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Auction: 22003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 428

The '1919 Baltic Sea' O.B.E. group of five awarded to Paymaster Captain A. Taylor, Royal Navy, who served as Paymaster of the Battleship Collingwood at the Battle of Jutland, alongside the future King George VI who served as a Sub-Lieutenant during the Battle

Later posted to the depot ship Lucia in Estonia where played an instrumental role in supplying the British Fleet in the Gulf of Finland

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, 1st Type, Military Division, (O.B.E.) Officer's breast Badge, silver-gilt; China 1900, no clasp (Asst. Paymr. A. Taylor R.N. H.M.S. Bonaventure); 1914-15 Star (Ft. Payr. A. Taylor, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Payr. Commr. A. Taylor. R.N.), good very fine (5)

O.B.E. London Gazette 8 March 1920, the original citation states:

'For valuable services as Supply Officer at Reval'

Archibald Taylor was born on 9 January 1877, the son of William Taylor of Sigglesthorne Manor, Hull and entered the Royal Navy on 15 July 1894 as Assistant Clerk. Passing the exams to serve as a Clerk he passed the Paymaster's exam on 9 January 1898, he was posted to H.M.S. Bonaventure on 3 March 1899 and remained with her during her service in the Boxer Rebellion under Captain R. Montgomerie.

Promoted Paymaster on 1 November 1905 while with H.M.S. Skirmisher, Taylor held the rank of Paymaster Commander on 2 November 1911 at the outbreak of the Great War while stationed aboard H.M.S. Nottingham. This vessel took part in the First Battle of Heligoland Bight where it aided in the sinking of the light cruiser S.M.S. Mainz. Later she was also present for the Battle of Dogger Bank although took little part in the fighting.

Posted to the Battleship H.M.S. Collingwood on 1 May 1916 under the command of Captain Levy. Collingwood was part of the 1st Battle Squadron during the Battle of Jutland and amongst her compliment of officers was Sub-Lieutenant Price Albert- later George VI- second officer of 'A' turret. Collingwood was the 18th ship in the British line and during the course of the battle see fired 84 rounds of 12 inch ammunition, scoring hits on the Wiesbaden, Defflinger and a destroyer. George VI later wrote of the battle:

'The Jutland Battle was a great thing to have been in; it was very different from what I expected. We in the Collingwood saw a good deal more than some of the other ships and we fired more than they did. [...]
Everything worked very well; as for the men, they were quite marvellous, just as cheery as usual and worked like demons.'

Seeing the rest of the war with Collingwood Taylor was posted to Lucia, a depot ship stationed in the Baltic. Here he saw service at Port Reval, Estonia the main British Naval base in the Gulf of Finland during operations against the Bolsheviks. He was awarded the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for his work as Supply Officer with the British Naval Expedition in the region. Taylor retired on 9 January 1927 with the rank of Paymaster Captain; sold together with copied research including medal rolls, service papers and London Gazette entries.

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Sold for
£600

Starting price
£450