Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Second World War Minesweeping D.S.C. group of nine awarded to Captain R. H. V. Sivewright, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., the reverse officially dated 1942; 1914-15 Star (Mid., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Lieut., R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Burma Star, clasp, Pacific; War Medal, with M.I.D. oak leaf emblem; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Minesweeping 1945-51 (Capt., D.S.C. R.N.) mounted as worn, very fine or better (9) £600-700

D.S.C. London Gazette 31 March 1942: ‘For courage, skill and endurance while Minesweeping in dangerous waters in H.M.S. Romney.

M.I.D. London Gazette 1 January 1941.

Robert Henry Vivian Sivewright followed his elder brother George (Commander 1930), into the Royal Navy, and on 1 May 1915 was appointed Midshipman aboard the Battleship Britannia. In November 1916, he transferred to the Cruiser Courageous, was promoted Sub-Lieutenant in March 1917, and later transferred to the Fleet Minesweeping Sloop Honeysuckle, ending the war with the rank of Lieutenant. He attended a course at Cambridge University during 1919, and in December was appointed to the Destroyer Trinidad. His subsequent appointments included the Destroyer Sikh, the Battleship King George V, the Battle Cruiser Tiger, and the Light Cruiser Despatch. He was replaced on the Retired List in 1926, but was recalled to active service in October 1939 in the rank of Commander, and appointed to Badger, Parent Ship at Harwich. In September 1940, he was given command of the Minesweeper Seagull, followed in September 1941 by the command of the Bangor class Minesweeper Romney. In November 1942, he was appointed to the command of Exmouth, Accommodation Ship, with the rank of Acting Captain, and as Captain, Minesweeping Scapa Flow. In December 1944, he took command of the shore base Gombroon, and as Naval Officer in Charge Hornung, Persian Gulf. In April 1945, he was appointed Naval Officer in Charge of the naval base at Khorkuwai, Burma. He was one of the most senior officers to be awarded the clasp for Minesweeping 1945-51, which he earned whilst commanding minesweeping operations in the Burma-Malay area following the Japanese surrender in 1945. He was released from naval service in May 1946, reverting to the Retired List, and died on 9 April 1981.