Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War M.B.E. group of eight awarded to Captain Hugh Love Parker, Army Service Corps, late Cameron Highlanders

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 1st type breast badge, silver, hallmarks for 1919; 1914-15 Star (S4-085096 S.S. Mjr., A.S.C.); British War and Victory Medals (2 Lieut.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf, mounted as worn; Royal Humane Society, small silver (successful) (Capt. H. L. Parker, 10 Oct. 1918) with silver buckle on ribbon, good very fine (8) £500-600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Collection of Life Saving Awards formed by The Late W.H. Fevyer.

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Ref. Spink Exhibition 1985, No. 21.

M.B.E. London Gazette 3 June 1919. ‘For valuable services rendered in connection with the war’. ‘2/Lieut. (Acting Captain, 3rd Battalion Cameron Highlanders).

M.I.D. London Gazette 8 July 1941. ‘For distinguished service in the Middle East during the period December 1940 to February 1941’.

‘About 9.50 a.m. on the 10th October, 1918, the Royal Mail steamer Leinster was torpedoed by an enemy submarine in the Irish Channel about two miles from the Kish Lightship. Mrs M.M. Rae and her husband were passengers on the ship, and when the second torpedo was fired both were thrown into the sea and parted, the lady being unable to swim. Capt. Parker, who had practically only the use of one arm, owing to wounds received in France, swam to her assistance, and, in spite of the rough sea, kept her afloat for nearly two hours, when they were picked up by a boat from the destroyer Mallard in a very exhausted condition’ (Ref. R.H.S. Case No. 44,628; Acts of Gallantry, Vol. 2). Captain Parker was serving with the Cameron Highlanders at the time of the incident.

The steamship Leinster departed Kingstown for Holyhead on the morning of 10 October 1918, with 680 passengers and crew under the command of Captain W. Birch. A few hours out she was hit by two torpedoes from a German submarine and sank with the loss of 480 lives. At the time of the attack the weather was bad and there was a very heavy sea. As a result of this, many passengers were in their berths when the torpedoes hit and there was much confusion when they rushed out on deck. Several of the ship’s boats were launched too hurriedly and capsized. (Details taken from Disasters at Sea).

Hugh Love Parker entered the France/Flanders theatre of war as a Staff Sergeant-Major in the A.S.C. on 8 September 1915. Subsequently commissioned into the Cameron Highlanders and entitled to the Silver War Badge. With silver identity bracelet, hallmarks for Edinburgh 1946, inscribed, ‘H.L. Parker, Cameron Highlanders’. Sold with copied m.i.c. and gazette extracts.