A Great War period Albert Medal 1st Class for Gallantry in Saving Life on Land group of five awarded to Lieutenant-Commander Arthur Richard Shaw Warden, Royal Navy

Albert Medal, 1st Class, for Gallantry in Saving Life on Land, reverse inscribed, ‘Presented by His Majesty to Lieutenant Commander Arthur Richard Shaw Warden, R.N. for Gallantry in Saving Life at Boulogne on the 26th October 1915’, gold and enamel, in case of issue; 1914 Star (Lt. Cdr., A. R. Warden, R.N. Transport Staff); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oakleaf (Lt. Commr. A. R. S. Warden, R.N.); Special Constabulary Long Service, G.V.R., 2nd issue (Arthur Warden) extremely fine (lot) £10000-12000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Bill and Angela Strong Medal Collection.

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A.M. London Gazette 18 April 1916.

“The King was pleased, on Saturday, the 8th instant, at Buckingham Palace, to present to Lieutenant-Commander Arthur Richard Shaw Warden, R.N., the Albert Medal of the First Class, which was conferred upon him by His Majesty for gallantry in saving life, as detailed below:

On the morning of the 26th October, 1915, the Orderly Officer on duty at the Bassin Loubet, Boulogne, was informed that a fire had broken out in the after hold of the S.S. Maine, Ammunition Ship, in which a quantity of high explosives was stowed, and he at once reported the fact to Lieutenant-Commander Warden, at the Office of the Naval Transport Officer.

In the meantime the ship was abandoned by her officers and crew, and steps were taken by the local fire brigade to rig the shore fire hoses. Lieutenant-Commander Warden immediately proceeded on board, and on arrival at the after hold found smoke issuing from between the high explosive cases in the centre of the hatch. He went down into the hold, lifted up one of the cases, and called for the fire hose, which was passed to him by Private Edward Gimble, 1st Battalion, Middlesex Regiment, who had followed him on board. This case, and the one next to it, were alight on their adjacent sides. Lieutenant-Commander Warden played the hose on them and extinguished the fire. Subsequent investigation showed that the fire was in all probability due to the ignition by friction or spontaneous combustion of amorphous phosphorus, which had leaked from boxes containing that substance stowed above the cases containing the high explosives.

There is little doubt that the prompt and gallant action of Lieutenant-Commander Warden prevented an explosion which would have had serious and possibly disastrous results with almost certain loss of life.

The Albert Medal of the Second Class has been awarded to Private Gimble.’

M.I.D. London Gazette 16 March 1919. ‘Lt.-Comdr., A.M., attd. R.N. Trans. Serv.’

Arthur Richard Shaw Warden was born in Kamptee, India on 28 October 1866 and was educated at King’s College School, London and on the Training Ship Conway. On 21 September 1887 he was appointed a 3rd Officer in H.M. Indian Marine and was posted to the Clive in December of that year. He was advanced to 2nd Officer in July 1890 when on the Mayo and was ranked as a Sub-Lieutenant in November 1892 and promoted to Lieutenant in January 1894. Temporarily retiring in December 1898, he retired as a Lieutenant on 11 December 1900. Having lived in Paignton, Devon; in September 1914 he was appointed Transport Officer at Marseilles. In December 1914 he was appointed Temporary Lieutenant-Commander on H.M.S. President for Transport Duties.

With School Report 1880; Mercantile Marine Service Association Report, July 1882; Ordinary Apprentice’s Indenture Certificate, January 1884; Certificate of Discharge as an Able Seaman in April 1887; Certificate of Competency as 2nd Mate, May 1887; Certificate of Discharge as a 5th Mate, November 1887; letters from the India Office (2) and H.M.I.M. Dockyard Bombay re his appointment as 3rd Officer in 1887; Commission Document appointing him 3rd Officer; letter of appointment as 3rd Officer on the Clive, December 1887; ditto for the Quangtung, June 1888; Certificates of Service as 3rd Officer (13); Commission Document appointing him Lieutenant in 1894; Certificate of Service as Lieutenant; letter re. his temporary retirement, October 1898; Document appointing him Temporary Lieutenant-Commander, H.M.S. President ‘for Transport Duties’, December 1914; M.I.D. Certificate in damaged envelope addressed to ‘Lieut. Cdr. A. R. S. Warden, A.M., R.N., Bay View, Paignton, Devon’; newspaper cutting re. the award; a letter of congratulations from the School Ship Conway, April 1916; a letter re. the award, dated 17 January 1916; three photographs of the recipient in uniform, in two he is wearing the Albert Medal and on the other, its ribbon; a Devon Special Constabulary Lapel Badge, enamelled; a cloth cap badge; a four chevron cloth badge. Together with a quantity of copied research including R.I.M. service papers.