Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine Great War ‘Battle of Jutland’ D.S.O. group of five awarded to Captain G. A. Coles, Royal Navy, who as Commander of the destroyer H.M.S. Ambuscade participated in three torpedo attacks on the German battle line

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top riband bar, this loose; 1914-15 Star (Lt. Commr. G. A. Coles, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Commr. G. A. Coles, R.N.); Russia, Empire, Order of St. Anne, Third Class breast badge, with swords, bronze-gilt and enamel; together with a Spink & Son Battle of Jutland commemorative silver medallion, minor enamel damage to wreaths around central medallions on first, otherwise good very fine and better (6) £2,000-£2,400

Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, June 2009.

D.S.O. London Gazette 15 September 1916 - as part of the Jutland Despatches:
‘The commander of his division speaks highly of the way he conned his ship. Ambuscade fired three torpedoes and the rapid reloading under fire reflects great credit on all concerned and proves the ship is in a high state of efficiency.’

Russian Order of St. Anne London Gazette 5 June 1917:
‘For distinguished services rendered in the Battle of Jutland.’

Gordon Alston Coles was born in India in April 1882, the son of Charles Edward Coles, C.M.G., onetime Director of Prisons in Egypt. Having attended the Royal Naval College Britannia, Coles was appointed a Midshipman aboard H.M.S. Hawke on the Mediterranean Station in November 1897, and had risen to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander by the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914.

Appointed to the command of the Acasta class destroyer H.M.S. Ambuscade in June 1913 he saw action, with six other destroyers of the Fourth Destroyer Flotilla, during the Scarborough Raid on 16 December 1914. Coles was present at the Battle of Jutland, on which occasion he was commended for the manner in which he handled his command. Ambuscade launched her torpedo attacks between 11:00 a.m. and noon on 31 May, when the Fourth Flotilla closed with the German battle line on no less than three occasions - as a result two enemy cruisers were put out of action, but several of Ambuscade’s consorts were badly damaged or sunk. For his services at Jutland Coles was awarded the D.S.O. and Russian Order of St. Anne (3rd Class); was Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 6 July 1916); and recommended for early promotion. Duly advanced to Commander in December 1916, Coles took command of the destroyer Plucky in the same month, in which capacity he served until April 1918, when he came ashore to an appointment as C.O. of the Fisgard training establishment.

Coles was placed on the Retired List at his own request in January 1923, upon which he was advanced to Captain in April 1927. Recalled in August 1939, he appears to have been employed as a Convoy Routing Officer on the Staff of the U.K.’s Representative in Eire, from November 1940 until the end of hostilities, his service record stating ‘not to be borne on ship’s books’. He was finally placed back on the Retired List in December 1946.

Sold with a Royal Navy tie pin; a postcard photograph of the recipient; and copied research.