Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The mounted group of three miniature dress medals attributed to/ representative of those worn by Captain A. Dodgson, Royal Navy

Jubilee 1897, silver; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, no clasp; Khedive’s Star, dated 1882, mounted for wear, about extremely fine (3) £80-£100

Arthur Dodgson was born in Walthamstow, Essex in July 1859. He joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in July 1872, and was advanced to Sub-Lieutenant in October 1878. Dodgson served with H.M.S. Orontes from October 1881 to January 1883, and was advanced to Captain in December 1901. He was in command of the depot ship H.M.S. Calliope, and the Kingstown Flotilla during naval manoeuvres in August 1903, when he met with a tragic end. Captain Dodgson had been involved in a serious bicycle accident five years prior, which had left him hospitalised and drifting in and out of consciousness for several months. Upon his return to service it would appear that he could no longer cope with the pressures, and tried to resign his commission. Having been persuaded that he would be a loss to the service, he carried on until 7 August 1903. On the latter date he retired to his cabin, wrote two letters including one to his wife, and then cut his own throat with a razor. He was buried with full military honours at Haslar Cemetery on 14 August 1903.

Note: The recipient’s full-sized medals were sold in these rooms in March 2023.