Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

General Botha Training Ship, King’s Medal, G.V.R., 3rd issue, ‘Crowned bust’, by Bertram Mackennal (D. F. Davison, J.C.C., 1935) 44mm., 18ct. gold, 56.71g., hallmarks for London 1933, in red leather case of issue, minor marks to obverse, good very fine £800-900

Saddened by the death of his son during the Great War, Mr T. B. Davis conceived and brought to fruition a living memorial to his son in the form of a training ship, the first for the southern hemisphere. From the Royal Navy he purchased the old 2nd class cruiser H.M.S. Thames in 1920 and had it sent to South Africa and donated it to a trust set up for the purpose of running it as a training ship. Renamed the General Botha, the ship was used for the full-time nautical training of boys of British South Africa. During 1922-42 the ship was based at Simon’s Bay. Because of the war, the college was transferred to land at Red Hill in Simon’s Town during 1942-48. Moved to Gordon’s Bay in 1948, the establishment was renamed the ‘South African Nautical College General Botha’. Moving again in 1963 to Granger Bay, it became the ‘South African Merchant Navy Acadamy General Botha’.

Deane Francis Davison was born in Johannesburg on 24 April 1919, the son of John Deane and Alma Frances Davison. He was educated at Parktown High School, Johannesburg and the General Botha Training Ship. In the latter he was Junior Cadet Captain and the King’s Medal winner for 1935. After completing his course on the training ship he joined the British India Line. As an Able Seaman he was killed in action on 21 May 1940 while serving aboard the Maid of Kent. The steamship, owned by Southern Railways, was serving as a hospital ship during the evacuation of the British Army from France. On 21 May, when in Dieppe harbour she was attacked and sunk by German dive-bombers with the loss of 43 lives. Deane Francis Davison’s name is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial.