Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Royal Humane Society pair to Captain D. J. D. Noble, Royal Navy

Royal Humane Society, small silver medal (unsuccessful), (Sub.-Lieut. Delorest J. D. Noble, R.N., 12th March 1906), with silver buckle on post-1921 type ribbon; Royal Humane Society Stanhope Gold Medal, for 1906 (unsuccessful), (Sub-Lieut. Delorest J. D. Noble, R.N.), with gold brooch bar on post-1921 type ribbon, both medals renamed, first with edge bruise, good very fine (7) £300-500

It is believed that the R.H.S. medals were erased by the family and later renamed.

Sold with a 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals; Defence and War Medals (first three erased), these representing the recipient’s campaign medal entitlement. Also sold with copied service papers and other research details, a photograph of H.M.S. Leviathan and a water-colour picture of the ship and attempted rescue.

‘At half-past six on the evening of March 12th, 1906, when it was nearly dark, an able seaman, W. Mulligan, was busily employed at his job of getting in the accommodation ladder on the cruiser Leviathan, which was at the time in the Gulf of Lyons. The weather was bad, as a heavy sea with considerable overfall was raging, and the wind was blowing pretty hard. The Leviathan was steaming at the speed of about eight knots, when suddenly Mulligan was washed clean overboard from the port sea gangway. Sub-Lieutenant Delorest J. D. Noble, R.N., who was on the quarter-deck of the Leviathan, at once plunged in after him, but unfortunately he was too late, for Mulligan had already been swallowed by the waves. Noble was only just able to reach the life-buoy in time to save his own life. Although unsuccessful in saving Mulligan, he took a very great personal risk, and for his bravery and coolness he was awarded the Silver Medal. He was also awarded the Stanhope Gold Medal for the year 1906.’ (Extract from Brave Men All, by Vice-Admiral Gordon Campbell, V.C., D.S.O., M.P.)

Delorest John Dumergue Noble entered the Royal Navy as a Midshipman in 1901 and was subsequently promoted Sub-Lieutenant in 1904. He was specially promoted Lieutenant in 1906 following his act of gallantry in attempting to save the life of Able Seaman Mulligan. In 1909 he served aboard the cruiser H.M.S. Hyacinth, for which he was awarded the Africa General Service Medal with clasp, Somaliland 1908-10. In 1913 he was placed in command of the destroyer H.M.S. Dove and in the following year was promoted Lieutenant Commander. During the Great War he commanded the monitor M.19 and the destroyer H.M.S. Prince. Promoted Commander in 1919, he retired from the Royal Navy in 1922. Recalled for service in the Second World War, in 1942 he held the rank of Acting Captain. In addition to the above R.H.S. medals, Noble was awarded a Testimonial on Vellum by the Royal Humane Society on 16.1.1915 for the rescue from drowning of Able Seaman Easterbrook in December 1914.