Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Sold by Order of the Family

H.M.S. Belfast, Gold Medal Struck to Celebrate the Saving of the Ship for the Nation, 1971, obverse, profile of the cruiser with ‘H.M.S. Belfast’ above and the motto ‘Pro Tanto Quid Retribuamus’ below; reverse, the ship’s crest with ‘North Cape Russian Convoys Korea D-Day’ around, 39mm., 22 ct., 47.3g., with related certificate of authenticity (No. 001 of a limited edition of 500 in gold), in the name of ‘Lord Fraser of North Cape’, in its fitted Slade Hampton & Son Ltd. case, extremely fine £1000-1200

Admiral of the Fleet Bruce Austin Fraser, 1st Baron Fraser of North Cape, G.C.B., K.B.E. (1888-1981), led the force that destroyed the German battleship Scharnhorst at the Battle of North Cape on 26 February 1943. In his capacity as Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, he put to sea in his flagship H.M.S. Duke of York, convinced that the German battleship was planning to intercept Convoy JW 55B. In the ensuing action, in which Belfast played a key role, the Scharnhorst was hit by an initial wave of four torpedoes and then, after concentrated gunfire and further torpedo attacks, sank at 7.45 p.m. that night. Fraser was elevated to G.C.B. and awarded the Soviet Order of Suvorov, First Degree. He subsequently took command of the Eastern Fleet and was the British signatory to the Japanese Instrument of Surrender at Tokyo Bay in September 1945.