and Medals

The inter-war C.B.E. group of eight awarded to Captain H. G. Moore, Royal Navy, a Jutland veteran who went on to win a “mention” for North Russia in 1919

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) Commander’s 1st type neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1919; 1914-15 Star (Commr., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Commr., R.N.); Defence Medal 1939-45; Royal Naval Reserve Decoration, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated ‘1947’, in its Royal Mint case of issue; Royal Humane Society’s Medal, bronze (Lieut., R.N., 25th July 1909), complete with riband brooch, good very fine or better (8) £1200-1500

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

View
Collection

C.B.E. London Gazette 23 June 1936.

Hartley Russell Gwennap Moore was born in April 1881, the son of John Gwennap Dennis Moore of Garlenick, Cornwall. Educated at Eastman’s, Stubbington and at the training establishment Britannia, he was appointed Midshipman in the battleship Magnificent on the Mediterranean Station in July 1897. Advanced to Lieutenant in March 1903, he was awarded his R.H.S. Medal for a gallant attempt to save the life of a Stoker at Spithead in July 1909, who had fallen overboard from his ship, the Hampshire.

By the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was serving as a recently promoted Commander in the battleship Lord Nelson, additional ‘for W./T. duties on the Staff of Admiral Burney’, the Admiral Commanding, Channel Fleet, but that December removed to the Marlborough in a similar capacity on the Staff of Admiral Madden, Second-in-Command, Grand Fleet. He was subsequently present at Jutland, when the Marlborough was hit by a torpedo that caused a 70ft. long by 20ft. deep hole - nonetheless she maintained her position in the battle line, her gunfire inflicting considerable damage on at least two enemy capital ships.

Having then served in the Revenge in the first half of 1917, and been recommended for promotion and a D.S.O. at the end of that year, which latter distinction Their Lordships regretted they could not approve, he served in President and at the Admiralty and was awarded the O.B.E. ((London Gazette 1 January 1919 refers), possibly in lieu of his earlier D.S.O. recommendation. Be that as it may, he next took command of the seaplane carrier Nairana, with 10 R.A.F. officers embarked, off Russia, and was mentioned in despatches for his part in the evacuation of the last British troops from the White Sea that September - in the previous month, with the assistance of her seaplanes, Nairana contributed to the bombardment and capture of Onega.

Moore was placed on the Retired List as a Captain in April 1927, but served for over a decade as Superintendent of Naval Mining and Anti-Mining Development (1923-35), making an important contribution to this country’s readiness for the coming conflict - by September 1939 the Royal Navy had around 20,000 mines of all types stored at home and in bases spread over the Commonwealth. He was awarded the C.B.E.

During the 1939-45 War, Moore served as a Major and Company Commander in the Home Guard 1940-43, and in the Civil Defence 1943-45. He died in Hampshire in December 1953.