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British Admiral's Mini Bar

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    British Admiral's Mini Bar

    This is my latest addition to the "British" department. It is the miniature medal bar to Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles M. Forbes.
    He won his DSO during the battle of Jutland where he served on Jellcoe's Staff on board of Iron Duke. The Order of St. Stanislaus was also a result of this action.
    During the 30's he served on the Admiralty Board and became CinC of the Home Fleet in 1938 till December 1940. He was in charge during the German Operation "Weserübung", i.e the occupation of Norway.
    He retired in 1943 and I still have to do some research. It seems that he was a political scape goat for the early war years since after Dec. 40 he never got an actual sea command. He was transfered to Plymouth Command and seems also to be involved in the ill fated 'Invasion Training" exercise "Tiger" where a lot of american service men were killed by friendly (british) rocket fire.
    Still a lot of research to e done, but this is so fascinating. Especially when one can relate the medals to such an important figure of history.

    The medals are:

    Most Honorable Order of the Bath Knights Commander KCB
    Distinguished Service Order DSO
    14-15 Star
    Kings Medal
    WW1 Victory Medal with palm "Mentioned in Dispaches" (Jutland)
    39-45 Star
    Atlantic Star
    Defense Medal
    War Medal
    Jubilee 1935
    Coronation 1937
    Imperial Russian Order of St. Stanislaus
    French Legion of Honor Commander
    French Croix de Guerre w/ palm

    All medals are sivler-gilt, DSO most likely gold

    I also have the presentation case from "Royal Appointment/Gieves Ltd". The group was made and sold by Spink & Son.


    I'm truly exited to be the guardian of such an important piece of history!

    Dietrich
    B&D PUBLISHING
    Premium Books from Collectors for Collectors

    #2
    He may simply have been retired because of his age. This is from the 1935 British edition of "Who's Who?" He was dead before my 1970 edition Burke's Peerage which listed living knights:

    Born 22 November 1880, son of James Forbes of Colombo, Ceylon and Mount Grace, Potter's Bar. Educated at Dollar Academy, and Eastman's, Southsea.

    Navy 1894: Commander 1912, Captain 1917, rear Admiral 1928, Viceadmiral 1933.

    Married 1909 Agnes Millicent Ewen (d. 1915): one son

    Remarried 1921 Marie Louise Berndtson, of Stockholm, Sweden: one daughter.

    1935 address: Cawsend Place, Wentworth, Virginia Water

    Club: United Service

    Comment


      #3
      He was alive until at least June 2,1953. The twelfth medal from the left is the QEII Coronation medal.

      FYI
      Excercise Tiger was not entirely friendly fire. Six weeks prior to the D-Day landing, American troops (most from the 4th Inf Div) were practicing seaborne assaults from LSTs against the English shoreline. Seven German E-Boats ventured into the area undetected. When it was over over 600 soldiers and sailors were dead. Friendly fire happened when in a panic gunners on several LSTs mistook burning ships for the enemy. A tragedy overall.

      Comment


        #4
        Information

        Rick,

        thanks for the information. Since I would like to gather as much as possible is there anything else you might know about Sir Charles?

        Any help is greatly appreciated and will serve as a valuable part of the documentation for my collection.

        Truly yours,

        Dietrich
        B&D PUBLISHING
        Premium Books from Collectors for Collectors

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          #5
          Nice bar! Congratulations!

          Best regards

          Daniel

          Comment


            #6
            That bar deserves a....


            two thumbs up

            Comment


              #7
              Picture

              Found this picture in "The War Illustrated", Volume II. It is just something else when you have a face behind a medal.

              regards,

              Dietrich
              Attached Files
              B&D PUBLISHING
              Premium Books from Collectors for Collectors

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