Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare C.V.O., Great War Palestine operations D.S.O. group of eleven awarded to Captain R. T. Down, Royal Navy

The Royal Victorian Order, C.V.O., Commander’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels, the reverse officially numbered ‘C780’, in its Collingwood, London case of issue; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamels; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith (Mid., H.M.S. Terrible); China 1900, 1 clasp, Relief of Pekin (Mid., H.M.S. Terrible); 1914-15 Star (Lt. Comdr., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Comdr., R.N.); Italian Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus, Commander’s neck badge, gold and enamel; Russian Order of St. Anne, 3rd class breast badge, with swords, by Albert Kiebel, gold and enamels; Russian Order of St. Vladimir, 4th class breast badge, with swords, indistinct mark on reverse arm, gold and enamel; U.S.A. Navy Cross, in dark-bronze, mounted court-style as worn where applicable, the second with damaged replacement (?) centre-pieces, all of the named British awards re-impressed replacement issues, and one reverse arm of the St. Vladimir badge severely chipped, otherwise generally good very fine (11) £2000-2500

C.V.O. London Gazette 18 May 1923.

D.S.O. London Gazette 11 April 1919: ‘In recognition of their services during naval operations carried out in conjunction with the military operations in Palestine from September to November 1918:

Commander Richard Thornton Down, Royal Navy, H.M.S. Forester, in recognition of the valuable assistance rendered to the Army during the advance along the coast on 10 September 1918, and the occupation of Haifa on 28 September 1918.’

Richard Thornton Down was born in December 1882, the son of a Captain, R.N., and was educated at Tonbridge Castle School before entering the Royal Navy as a cadet in January 1897. Joining H.M.S. Terrible as a Midshipman in January 1899, he went on to witness active service with the Naval Brigade in the Boer War and Boxer Rebellion, his service record noting that he was ‘specially mentioned for his good services’ in the former conflict, and again commended for his plans and assistance in turning a sunken dredger off Canton in the latter. Dowd was recommended for early promotion, being appointed a Sub. Lieutenant in March 1902 and advanced to Lieutenant in September of the following year.


The outbreak of hostilities found him as a Commander and Gunnery Officer aboard the Neptune, in which battleship he remained until March 1917, and fought at the battle of Jutland, services that resulted in him being awarded the Russian Order of St. Anne, 3rd class, with swords (London Gazette 5 June 1917); see The Fighting at Jutland for a full account of the Neptune’s active part in the battle, when Down oversaw the firing of nearly 50 rounds from her main armament, and no doubt shared in the anxious moments leading upto a very close-call with an enemy torpedo.

In March 1917, he joined the cruiser Carnarvon, an appointment that led to him co-operating with elements of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and a period of service on attachment to the U.S. Navy Department in Washington that summer, work that brought an official expression of thanks from the Americans, Their Lordships approval, and the award of the U.S. Navy Cross (London Gazette 16 September 1919).

In March 1918, Down was appointed to the command of destroyer Forester, in which ship he served with distinction in the Mediterranean, not least in support of the military operations in Palestine, including the bombardment of Turkish positions in the battle of Sharon in September 1918, work that resulted in a “mention” from Allenby and the award of his D.S.O. The Forester subsequently went to the Black Sea, Down’s service record noting that he was mentioned in despatches for this theatre of war and ‘granted permission to accept and wear the ribbon of the Russian Order of St. Vladimir, 3rd class, with swords, 26.10.20’.

Between July 1922 and February 1926, Down served as ‘Naval Attache for Italy, Greece, Serbia, Roumania and Bulgaria - Headquarters at Rome’, employment that led to the award of his C.V.O. and Italian Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus, following the King’s visit to Rome in 1923. Returning to an appointment in Naval Intelligence in the latter year, he was placed on the Retired List in the rank of Captain in late 1928.

Recalled on the renewal of hostilities in September 1939, Down held a string of shore-based appointments around the U.K., in addition to serving at Halifax, Nova Scotia 1942-43, which latter appointment was ended when he fractured his ribs and was invalided home. He died in August 1944, just 4 weeks after being placed back on the Retired List.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, comprising the recipient’s C.V.O. warrant and related Buckingham Palace transmittal letter, dated 1 June 1923; D.S.O. warrant, dated 11 April 1919; and his Italian Order of St. Maurice and St. Lazarus warrant, with related Buckingham Palace ‘restricted permission to wear’ document, dated 4 July 1923.

Also see Lot No. 1328 for the recipient’s miniature dress medals.