Auction Catalogue

19–21 June 2013

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Washington Mayfair Hotel  London  W1J 5HE

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Lot

№ 1361

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20 June 2013

Hammer Price:
£600

Family group:

The impressive group of thirteen miniature dress medals attributed to Admiral Sir Dudley Rawson Stratford de Chair, Royal Navy
Order of the Bath, military division, gold and enamel, ring suspension; Order of St, Michael and St. George, silver-gilt and enamel, ring suspension; Order of the Bath, civil division, 9ct. gold., straight bar suspension, with gold buckle on ribbon; Royal Victorian Order, silver-gilt and enamel; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 1 clasp, Alexandria 11th July; 1914-15 Star; British War Medal 1914-20, 5 clasps, North Sea 1914, North Sea 1915, North Sea 1916, Home Seas 1917, Home Seas 1918; Victory Medal 1914-19, M.I.D. oak leaf; Jubilee 1897, silver; Coronation 1911, silver; France, Legion of Honour, 5th Class, silver, gold and enamel, enamel damage; U.S.A., Distinguished Service Medal, gilt metal and enamel; Khedive’s Star 1882, mounted as worn

A group of nine miniature dress medals attributed to Commander H. G. D. de Chair, Royal Navy
Distinguished Service Cross, G.VI.R., with 2nd Award Bar; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, S.E. Asia 1945-6; Coronation 1937, mounted as worn, generally very fine and better (22) £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, An Old Collection of Medals Relating to The Great War.

View An Old Collection of Medals Relating to The Great War

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Collection

Dudley Rawson Stratford de Chair was born on 30 August 1864, the eldest son of Dudley Raikes de Chair. Educated at H.M.S. Britannia, he entered the Royal Navy in 1878 and served at the bombardment of Alexandria in 1882. Served as Naval Attaché to the Maritime Powers of Europe, 1902 and North and South America, 1903-04. Commanded H.M. Ships Bacchante, Cochrane and Colossus, 1905-12. Awarded the M.V.O. in 1908. Served at the Admiralty during 1909 and was Assistant Controller of the Navy, 1910-12. Served as A.D.C. to H.M. King George V, 1911-12. Naval Secretary to Sir Winston Churchill when First Lord of the Admiralty, 1912-14. Awarded the C.B. in 1914. During the Great War he commanded the 10th Cruiser Squadron (Northern Blockade) 1914-16 and the 3rd Battle Squadron, 1917-18. Was Naval Adviser to the Foreign Office on Blockage Affairs, 1916-17 and was Naval Adviser with Balfour’s War Mission to the U.S.A., 1917. Awarded the K.C.B. in 1916; promoted to Vice-Admiral in 1917 and Admiral in 1920. Served as Admiral commanding the Coast Guard and Reserve, 1918-21 and President of the Interallied Commission on Enemy Warships, 1921-23. Appointed Governor of New South Wales, 1923-30. Awarded the K.C.M.G. in 1933. During the Second World War he served in the Home Guard, 1940-42. Author of The Sea is Strong. Admiral Sir Dudley de Chair died on 17 August 1958.

Henry Graham Dudley de Chair was born on 10 September 1905, the eldest son of Admiral Sir Dudley Rawson Stratford de Chair and his wife, Enid, third daughter of Henry William Struben, of Transvaal. He was educated at the Royal Naval Colleges, Osborne and Dartmouth. He served in the Royal Navy throughout the Second World War, retiring in 1955. He was serving as Lieutenant-Commander of the destroyer H.M.S.
Vimy, when on 3 September 1942, she successfully engaged and sank the German submarine U.162. For his actions he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. Serving as Commander of the destroyer H.M.S. Venus, his ship took part in ‘Operation Dukedom’, May 1945 - aimed at destroying the Japanese heavy cruiser Haguro which had been operating as a supply ship for Japanese garrisons in the Dutch East Indies and Bay of Bengal. Ships of the 26th Destroyer Flotilla (including Venus), skilfully managed to trap, engage and sink the Haguro at the battle of the Malacca Strait, 14 May 1945. For his actions he was awarded a Bar to his D.S.C.

With copied research and copied photographs.