Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Officers’ Chief Cook R. D. Abbs, Royal Navy

British War and Victory Medals (L.713 O.C.1, R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue (L.713 O.C.C., H.M.S. Pembroke); Royal Victorian Medal, G.V.R., silver (R. Abbs, C.P.O. R.N. L713) mounted as worn, edge bruising, contact marks, first two worn through polishing, others nearly very fine and better (4) £340-380

Roger Dick Abbs was born in Horsham, Surrey on 30 March 1892. A Carpenter by occupation, he enlisted as a Boy Servant on Pembroke I on 14 October 1908, being advanced to Officers’ Cook 3rd Class in November 1910. He was rated an Officers’ Steward 2nd Class on Hearty in August 1910; then when on Shannon in November 1910 he was rated as Officers’ Cook 1st Class. His first period of service ended in 1913 but he returned to the Navy in May 1916, serving as Officers’ Cook 1st Class aboard the armoured cruiser Cochrane, May-December 1916, seeing service at the battle of Jutland. He then served on the dreadnought battleships Queen Elizabeth, December 1916-February 1917; Iron Duke, February-May 1917 and Queen Elizabeth, May 1917-February 1919. As Officers’ Chief Cook he was awarded the Royal Navy L.S. & G.C. in 1930 when at Pembroke. He was awarded the R.V.M. in Silver on 21 November 1934 as Officers’ Chief Cook aboard H.M.S. Sussex on the occasion of H.R.H. Duke of Gloucester’s visit to Australia. With copied service paper and roll extracts.