The John Chidzey Collection

A Great War D.S.O., Second World War O.B.E. group of seven awarded to Captain (E.) E. C. Green, Royal Navy, who came under heavy fire in the destroyer Nessus at the battle of Jutland

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; 1914-15 Star (Eng. Lt. Cr. E. C. Green, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Eng. Commr. E. C. Green, R.N.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45, generally good very fine (7)
£1600-1800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The John Chidzey Collection.

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D.S.O. London Gazette 17 March 1919:

‘For services in destroyers of the Grand Fleet Flotillas between 1 July and 11 November 1918.’

The original recommendation states:

‘For continuous good service in Grand Fleet Flotillas since the outbreak of the War, and being present at the Battle of Jutland in H.M.S. Nessus, the ship coming under heavy fire and sustaining 21 casualties.’

O.B.E. London Gazette 1 July 1941.

Edward Clarke Green was born in North Shields, Northumberland in November 1878 and entered the Royal Navy as an Assistant Engineer in July 1902.

A Lieutenant-Commander (E.) in the destroyer H.M.S. Saracen on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was actively employed in the Dover Patrol before removing to another destroyer, the Nessus, in August 1915, in which ship he was subsequently present in her at the battle of Jutland, when she formed part of the 12th Destroyer Flotilla - subjected to heavy and accurate fire from the Grosser Kurfust, two of her officers and five of her ratings were killed, in addition to others wounded.

In May 1917, Green joined the Whitley, in which capacity he was advanced to Commander (E.) in November 1918 and recommended by the C.-in-C. Grand Fleet for his D.S.O., a distinction that he received at a Buckingham Palace investiture held in May 1919.

Post-war he was advanced to Captain (E.) prior to being placed on the Retired List in November 1928, but he was re-employed in the following year with an appointment at the Royal Marine Barracks, Eastney, and was still serving there on the renewal of hostilities in September 1939. His subsequent award of the O.B.E., however, was for his services as Chief Mechanical Officer at the Technical Training Depot, Portsmouth Division, R.M., which insignia he received at a Buckingham Palace investiture held in November 1941.

The Captain died in Penzance, Cornwall in July 1969.