Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Commander A. C. Thursfield, Royal Navy

Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-1914 (Lieut. A. C. Thursfield, R.N. H.M.S. Panther); 1914-15 Star (Lieut. A. C. Thursfield. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Lt. Commr. A. C. Thursfield. R.N.); Italy, Kingdom, Al Valore Militarie, the reverse engraved ‘Charles Thursfield Aubrey. Durazzo 2-10-1918’, mounted as worn, good very fine (5) £600-£800

M.I.D. London Gazette

Italian Silver Medal for Military Valour London Gazette 17 January 1919.

Aubrey Charles Thursfield was born at Short Heath, Staffordshire, on 12 November 1887, and joined the Royal Navy as a Midshipman on 15 November 1903. He was commissioned Sub Lieutenant on 15 April 1907, and was promoted Lieutenant on 31 December 1909. He served during the Great War in command of the Tigris Gunboat H.M.S. Dragonfly, one of 16 shallow-draught gunboats that formed the Tigris Flotilla, in the Mesopotamian theatre of War, and was twice Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazettes 15 August 1917 and 21 September 1917). Promoted Lieutenant-Commander on 31 December 1917, he was awarded the Italian Al Valore Militaire Medal for his services during the bombardment of Durazzo, that began on 2 October 1918, in support of the land operations of the victorious armies under Franchet d’Esperey in Macedonia.

Remaining in the Royal Navy, Thursfield served post-War on the China Station, in command of H.M.S. Cockchafer on the Upper Yangtze, before being placed on the Retired List, with the rank of Commander, on 1 November 1929. He subsequently served during the Second World War as an Officer in the Sea Transport Service, and was again Mentioned in Despatches, ‘for good services in directing Sea Transport’ (London Gazette 4 October 1940)- presumably, given the date of the award, for his role in the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force from Dunkirk and the other Channel ports. He returned to the Retired List on 7 May 1945, and was granted the War Substantive rank of Captain on 16 December of that year.

Sold with copied record of service and London Gazette entries.