Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry 21


The George Cross (exchange E.G.M.) awarded to Able Seaman G. P. Niven, Royal Navy, for heroism on the occasion of an explosion in ‘X’ turret aboard H.M.S. Devonshire whilst she was engaged in a ‘full calibre firing’ exercise off the Greek island of Skiathos in July 1929


George Cross, the reverse officially inscribed (A.B. George Paterson Niven, O.N. J.26679., 1st January, 1930) together with its Royal Mint case of issue; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Burma Star; War Medal, good very fine (5)


£8,000-£12,000


Medal of the Order of the British Empire, Military Division, For Gallantry (E.G.M.) London Gazette 1 January 1930: Midshipman Anthony John Cobham, R.N., and Able Seaman George Paterson Niven, R.N.


‘On 26 July 1929, H.M.S. Devonshire was carrying out full calibre firing, when at the first salvo there was a heavy explosion aft which blew off the roof of one of the turrets. When the explosion occurred, Midshipman Cobham immediately took stretcher parties aft and ordered one crew to follow him and the other crew to rig hoses. When he reached the turret some very badly burnt men with their clothes still on fire were falling out of the hatch in the rear. He and Able Seaman Niven did what they could for them and then went into the gunhouse, where there was still a lot of cordite burning fiercely, and pulled out more bodies, after which they turned on the hoses and helped to cool things down. Though they did not realise it at the time they had both inhaled a large quantity of cordite fumes which had a most unpleasant delayed action effect.’


H.M.S. Devonshire had been commissioned into the Royal Navy on 19 March 1929. Seventeen months after her launch, and on 11 May, after carrying out trials at Portland, she sailed for Gibraltar. After undergoing an eight-week work-up period at Gibraltar, on 8 July, she finally steamed east to Malta, arriving in Grand Harbour three days later.


Eight days after arriving on station, Devonshire and the rest of the Mediterranean Fleet sailed for manoeuvres in the Aegean Sea, off the island of Skiathos. Controlling the exercises was the C-in-C in his flagship H.M.S. Royal Oak, and also taking part were Queen Elizabeth, London and Sussex, together with units of the Third Destroyer Flotilla. Arriving off Skiathos on 21 July, the fleet lay at anchor and, while the senior officers planned the forthcoming manoeuvres, the sailors were granted recreational leave for ‘picnic and bathing parties’.


When they got under way Devonshire and the destroyers practised torpedo firing, after which there was gunnery practice. At 08.00 on Friday 26 July the fleet weighed anchor, and within minutes London, Sussex and Devonshire had formed a single line ahead in order to carry out a full calibre shoot with all eight guns (twin turrets) together. At 08.45 there was a flurry of manoeuvring as Sussex, which was rejoining the line, almost collided with Devonshire; the latter’s stem did in fact touch Sussex's port quarter, but no damage was done and the exercise continued.


At 10.00 exactly Devonshire fired her first broadside, but practically simultaneously a huge explosion shook the ship. A faulty breech mechanism in X turret had caused a shell and some cordite bags to ignite, and the force of the explosion blew the roof off the gun turret and started fires in the gun house and pump room. Fortunately these were soon extinguished, but the explosion took a heavy toll of the Royal Marines who were manning the turret.


One officer and six men were killed instantly, one of them being blown overboard. Devonshire, meanwhile, made for the Greek port of Volos where seventeen injured men were transferred to the hospital ship R.F.A. Maine. However, eleven of these subsequently died and sixteen of the victims were buried at Volos with full military honours.


Devonshire returned to Malta and from there proceeded to Devonport where, on 14 August 1929, her tragic first commission ended.


George Paterson Niven was born in Portobello, Edinburgh on 15 March 1897, the son of Angus McKenzie Niven and Mary (née Gordon). His father was a Railway Signalman and George followed his career into the Railways until on 17 August 1913 he joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class at H.M.S. Ganges.


During the First World War, he joined Crescent and Collingwood, and signed up for 12 years’ adult service in 1915. He was promoted to Able Seaman later that year and served through the war in Defiance, Diligence, Dolphin, H.M. Submarine C5, and Marlborough (also entitled to 1914-15 Star trio). Following the Great War, he served aboard Revenge (1921-22), Glorious (1922-23), Valiant (1923 -24), Hood (1925) and eventually joined Devonshire.


During the first two years of the war Cobham was overseas and did not arrive in England until March 1942 when he was invited to an Investiture at Buckingham Palace to have his E.G.M. exchanged for a George Cross. He was much touched when the Admiralty flew Niven to London from a shore base in the Western Isles so that they could get their George Crosses together. Niven was married in 1939 in Birmingham to Rosie Magdalen Post. Able Seaman George Niven died in Birmingham on 2 February 1947, and is buried in an unmarked grave in Yardley Cemetery, Birmingham.


www.dnw.co.uk all lots are illustrated on our website and are subject to buyers’ premium at 24% (+VAT where applicable)


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112  |  Page 113  |  Page 114  |  Page 115  |  Page 116  |  Page 117  |  Page 118  |  Page 119  |  Page 120  |  Page 121  |  Page 122  |  Page 123  |  Page 124  |  Page 125  |  Page 126  |  Page 127  |  Page 128  |  Page 129  |  Page 130  |  Page 131  |  Page 132  |  Page 133  |  Page 134  |  Page 135  |  Page 136  |  Page 137  |  Page 138  |  Page 139  |  Page 140  |  Page 141  |  Page 142  |  Page 143  |  Page 144  |  Page 145  |  Page 146  |  Page 147  |  Page 148  |  Page 149  |  Page 150  |  Page 151  |  Page 152  |  Page 153  |  Page 154  |  Page 155  |  Page 156  |  Page 157  |  Page 158  |  Page 159  |  Page 160  |  Page 161  |  Page 162  |  Page 163  |  Page 164  |  Page 165  |  Page 166  |  Page 167  |  Page 168  |  Page 169  |  Page 170  |  Page 171  |  Page 172  |  Page 173  |  Page 174  |  Page 175  |  Page 176  |  Page 177  |  Page 178  |  Page 179  |  Page 180  |  Page 181  |  Page 182  |  Page 183  |  Page 184  |  Page 185  |  Page 186  |  Page 187  |  Page 188  |  Page 189  |  Page 190  |  Page 191  |  Page 192  |  Page 193  |  Page 194  |  Page 195  |  Page 196  |  Page 197  |  Page 198  |  Page 199  |  Page 200  |  Page 201  |  Page 202  |  Page 203  |  Page 204  |  Page 205  |  Page 206  |  Page 207  |  Page 208  |  Page 209  |  Page 210  |  Page 211  |  Page 212