Fine Miniature Group with Mini Death Plaque

Volunteer Long Service and Good Conduct Medal - Edward VII (3082 SJT: J. WEBSTER. QUEEN'S R.V. BDE. R.L. SCOTS.). Naming is officially impressed, Contact marks, edge wear, very fine.

A First War British Naval Group to Destroyer H.M.S. Venetia - 1914-15 Star (GNR. R. DELL, R.N.); British War Medal (GNR. R. DELL. R.N.); and Victory Medal (GNR. R. DELL. R.N.). Naming is officially impressed. Court-mounted, light contact, extremely fine. Accompanied by a duotang folder with his military biography and six black and white ship photographs.

Footnote: Richard Dell achieved the ranks of Acting Gunner (Torpedo) and Gunner (Torpedo) on November 21, 1913, four months before the start of the First World War. With hostilities imminent, Torpedo Gunner Dell was assigned to the H Class Torpedo Boat Destroyer H.M.S. Fury, as part of the 2nd Flotilla in the Grand Fleet, effective June 13, 1914, serving in the Mediterranean in 1915 and saw service in the Dardanelles, his first battle honours, until he returned to England, where he was briefly posted to the Steam Frigate H.M.S. Actaen, the Torpedo School Ship based at Sheerness, Kent on October 26, 1915. He was to gain more battle honours on the Belgian Coast from 1914-1918 and at Zeebrugge in 1918, after his posting to the Scout (Light) Cruiser H.M.S. Attentive, Leader of the 6th Destroyer Flotilla, based at Dover. He closed out his war service with the Admiralty V Class Destroyer H.M.S. Venetia, beginning on March 15, 1918, and continued serving with her after the war, until his transfer to the Admiralty V Class Destroyer H.M.S. Vesper, on July 14, 1921, both of which were stationed at Devonport. After thirteen months with H.M.S. Vesper, he was posted to the Admiralty V Class Destroyer H.M.S. Vectis at Portsmouth on August 22, 1922, followed one year later by a transfer to the Late 2nd Rate H.M.S. Defiance, the Torpedo School Ship based at Devonport on August 6, 1923, where he became a Commissioned Gunner (Torpedo). He was later posted to the Battleship H.M.S. Rodney, as part of the Atlantic Fleet, on October 1, 1925 and named to the rank of Lieutenant on January 21, 1929. Ten years after his last appointment, Dell retired in 1939.

 

IN silver, obverse with the right-facing bust of King Edward VII, surrounded by the inscription "TO COMMEMORATE THE CORONATION OF KING EDWARD VII" and engraver marked "J & S", reverse with the seal of Natal illustrating the British Royal coat-of-arms in the upper half and an ornamental frame in the lower half encasing a scene illustrating two wildebeests (gnu) galloping across a plain, inscribed "EDWARDUS DEI GRATIA BRITANNIAR REX F:D" above and "COLONY OF NATAL 26 JUNE 1902" below, 29 mm, light contact and surface wear, better than very fine.Footnote: The small version of the medal (21 mm) was distributed to schoolchildren, whereas the large medal (51 mm) was restricted to native chiefs and is relatively scarce. It is believed that this mid-size medal (29 mm) was presented to local dignitaries.

A WWI British War Medal to the Royal Naval Air Service - (F. 8718 D.F. CRITTALL. A.M.1 R.N.A.S.). Naming is officially impressed. Original ribbon, light contact, cleaned, better than very fine. Footnote: The Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) was the air arm of the Royal Navy until near the end of the First World War, when it merged with the British Army's Royal Flying Corps, to form a new service (the first of its kind in the world), the Royal Air Force. The RNAS came under the direction of the Admiralty's Air Department.