Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Telegrapher A. V. Arger, Royal Navy, who served as a Boy Telegrapher in the Great War attached to the Royal Australian Navy, and was awarded the Polish Cross of Valour for his service in the Second World War in the Polish Destroyer O.R.P. Burza

British War and Victory Medals (J.55517 A. V. Arger. B. Tel. R.N.); Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1936-1939 (J.55517 A. V. Arger. Tel. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, coinage head (J.55517 A. V. Arger. Tel. H.M.S. Hastings), the first two heavily polished, hence about fair; the latter two generally very fine (4) £140-£180

Albert Victor Arger was born on 19 July 1900, at Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. He commenced naval service as a Boy Second Class in H.M.S. Ganges, on 21 July 1916. From 1 January 1918 he was seconded to the Royal Australian Navy, and on 15 February 1918 he was appointed to be Ordinary Telegrapher. He reverted to the Royal Navy and was serving in H.M.S. Cambrian, by May 1921, and was advanced to Telegrapher. He continued in naval service following the Great War and served in several ships including, H.M.S. Comus (Erebus), H.M.S. Dorsetshire, H.M.S. Guardian and H.M.S. Drake I. Awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1933, he was pensioned from H.M.S. Drake I, on 19 July 1940, but was recalled for war service the following day. He was released from service in December 1945.

Arger’s record of service notes that he was awarded the Polish Krzyz Walecznych (Cross of Valour) in the London Gazette of 21 October 1941, for service with the Polish Navy, in the Polish ship O.R.P. Burza.

O.R.P. Burza was one of three Polish Destroyers which were ordered to escape to join up with the Royal Navy in August 1939. Burza took part in the Norway Operations and on 4 May 1940 came alongside the battleship H.M.S. Resolution, taking aboard Polish survivors who had survived the sinking of O.R.P Grom earlier that day. Burza was also heavily damaged after being engaged by enemy aircraft when seeking to relieve British forces at Calais on 24 May 1940.