The James Fox Collection of Naval Awards

A rare campaign service group of nine awarded to Paymaster Captain J. M. L. Cusack, Royal Navy, who was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the Russian Order of St. Anne for his services in H.M.S. Yarmouth at the Battle of Jutland, in addition to receiving the Czech War Cross

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Cape Colony (Clerk J. M. L. Cusack, H.M.S. Doris); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Jubaland (J. M. L. Cusack, Clerk, R.N., H.M.S. Magicienne); 1914-15 Star (Payr. J. M. L. Cussack, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Payr. Lt. Cr. J. M. L. Cusack, R.N.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Russia, Order of St. Anne, 3rd Class breast badge, with swords, by Eduard, St. Petersburg, 36 x 36mm., gold and enamels, with manufacturer’s name on the reverse, ‘56’ gold mark on eyelet and kokoshnik mark on sword hilts; Czechoslovakia, War Cross, mounted as worn, together with a mounted set of related miniature dress medals, the St Anne in gold but with damage to reverse, and two ribbon bars, all contained in a leather carrying case, generally good very fine (9) £3,000-£4,000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The James Fox Collection of Naval Awards.

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James Meade Loughnan Cusack was born in Kilkenny in September 1880 and entered the Royal Navy as an Assistant Clerk in January 1898. Joining H.M.S. Doris a few months later, and having passing his Clerk’s examination, he witnessed active service off South Africa in the Boer War, including time ashore in Cape Colony (Medal & clasp). Next joining the Magicienne, he added a rare Africa General Service Medal for Jubaland to his accolades, and was advanced to Assistant Paymaster in September 1901.

By the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, Cusack was serving as a Paymaster in the cruiser Yarmouth, in which capacity he was present at the battle of Jutland. As part of the Third Light Cruiser Squadron, and in the company of her consort Falmouth, she fought several duels, scoring some hits on the Lutzow and Derfflinger, and possibly the Seydlitz too; one of these, according to an officer on the bridge, making ‘a topping target and it was very pleasant to see salvo after salvo of our 6-inch hitting her’. Indeed so enthusiastic was the Yarmouth’s gunnery department that new ‘ammunition was sent up the hoists with so much energy as to accumulate a dangerous amount at the top’.

In Jellicoe’s subsequent despatch (London Gazette 15 September 1916, refers), Cusack was cited for good services in action and recommended for early promotion. He was duly appointed Staff Paymaster and, later still, awarded his 3rd Class Russian Order of St. Anne ‘for distinguished service rendered at the Battle of Jutland’ (London Gazette 5 June 1917). Moreover, he was awarded the Czechoslovakian War Cross (London Gazette 26 August 1921), an extremely rare accolade in terms of British recipients, let alone an R.N. officer.

Cusack ended the Great War as a Paymaster Commander in the cruiser Suffolk. Having then served on the China Station in the gunboat Bee in the mid-1920s, he was placed on the Retired List as a Paymaster Captain in September 1930. Recalled on the renewal of hostilities in September 1939, he served at the R.N.H. Chatham and in H.M.S. Flora, a parent ship at Invergordon. He died in Honiton, Devon in September 1961, aged 80 years.

Sold with copied research.