Orders, Decorations and Medals

A military C.B.E. group of four awarded to Captain Herbert James Craig, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) Commander’s 1st type neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with neck cravat; British War Medal 1914-20 (Commr., R.N.V.R.); Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Decoration, G.V.R., unnamed, hallmarks for London 1916; Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (Act. Comdr., R.N.V.R. Tyne Div.), medals mounted court style for wear; together with a Tynemouth Village War Service Medal 1914-19, 9ct. gold and enamel,, 4.56g., hallmarks for Birmingham 1919, reverse inscribed, ‘Presented to H. J. Craig’, good very fine (5) £400-500

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Long Service Medals from the Collection formed by John Tamplin.

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Herbert James Craig was born in Tynemouth on 30 September 1869, the eldest son of James Craig, M.P., of 11 Priors Terrace, Tynemouth. James Craig was M.P. for Newcastle-on-Tyne, 1886-92. Herbert James Craig was educated at Rugby School, 1883-88 and then went to Cambridge University and gained the degree of LL.B. in 1891. Craig was then called to the Bar, Inner Temple, in 1892. He then practised on the North-Eastern Circuit. He was also head of Borries, Craig and Co., Ltd., export merchants and ship brokers of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Craig entered Parliament in January 1906 as the Liberal Member for Tynemouth and remained in Parliament until November 1918. He was also a J.P. for Northumberland. He entered the R.N.V.R. as a Lieutenant in May 1905, when the Tyne Division was first formed. On the outbreak of the Great War, Craig was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander and in early 1915 he was advanced to Temporary Commander. For his wartime service he was awarded the British War Medal and his name was ‘brought to the notice of the Admiralty for valuable services in the prosecution of the War’ (London Gazette 10 July 1919). He was appointed Commander in the R.N.V.R. in June 1919 and on 26 February 1920 he was awarded the R.N.V.R. Decoration, having previously been awarded the ‘Medal’. He was promoted to Captain of the Tyne Division in January 1922, succeeding the Duke of Leeds in that position. On 1 October 1926 he was appointed a R.N.V.R. A.D.C. to the King, and held that honour until September 1929. For his services to the R.N.V.R. he was appointed a C.B.E. London Gazette 3 June 1929). Captain Craig collapsed and died suddenly on 18 March 1934, aged 64 years. At the time of his death he was residing at Blount’s Court, near Reading. Sold with full research, including gazette extracts and copied extracts from a number of newspapers regarding his career and death - some with photographs of the recipient.