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Groups and Single Decorations for Gallantry 33 A Great War O.B.E. group of three awarded to Engineering Captain E. J. Rosevere, Royal Navy


The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1919; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Eng. Commr. E. J. Rosevere, R.N.) with flattened named card boxes of issue for the British War and Victory Medals, minor contact marks and edge nicks, otherwise good very fine (3)


£160-£200 O.B.E. London Gazette 27 June 1919: ‘For valuable services as Chief Engineer, H.M. Dockyard, Cape of Good Hope’.


Edward James Rosevere was born at Stoke Damerel, Devon on 9 December 1872 and attended the Royal Naval Engineering School at Devonport. He obtained his first naval engineering commission as Assistant Engineer on 1 July 1893 and was promoted Engineer on 5 August 1897, and Engineering Commander on 1 July 1909. He was stationed at various ships, shore bases and establishments in the course of his naval career including H.M.S. Vivid, H.M.S. Bellona, H.M.S. President, H.M.S. Mercury, H.M.S. Egmont, H.M.S. Leander and H.M.S. Thrasher, and was posted from H.M.S. Hyacinth to the Cape Dockyard in January 1915. For his services during the Great War he was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 7 June 1918) and was created an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1919. Promoted Engineering Captain on 9 December 1922, in 1939 he is recorded as a retired Engineering Captain, Royal Navy residing at Newbury, Berkshire. He died on 11 March 1955.


34


A Great War O.B.E. group of four awarded to Engineer Commander T. A. Graham, Royal Naval Reserve and Mercantile Marine


The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for 1918, in Garrard, London, case of issue; 1914-15 Star (Ch. Eng., T. A. Graham, R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals (Eng. Commr. T. A. Graham R.N.R.) with original named card boxes of issue; together with the related miniature awards mounted as worn, nearly extremely fine (4)


£300-£400 O.B.E. London Gazette 24 May 1919: ‘For valuable services as Engineering Officer of H.M.S. Orbita, whilst employed on ocean escort duties.’


The original Recommendation, submitted by Captain Ballard of the Orbita, states: ‘This officer was 63 years of age and at all times set a fine example of devotion to duty, untiring zeal and cheeriness.’


Thomas Alexander Graham was born at Tillicoultry, Clackmannan, Scotland in 1856. In 1881 he joined the Pacific Steam Navigation Company serving in several merchant vessels rising through the Engineering ranks, and as well as seagoing became an engineering inspector for ship construction. In 1914 he was the Chief Engineer of the S.S. Oronsa and in March 1915 he was appointed Chief Engineer of the S.S. Orbita at the Harland and Wolff shipyard, Belfast. On the requisitioning of S.S. Orbita he was Commissioned as Engineering Commander, Royal Naval Reserve, and stayed with her for the duration of the Great War.


The Royal Mail Steam Packet Orbita was commissioned by the Admiralty in 1915, and was fitted out with heavy guns and converted to an Auxiliary Cruiser in which capacity she served continually for four years of the Great War. Orbita carried the members of the British Political and Commercial Mission to the Republics of South America. On one voyage she carried millions of pounds worth of gold bullion from South Africa to Halifax, Nova Scotia for New York and Ottawa. In 1918 she was the only convoy escort for a convoy of 40 vessels from Newport News to Europe, only two ships of the convoy being lost.


For his services in the S.S. Orbita Graham was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, and was invested with his insignia by H.M. The King on 31 July 1919. His Royal Naval Reserve Commission was cancelled in October 1919, and he returned to the Merchant Navy, serving until his retirement in 1921.


Sold together with a large quantity of original documents, including the recipient’s Board of Trade Certificate of Competency as First Class Engineer, dated 24 October 1885; four Captain’s personal conduct reports from the Captain of Orbita; letter from the Offices of the Pacific Steam Navigation Company congratulating Graham on the award of the O.B.E.; Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood enclosure slip for the Warrant of Appointment of the O.B.E.; the recipient’s own typed narrative of the record long voyage of Orbita in 1915; a photograph of the officers of Orbita from September 1916; the recipient’s typed note of ‘items of interest regarding the R.M.S.P. Orbita’; the recipient’s record of his Merchant Navy and Royal Naval Reserve service from 1881, when he joined the Pacific Steam Navigation Company, to his retirement in 1921; 21 original letters home to his daughters during the war, manly written from Orbita, with transcribed typed copies; and copied research.


35


A Great War O.B.E. group of four awarded to Major E. W. Arnott, Royal Field Artillery


The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarked London 1918; 1914-15 Star (Capt. E. W. Arnott. R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. E. W. Arnott.) mounted court-style, together with companion set of miniatures, both sets contained in a contemporary Garrard & Co. Ltd carrying case, extremely fine (4)


£200-£260


Edward Whiston Arnott was the son of one of the richest men in Monmouthshire. His father had a ‘rags to riches’ story which enabled his sons to be educated in the best schools and universities. Edward was educated at Wycliffe College, in Stonehouse, near Stroud and then at Cambridge University where he obtained a degree in Law. In 1909 he was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery, but resigned his commission in 1913 to continue working as a barrister.


On the outbreak of the Great War he volunteered for service and joined the Royal Field Artillery, Welsh Brigade. He served on the Western Front from November 1915 to February 1916, and then went to Egypt and was invalided home in June 1916. In July 1916 he was involved in anti-aircraft duties with the Woolwich defences and commanded No. 6 and No. 38 Anti-aircraft companies. He was second-in-command of the Nottingham Anti-aircraft defence from November 1917 to April 1918, when he moved to post of Adjutant of Anti-aircraft Brigade, Parkhurst, Isle of Wight.


He was demobilised in December 1918 as his services were urgently needed by the government at the Treasury. He was a Director of the South Wales Coal Control Board in 1939. He died at Westminster following surgery for prostate cancer on 31 December 1950.


Sold with comprehensive research on paper and on CD, Officer Service Record, Medal Index Card, all Gazette notices, Censuses for 1891, 1900, 1911, Copy 1939 Register, Masonic Lodge Record, Baptism Record, Passenger List 1908, Marriage Record, Death Certificate, and Probate Record.


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


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