Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An unusual Great War M.M. group of eight awarded to Steward C. A. Jordan, Royal Navy, late Royal Garrison Artillery, who, having been decorated for his gallantry as a Trumpeter in a Siege Battery in 1918, transferred to the Royal Navy and added a “mention” to his accolades for rescue operations in the minesweeper H.M.S. Jason in 1940

Military Medal, G.V.R. (38938 Tpr. C. A. Jordan, 27/Sge. By. R.G.A.); British War and Victory Medals (38938 Gnr. C. A. Jordan, R.A.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45, M.I.D. oak leaf; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue (L. 14332 C. A. Jordan, Std., H.M.S. Dolphin), together with the recipient’s Silver War Badge, the reverse officially numbered ‘B 241169’, and a portrait photograph in a gold locket, the Great War medals with contact wear and polished, fine or better, the remainder very fine and better (10) £500-600

M.M. London Gazette 12 November 1918.

Charles Arthur Jordan was born in Whitby, Yorkshire, in June 1898 and enlisted in the Royal Artillery as a boy soldier in April 1913. Having then attained the age of 18 years, he was posted as a Trumpeter to 27th Siege Battery, R.G.A., out in France in 1916, and was decorated for his gallantry in the period July-August 1918, but was discharged on being found no longer fit for military duty in April 1919.

In March 1923, however, he joined the Royal Navy as an Officer’s Steward 4th Class, and was serving in a similar capacity at the submarine base Dolphin when awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in February 1935. Moreover, as cited above, he added a “mention” to his accolades for services in H.M.S. Jason in September 1940 - ‘For determination in bringing into harbour a merchantman damaged by enemy action’ (London Gazette 22 November 1940, refers). The merchantman in question was the S.S. Harpenden, which had been torpedoed; sold with the recipient’s original M.I.D. certificate and two related Admiralty communications, together with copied research.