Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Victualling Chief Petty Officer W. A. Gollop, Royal Navy, a recipient of the Russian Cross of St. George for the Baltic operations of 1919

British War and Victory Medals (346537 V.C.P.O., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (V.C.P.O., H.M.S. Victory); Russian Cross of St. George, 4th Class, the reverse officially numbered ‘870352’, mounted as worn, the last fitted with later suspension ring, contact marks, otherwise generally very fine (4)

Wallace Albert Gollop was born at Portsmouth, Hampshire in November 1888 and entered the Royal Navy as a Ship’s Steward Boy in February 1904. Based at Victory as a 2nd Ship’s Steward by the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he joined the cruiser H.M.S. Caradoc in June 1917 and remained in her until January 1921. During this period the Caradoc was employed in the Baltic operations of 1919 and participated in a prolonged and successful bombardment of Bolshevik forces in Estonia. For his own part, Gollop was advanced to Victualling Chief Petty Officer and was awarded the Russian Cross of St. George. As with many other similar decorations, his Cross of St. George was never gazetted. Similarly, it does not appear on his Certificate of Service, but the number ‘870352’ marries up with other known awards of the period. Gollop, who received his L.S. & G.C. Medal in November 1921, was finally pensioned ashore in November 1928.

The estimate is £200-300