Orders, Decorations and Medals

A rare Great War group of four to Commander A. T. Johnstone, Royal Navy, killed in action at the Battle of Jutland aboard H.M.S. Defence
Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (Sub. Lieut., R.N., H.M.S. Highflyer); 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals (Comm’r., R.N.), contained in an attractive contemporary gilt tooled leather glazed display case, with hinged doors to front, the case in very good condition, medals generally nearly extremely fine (4) £500-600

Commander Arthur Townsend Johnstone was killed in action at the Battle of Jutland 31 May 1916 aboard H.M.S. Defence.

At 5:30 on the afternoon of 31 March 1916 the 1st Cruiser Squadron led by Rear Admiral Sir R. Arbuthnot and his flag ship H.M.S. Defence was rapidly approaching the German ‘Scouting Force’ of battle cruisers under Admiral Von Hipper. From the Westward Admiral Beatty was approaching the same enemy at the head of his battle cruisers. Twenty minutes later the Defence followed by the Warrior began to shell the German light cruiser Wiesbaden which soon lay helpless and in flames between the two fleets. In an attempt to destroy this ship and to close with Hipper’s Squadron, Admiral Arbuthnot crossed the bows of the far more powerful Lion and thereby exposed himself to the concentrated fire of Von Hipper, who was making a desperate effort to protect the Wiesbaden.

Both the British Cruisers encountered a torrent of shell fire, the Defence being hit by two salvos in quick succession. She blew up with the loss of her entire compliment of 903 officer’s and men. The Warrior was so badly damaged that she sank the next morning. Sold with copied service papers and photograph of H.M.S. Defence.