Orders, Decorations and Medals

Five: Chief Petty Officer A. Stewart, Royal Navy

1914-15 Star (182281. Act. C.P.O. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (C.P.O. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (P.O. H.M.S. Russell); Naval Good Shooting Medal, E.VII.R. (P.O. 1Cl., H.M.S. Venerable. 1904. 12 In. B.L.). Together with the following shooting prize medals: ornately pierced silver medal, the obverse inscribed ‘Worlds Record 1904’, the reverse inscribed ‘A. Stewart, P.O.1 H.M.S. Venerable’, hallmarked Birmingham 1902; silver Maltese cross inscribed ‘United Service Cup. A. Stewart, P.O.1 H.M.S. Venerable’, hallmarked London 1904, the suspension bar dated ‘1905’ and top suspension inscribed ‘Malta’; bronze medal with central figure of a Bluejacket and ship in background, inscribed ‘Navy VIII’ but otherwise unnamed, the suspension dated ‘1911’, nearly extremely fine and a scarce group (8) £300-350

H.M.S. Venerable was involved in 1904 in long range firing experiments, together with H.M.S. Victorious, known as the Prasa Island firing. Such was the debate, both within and without the Service, about accurate long range gunfire that in 1904 these two ships set about their competitive experiments in the Mediterranean. However, instead of the outcome of the test firing becoming a combined report from the two ships, each ship sent in a report, each with different conclusions. The experiments do not appear to have reached any new or worthwhile conclusions and even drew criticism for wasting an enormous amount of ammunition. Whatever the results, it is clear that Petty Officer Stewart knew his business when it came to laying a gun.