Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War D.S.O. group of four awarded to Commander F. G. C. Coates, Royal Navy, a veteran of Heligoland Bight and Dogger Bank who returned to active duty in the 1939-45 War, serving in Malta in his 60s at the time of the famous siege

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; 1914-15 Star (Lt. Cr. F. G. C. Coates, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Commr. F. G. C. Coates, R.N.), mounted as worn, together with a related silver prize medal, silver, named and dated ‘1924’, good very fine (5) £1200-1500

D.S.O. London Gazette 23 May 1917:

‘In recognition of their services in Destroyer Patrol Flotillas and Armed Boarding Steamers during the period which ended on 30 September 1916.’

Francis George Crawshay Coates was born in Worcester in March 1878, the son of a clergyman, and entered the Royal Navy as Cadet in July 1892.

Advanced to Lieutenant in October 1900 and to Lieutenant-Commander in October 1908, he was serving as captain of the destroyer H.M.S. Sandfly by the outbreak of hostilities. Remaining similarly employed until removing to the sloop Lobelia in early 1916, he was present at the actions at Heligoland Bight on 28 August 1914 and Dogger Bank on 24 January 1915, when his crew shared in the prize money for the enemy cruiser Blucher. But it was for his subsequent services as captain of the sloop Lobelia on patrol duties in the Mediterranean that he was awarded his D.S.O., his ship onetime being allocated to Kite Balloon duties.

Having then come ashore to an appointment in Malta in May 1918, and been advanced to Commander, Coates was placed on the Retired List at his own request in March 1921. But he was recalled in late 1938, once more being ordered to Malta, where he served as an assistant on the naval staff until being invalided home in March 1942.

He then served at the Soton training establishment Shrapnel until the summer of 1945, a final notation on his service record stating that he applied for promotion to the rank of Captain in 1945, a request which was apparently forwarded for Their Lordships consideration.

He died in April 1950; sold with copied service record.