Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The rare mounted group of eight miniature dress medals attributed to Captain R. B. C. Hutchinson, C.S.C., Royal Navy

Conspicuous Service Cross, E.VII.R., silver; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, silver; China 1900, 1 clasp, Rel. of Pekin, silver; 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals; Defence and War Medals,, silver, mounted as worn, in case, toned, some contact marks, very fine and better, rare (8) £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Miniature Medals from the Collection of Mark Cline.

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Ex Sotheby’s 5/6 November 1986, lot 835; the recipient’s rare full-size medals were sold as lot 1063. Only eight Conspicuous Service Crosses were awarded.

C.S.C. London Gazette 2 July 1901. (General Citation for South Africa) Recipient was mentioned in Captain Jones’ despatch of 6 March 1900 (Ladysmith):

‘I must also mention Mr Hutchinson, Midshipman, who acted as my A.D.C. He has been most useful and hard working, often spending the great part of the night finding his way across difficult country with messages. He had many very narrow escapes. On three separate occasions a 40 pounder shell fell within yards of him’.

R. B. C. Hutchinson completed his training at H.M.S. Britannia in 1898. At the time of the Boer War he was serving on the cruiser H.M.S. Terrible and landed with the Terrible Naval Brigade on 5 November 1899 and subsequently fought at Colenso, Spion Kop, Vaal Krantz and Ladysmith. Being particularly involved at Ladysmith, his services were rewarded with a Conspicuous Service Cross. Ladysmith had no sooner been relieved than Terrible and its men were posted to China. There, Hutchinson was again employed in a land operation, being part of the 250 strong Naval Brigade marching with the Peking Relief Column. Hutchinson was promoted to Lieutenant in September 1902 and advanced to Commander in August 1915. During the Great War Hutchinson served as captain of a number of destroyers, including H.M.S. Achates, present at Jutland. After retiring in 1928, he returned to the service during the Second World War, commanding the armed yacht Lady Vagrant for 6 months. He finished the war as Naval Officer in Charge, North Shields, in H.M.S. Calliope. With copied catalogue extracts.