Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Adriatic Operations’ D.F.C. group of five awarded to Major W. Man, Royal Air Force, late Royal Naval Air Service and Royal Naval Reserve

Distinguished Flying Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914-15 Star (S. Lt. W. Man, R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. W. Man. R.A.F.); Russia, Empire, Order of St. Anne, Third Class breast badge, with swords, by Keibel, St. Petersburg, gold (56 zolotniki) and enamel, marker’s mark and court stamp to reverse, gold mark to suspension ring, this last with broken (but present) sword piece in upper-right angle, otherwise very fine (5) £2,400-£2,800

D.F.C London Gazette 3 June 1918.

William Man joined the Australasian Branch of the Royal Naval Reserve as a Midshipman on 1 January 1910. Following the outbreak of war he was assigned, on 6 August 1914, to the Armed Merchant Cruiser R.M.S. Carmania. He quickly saw action, being present at the Battle of Trinidade, the world's first battle between former ocean liners. Here the Carmania engaged and sank the German merchant cruiser S.M.S. Cap Trafalgar in a furious action in the South Atlantic on 14 September 1914. Midshipman Man received his promotion to Acting Sub-Lieutenant exactly one month later.

On 30 June 1915 Man transferred to the Royal Naval Air Service in the rank of Flight Sub-Lieutenant, serving with No. 6 Wing. He was advanced Flight Lieutenant on 31 December 1916 and Temporary Flight Commander on 1 January 1918. Transferring to the Royal Air Force on its formation in 1918, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.

The January 1919 Navy List shows him as a Captain, D.F.C. in the Royal Air Force based in Shetland while still retaining his rank of Acting Sub-Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve. He was however, granted a short service commission in the Royal Air Force in the rank of Flight Lieutenant with effect from 24 October 1919 and his name would be removed from the list of officers of the Royal Naval Reserve with effect also from this date. Resigning his commission with effect from 8 December 1921, he retained the rank of Major.

With the lot is an interesting typed note which states the following:
‘This D.F.C. belonged to my father William Man and was awarded in the First World War for sinking a submarine when he was stationed in the Shetland Islands, as far as I remember.
He was in the R.N.A.S. and joined the R.A.F. when it was formed.
He went to New Zealand in about 1925 and at one time operated an air service between Auckland and Fiji and Auckland until their flying boat (A Dornier I think) crashed in Auckland Harbour.
When the R.N.Z.A.F. was formed by Air Vice Marshall Ralf Cockrane, he was Personnel Officer. In December 1938 he resigned and returned to England and joined the R.A.F.V.R. and was stationed in Newcastle and Thornaby. He died in 1976.’

Also with the lot is a letter from a researcher, dated 1989, stating that the Ministry of Defence (Air) had confirmed the D.F.C. was awarded for services in the Adriatic and also stating confirmation of his entitlement to the Russian Order of St. Anne 3rd Class with Swords & Bow.