A Collection of Medals relating to H.M.S. Zinnia
Sold with a related set of eight mounted dress miniature medals (including the Defence Medal but excluding the Soviet award),and a substantial quantity of related documentation, and assorted artefacts, including:
(a) Mention in despatches certificates (2), dated 25 August 1942 and 1 January 1946, the former as Lieutenant-Commander, D.S.C., R. N.R., H.M.S. Snowflake, and the latter as Commander, D.S.C., R.N.R.
(b) Certificate and related forwarding letter for the Soviet 40th Anniversary 1945-85 Commemorative Medal.
(c) H.M.S. Worcestershire Thames Nautical Training College, Second Mate’s certificate with ‘First Class Extra’ in both scholastic and seamanship categories, dated 12 December 1922, together with a series of Worcestershire reports (6), covering the period 1921-22.
(d) Warrant for the rank of Sub. Lieutenant, R.N.R., dated 1 July 1931, defective; together with a quantity of Admiralty letters regarding his promotions to Probationary Midshipman, Midshipman, Acting Sub. Lieutenant and Commander (1923-43), and a letter placing him on the Retired List, this dated 23 January 1953.
(e) A small series of ship service slips or “flimsies”, signed by respective C.Os (7), mainly wartime vintage but including an example as early as 1923.
(f) A letter of commendation from the Naval Officer in Charge, Leith and Granton, dated 17 June 1940, regarding Cuthbertson’s ‘creditable salvage operation under difficult conditions in Tjelsundet on approximately 16 May ... his flotilla had been continually bombed before and after these operations. Eldorado was towed from where she was grounded to Harstad and afterwards repaired.’
(g) Three bound certificates, comprising Board of Trade Continuous Certificate of Discharge; Royal Naval Reserve Officer’s Training Certificate Book, and Certificate of Competency as Master of a Foreign-going ship.
(h) Certificate appointing Cuthbertson a Younger Brother of Trinity House, dated 16 July 1947.
(i) Certificate of Services with the Union Castle Line, provided at Cuthbertson’s request in 1949; together with further Union Castle Line correspondence and papers, mainly post-war; a typed ‘Log of the M.V. Beatrici, Voyage No. 1,’ circa 1949; a detailed statement of war and peacetime services prepared by him post-1956, in the form of a C.V.; and Life membership certificate for the Flower Class Corvette Association, with related gilt badge.
(j) A copy of Nicholas Monsarrat’s autobiography, Life Is A Four Letter Word, volume II, Breaking Out (published in 1970), inscribed by the author to ‘Charles G. Cuthbertson, ex-Zinnia and The Cruel Sea; together with six other related books and three autographed letters dating from October 1970, comprising Monsarrat to Cuthbertson; Cuthbertson’s reply and Monsarrat’s acknowledgement, the second being a highly charged account of Zinnia’s sinking.
(k) A fine series of career photographs, subjects including Sir Max Horton with Cuthbertson, assorted ships and ship’s crew, among the latter the Hibiscus, Scimitar and Helford.
(l) A sweetheart’s brooch in the form of a Naval Crown, in gold; a hip-flask; a razor-set and a small silver compact box carried by Cuthbertson as a lucky talisman, the base engraved, ‘Lieutenant-Commander C. G. Cuthbertson, R.N.R., O. 2611’, and which he had with him throughout his ordeal following the loss of the Zinnia.
(m) Assorted newspaper cuttings, comprising an immediate post-war feature highlighting Cuthbertson’s promotion as the R.N.R’s youngest Commander, and three obituaries.
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Three: Ordinary Seaman Thomas James Stuckley, Royal Navy, who was killed when H.M.S. Zinnia was sunk by torpedo on 23rd August 1941
1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, in card box of issue addressed to his father ‘Mr. T. Stuckey [sic], 31 Gwernllwyn Terrace, Tylorstown, Rhondda, Glamorgan’, nearly extremely fine (3)
£140-£180
Thomas James Stuckley, Ordinary Seaman, H.M.S. Zinnia, Royal Navy, died on 23 August 1941, when his ship was sunk by a German submarine with the loss of 50 men; only 2 officers and 13 men survived. Aged 23, he was the son of Thomas and Catherine Stuckley, of Tylorstown, Glamorgan. He is commemorated by name on the Chatham Naval Memorial.
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