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Auction: 19003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 317

A Great War M.B.E. pair awarded to Lieutenant-Commander T. A. E. J. Bosanquet, Royal Navy, decorated for protecting the natural harbour of Milford Haven - which acted as the assembly point of convoys to Gibraltar - from the activities of U-Boats off the coast of Pembrokeshire

Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member's 1st Type Breast Badge, silver, hallmarks for Garrard & Co. Ltd, London 1917, in its fitted case of issue; British War Medal 1914-20 (Lieut. T. A. E. J. Bosanquet. R.N.), good very fine (2)

M.B.E. London Gazette 7 June 1918:

'Awarded for arduous work in charge of Patrol Boats in all weathers at Milford Haven.'

Thomas Albert Edward James Bosanquet was born on 9 November 1858 at Folkous Place, Stoke Damerel, Devon and joined the Royal Navy as Boy 2nd Class on 29 January 1874. He witnessed extensive service and steady promotion before transferring to the Coastguard in 1881. Bosanquet subsequently returned to the Royal Navy serving aboard Impregnable, Achilles, Swiftsure and Defiance, before promotion on 18 October 1887 to Petty Officer 1st Class aboard Scout. Appointed Acting Boatswain, Bosanquet was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal on 30 July 1890, his conduct regularly noted as 'exemplary'.
Transferred to Belleisle, Tamar, Ganges, Empress of India and Lion on 1 July 1901, Bosanquet's service record continued to extol his strengths as a 'trustworthy' and 'hardworking & zealous'. In August 1911 he was posted to Gibraltar for duty on a return voyage to Colombo, before being sent to Pembroke Dockyard for service with the King's Harbour Master. However his health was on the wane and he spent 42 days at Plymouth hospital in 1905 with a gastric ulcer. He was later pensioned on 9 November 1913, before being called out of retirement to serve during the Great War.

Married to Irving Cecilia in 1882, Bosanquet retired to 7 Pole Terrace, Torpoint, where the couple raised their six children. He died at 100 Gwyther Street, Pembroke Dock, on 7 October 1929 from a stomach ulcer and associated complications; sold with copied service record.


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Sold for
£180

Starting price
£130