Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Temporary Sub Lieutenant A. A. Dempster, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, late Royal Navy, who had previously served as Leading Signalman in H.M.S. Manners at the Battle of Jutland

1914-15 Star (J.12443, A. A. Dempster, Sig., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J.12443 A. A. Dempster. L.Sig. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (J.12243 A. A. Dempster. Y.S. H.M.S. Malabar.) polished, edge bruising and contact marks, nearly very fine (4) £120-£160

Albert Andrew Dempster was born on 8 August 1895, at Westminster, London. He commenced naval service as a Boy Second Class in H.M.S. Impregnable, on 6 June 1911, and qualifying as Signalman on 18 December 1911. He was posted to H.M.S. Implacable on 17 May 1912, and advanced to Ordinary Signalman on 8 August 1913, and Signalman on 8 October 1913. During the Great War he saw service in H.M.S. Pembroke, H.M.S. Actaeon (T.B. 17), H.M.S. Blake (Manners), H.M.S. Greenwich (Partridge) and H.M.S. Cormorant, being advanced to Leading Signalman in H.M.S. Manners on 16 August 1916. He served in H.M.S. Manners at the Battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916, where Manners helped to screen the Battle Fleet as one of the 14 "M" class destroyers of the Eleventh Destroyer Flotilla.

Following the Great War Dempster was posted to the Hunt Class Minesweeper H.M.S. Craigie and subsequently to H.M.S. Dolphin in September 1921. He was advanced to Acting Yeoman of Signals, H.M.S. Columbine (Thracian) on 1 December 1925, and Yeoman of Signals, H.M.S. Royal Oak, on 1 December 1926. He was then posted to H.M.S. Malabar on 7 July 1927. He was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in October 1928, and was discharged, time expired, but re-entered the service on 8 August 1935. He was commissioned to be Temporary Sub Lieutenant (S.S.) in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve with seniority 2 March 1944, and continued in service until his temporary commission was terminated on 1 April 1950.