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Auction: 24003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 151

A 'Battle of Jutland 1916' D.S.O. group of five awarded to Engineer Captain R. Spence, Royal Navy, who was decorated for his services in the battleship H.M.S. Vanguard

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel; 1914-15 Star (Eng. Commr. R. Spence, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Eng. Commr. R. Spence, R.N.); Russia, Imperial, Order of St. Stanislaus, gilt-bronze and enamel badge, with Swords, representative of a 2nd Class award, generally very fine (5)

Provenance:
Bonhams 2014, when sold as the Property of a Gentleman.

D.S.O. London Gazette 15 September 1916:

'By his general management of the machinery, and stokers under his orders in His Majesty's ship Vanguard, enabled the ship to be taken into and maintained in action in a most effective manner.'

Robert Spence was appointed an Assistant Engineer in July 1893 and advanced to Engineer Commander in July 1907.

He was subsequently present at the battle of Jutland in the battleship H.M.S. Vanguard. When the Battle Fleet deployed into line of battle at around 1815 hours on 31May 1916, Vanguard was 16th in line of 24 battleships. She fired 80 rounds of her 12-inch ammunition but was not hit herself.

Spence was awarded the D.S.O., in addition to the Order of St. Stanislaus, 2nd Class, with swords (London Gazette 5 June 1917, refers). Luckily for him, he had parted company with the Vanguard by the time disaster struck at Scapa Flow on 9 July 1917, when she blew up with a loss of 843 officers and ratings, many of them known to him.

He had, in May 1917, taken up an appointment to oversee the submarine works of Sir W. G. Armstrong & Co. Limited. He later undertook a similar role with Messrs. Vickers, Barrows and was finally placed on the Retired List as an Engineer Captain in October 1921.

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Estimate
£1,600 to £2,000

Starting price
£1400