Orders, Decorations and Medals

Shanghai, Soochow Creek Medal 1937, bronze (Presented to D. C. Morton, A.B., for Bravery and Valour, Battle of Soochow Creek, Shanghai 1937) complete with top suspension brooch and unofficial tricolour ribbon; together with Royal Navy silver award medal, hallmarked Birmingham 1933, inscribed ‘D. C. Morton, General Efficiency Medal, New Entries, R.N.B. Chatham’, good very fine and scarce, especially to a Royal Navy recipient (2) £100-150

The Soochow Creek Medal was originally struck as a satirical decoration to commemorate the 1932 U.S. Marine defence of the international settlement at Shanghai. It was manufactured locally, probably by the firm of Tuck Chang, at 67 Broadway, Shanghai, and was available at a cost of $2.00 from various company offices and through the Regimental Newspaper Walla Walla. Likewise, during the 1937 emergency, the medal was revived and “awarded” to Marines and sailors who served during that emergency. Whilst most of these medals will be found named to American recipients, the British Army, Royal Navy and Royal Marines were also present during the defence of Shanghai in 1937. Sold with further details including a copy of an article on these medals published in the Journal of the Orders and Medals Society of America.