Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare and unusual Great War C.B.E. and Messina Earthquake ‘Order of the Crown’ group of ten awarded to Paymaster Rear-Admiral G. C. A. Boyer, Royal Navy, who also served with the small naval contingent in the Dongola Expedition of 1896

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) Commander’s 1st type, neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, undated reverse, no clasp (G. C. A. Boyer, Asst. Paymr. R.N. H.M.S. Briton.); China 1900, no clasp (Payr. G. C. A. Boyer, R.N. H.M.S. Marathon.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Payr. Capt. G. C. A. Boyer. R.N.); Khedive’s Star, dated 1884-6; Khedive’s Sudan 1896-1908, no clasp (G. C. A. Boyer. H.M.S. Scout. 1896.) naming impressed in the usual style; France, Third Republic, Legion of Honour, 5th Class breast badge, silver and enamels with gold and enamel centres: Italy, Kingdom, Order of the Crown, 3rd Class neck badge, gold and enamels; Messina Earthquake Medal 1908, silver, unnamed as issued, mounted court-style where appropriate, good very fine or better (10) £2,400-£2,800

Dix Noonan Webb, September 2002.

C.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1919.

M.I.D. London Gazette 16 March 1918, for services with the Royal Navy Transport Service in France.

Legion of Honour London Gazette 12 December 1918.

George Christopher Aubin Boyer, the son of George and Elizabeth Boyer of Beaumont, Jersey, was born on 28 February 1862. Educated at St. James’s Collegiate, Jersey, he joined the Royal Navy as an Assistant Clerk in 1878. He was promoted to Assistant Paymaster in 1883 and in the following year was appointed to the corvette H.M.S. Briton in which he took part in the naval operations off the coast of Sudan at Suakin. He was promoted to Paymaster in 1894 and in 1895 was appointed to the torpedo cruiser H.M.S. Scout in which he served off the coast of Sudan in the Dongola Expedition. He joined the 2nd class cruiser H.M.S. Marathon in 1899 and during the following year saw service off the coast of China. In late 1900 he was promoted Staff Paymaster and in 1902 appointed Fleet Paymaster. Whilst serving in this capacity aboard the cruiser H.M.S. Euryalus he landed in December 1908 for duty ashore in the aftermath of the Messina earthquake. For his services he was awarded the Order of the Crown, Commander, one of four Fleet Paymasters to receive this award, as well as the Messina Earthquake Diploma and the Messina Earthquake Medal by the Italian Government. At the beginning of the Great War he was Fleet Paymaster in H.M.S. Impregnable, being appointed to H.M.S. President in February 1916. Whilst holding this appointment he was posted for port duties at Boulogne, France, for which he was recommended by the Commander-in-Chief, France ‘for distinguished and gallant services and devotion to duty for the period 20 February to 20 September, 1917. In March 1918 he was promoted Paymaster-in-Chief which was later changed to Paymaster Captain. For his wartime services he was mentioned in despatches, awarded the C.B.E. and the French Legion of Honour. In 1921 he was placed on the Retired List with the rank of Paymaster Rear-Admiral. He lived latterly at Saltash, Cornwall, and died on 2 October 1949.
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