Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Admiral Sir H. E. P. Cust, K.B.E., C.B., R.N., Hydrographer of the Navy 1909-14

Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, no clasp (Lieut. H. E. P. Cust R.N. H.M.S. Rambler.); Khedive’s Star 1884-6, unnamed as issued, light pitting from star, otherwise very fine (2) £300-£360

Henry Edward Purey Cust was born on 26 February 1857, son of the Very Rev. A. P. P. Cust, Dean of York, and Lady Emma Bess Bligh, daughter of the 5th Earl Darnley. He entered the Royal Navy in 1870, being promoted to Sub-Lieutenant in 1876 and Lieutenant in 1878 (being promoted to that rank whilst serving in the Royal Yacht). Later he elected to specialise in Hydrographical Surveying and received his first appointment in that branch of the Navy on 1 January 1881, joining H.M.S. Fawn on Surveying Duties in the Red Sea. He was continuously employed afloat on Surveying Duties in various surveying ships, being promoted to Commander in June 1894 after two years in his first command in H.M.S. Dart and in Charge of Survey. He served as Naval Assistant to the Hydrographer until November 1897, being then appointed afloat again, in Charge of Survey, to H.M.S. Rambler, serving both on the North American and South African Stations. He was promoted to Post Captain in December 1900 and in that rank commanded H.M. Surveying Ship Triton in Home Waters.

It was in 1907 that Captain Purey Cust was chosen for the post of Assistant Hydrographer and in August 1909 he succeeded Admiral Sir Mostyn Field, K.C.B., F.R.S., as Hydrographer and for five years he held that important and responsible office. Although Purey Cust was promoted to Rear-Admiral, placed on the retired list in 1912 and was succeeded as Hydrographer in August 1914, he was not at all willing to sever his connection afloat with the Service which he had served so well, and consequently after a request to the Board of Admiralty he was again given Active Service, discarding his naval rank, and obtaining a commission in the Royal Naval Reserve as Captain, dated 16 November 1914. In this capacity he commanded the Zaria, a Mercantile Fleet Auxiliary based on Scapa Flow, and carried out valuable service in connection with supplies to the Fleet. During the latter part of the War he held the rank of Commodore, R.N.R., being finally “paid off” on 5 May 1919 after just under forty-nine years in the Naval Service of his country.

Admiral Sir Herbert Purey Cust saw war service during the naval and military operations in the Eastern Sudan and was awarded the Egyptian medal and Khedive’s Bronze Star, 1884-85. Later he received the Queen’s South African medal when serving in command of H.M.S. Rambler during 1900 on that station, and also in 1918 medals for services in the Great War. He was made C.B. in King George’s Coronation List 1911, and received the K.B.E. in 1919.

As an example of his exceptional skill and ability, he obtained first prize of £100 for General Proficiency at the R.N. College, Greenwich, in 1884. Subsequently his career as a Hydrographic Surveyor was most successful, culminating as it did in his being appointed as Hydrographer of the Navy in 1909.

The following were amongst those items which Admiral Sir Herbert Purey Cust designed, some of which are still in use in H.M. Surveying Service :—
(1) Star Chart for facilitating the Selection of pairs of Stars for Observations for Latitude (1897).
(2) Tables for facilitating the Calculation of Heights (1895). (3) Gust’s Rolling Protractor.
(4) Gust’s Station Pointer.
(5) Gust’s Vacuum Tide Gauge.

Admiral Purey Cust was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, and of the Royal Astronomical Society. He died at his home at Highgate, London, on 11 November 1938, aged 81.