Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An exceptional South Russia operations D.S.C. group of seven awarded to Commander B. J. Littledale, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R.; 1914-15 Star (Lieut., R.N.) possibly officially renamed; British War and Victory Medals (Lieut., R.N.); Russian St. George Cross for Bravery, silver, 4th class, the reverse officially numbered ‘166 551’; Russian Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class, with swords and bow, gold and enamel, maker’s marks for Alexander Kordess, St. Petersburg, one sword hilt lacking; Russian Order of St. Stanislaus,, 3rd class, with swords and bow, gold and enamels, maker’s marks for Alexander Kordess, St. Petersburg, old court-mounting by Gieves Ltd., generally very fine (7) £4000-5000

D.S.C. London Gazette 7 September, 1920. The following recommendation was extracted from Admiralty records:

‘For conspicuous gallantry in the presence of the enemy during the recent advance. He took an active part in transport of part of the Siwash Flotilla from the right to the left flank, and the subsequent launching of these boats, which had to be dragged 200 yards through deep mud before floating, the whole being accomplished under enemy machine-gun fire. Lieutenant Littledale, in the absence of the C.O. of the Flotilla, took charge of the successful operation of landing the Caucasian Cossacks on the night of 6-7 June.’

Russian Order of St. Stanislaus, 3rd class with bow, A.F.S.R. Ordres du Jour 3150, 6 May 1920: ‘For gallantry in the field and for devotion to duty.’

Russian Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class with bow, and Cross of St. George, 4th class: ‘By special orders of the Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Army: Lieutenant B. J. Littledale of the British Naval Mission, for exceeding bravery and absolute disregard of personal safety.’

Bernard John Littledale entered the Royal Navy in the second group of cadets to attend Osborne College on its opening in 1903. Passing out as Midshipman from the training cruiser Cornwall in the summer of 1908, he was advanced to Sub. Lieutenant in December 1911 and to Lieutenant two years later - Littledale was subsequently among the first officers of the common entry system to volunteer for engineering and attended the relevant course at Greenwich. On the mobilisation in August 1914, he joined the battleship Glory, flagship of Rear-Admiral Phipps Hornby, for engineering duties, and in her he served in the Atlantic and in the Dardanelles. His next appointment, in December 1916, was to the battle-cruiser Tiger, but from October 1917 he served as Engineer Officer to the destroyers Napier and Nimrod.

Littledale was subsequently employed by the British Military Mission in South Russia and, more specifically, by the Naval Department (including Naval Intelligence) in the Crimea, a post he appears to have relinquished in July 1920. He was latterly employed as a Liaison Officer with the Siwash Motor Boat Flotilla.

In addition to the above cited acts of bravery, Littledale was commended for his deeds on 8 July 1919, when three seaplanes were sent to render assistance to Jolly Roger - on fire ‘about four versts south of Lobskagora’ (1 verst = 3,500 feet). On arrival they discovered that the ship had already been abandoned but that the majority had life saving apparatus or driftwood to assist them. It appears that all were successfully rescued, the official R.A.F. report concluding: ‘Captain (sic) Littledale, who had been in the water about 40 minutes, had during the whole of this time been supporting one of his crew (an elderly man unable to swim and who was exhausted). His splendid action most assuredly saved this man’s life.’

Advanced to Commander (E.) in December 1926, after two years in the battleship Malaya in the Mediterranean, he was appointed, in February 1927, to Hong Kong for charge of stores and for Fleet duties. One year later, however, Littledale was appointed to the gunboat Bee, flagship of the Rear-Admiral and S.N.O. Yangtze, and was still employed in her at the time of his death at Shanghai in January 1929, aged 37 years.