A rare Edward VII Somaliland D.S.O. group of ten awarded to Captain C. J. C. Kendall, C.I.E., D.S.O., Royal Indian Marine

The Order of the Indian Empire, C.I.E., neck badge in gold and enamels; Distinguished Service Order, E.VII.R., silver-gilt and enamels, reverse centre chipped; India General Service 1854-95, 2 clasps, Burma 1885-7, Burma 1887-89 (3d Gde. Officer C. J. C. Kendall, H.M.I.M.S.); China 1900, no clasp (Lieut. Comr. C. J. C. Kendall, R.I.M.S. Dalhousie); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (Comdr. C. J. C. Kendall, D.S.O., R.I.M.); 1914-15 Star Trio (Comdr./Capt. C. J. C. Kendall, R.I.M.); Delhi Durbar 1911; Order of the Nile, 3rd class neck badge by Lattes, silver, gilt and enamels, generally good very fine or better (10)

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Douglas-Morris Collection of Naval Medals.

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Charles James Cope Kendall was born in India on 26 June 1864, son of Surgeon General H. Kendall of the Army Medical Department. He was educated at Epsom prior to joining the ‘Worcester’ as a Naval Cadet on 17 February 1880. He served a four-year Apprenticeship aboard the BAY OF CADIZ (1881-85) and passed the examination for a 2nd Mate’s Certificate on 18 March 1885. He joined the Indian Marine as a 3rd Grade Officer aboard CLIVE (April 1885), was promoted to 2nd Grade Officer in September 1886, and next served aboard SIR WILLIAM PEEL (April 1887), CLIVE (August 1887) and LAWRENCE (March 1888).

During the military operations in Burma 1885-87, he served in a Steam Launch on the River Irrawaddy and was appointed to SIR WILLIAM PEEL in 1887 taking part in the Military Expeditions to Upper Burma. In December 1889 he was appointed to the Marine Survey of India as a 2nd Grade Officer and as an Assistant Surveyor 4th Class. In April 1890 he was promoted to 1st Grade Officer and Assistant Surveyor 3rd Class, becoming Lieutenant in November 1892 and Assistant Surveyor 2nd class in May 1894. In June 1895 he was promoted to Assistant Surveyor 1st Class and after nearly eight years with the Marine Survey he returned to general duties and was appointed to CLIVE in September 1897, and LAWRENCE (November 1897) In Command. He served next aboard CANNING (September 1899), and INVESTIGATOR (September 1899) after which he transferred to the Local Defence Squadron (October 1899) and subsequently served aboard IRRAWADDY (April 1900) and DALHOUSIE (July 1900). For service in the latter vessel, a troopship conveying troops to China, he gained entitlement to the China medal. In October 1900 he was attached to Bombay Dockyard for General Duties prior to joining CANNING (November 1900) In Command. He next served aboard HARDINGE (March 1901) In Command, DALHOUSIE (May 1901), MAYO (December 1901), and was appointed Staff Officer Bombay Dockyard (March 1902), promoted to Commander 3rd Grade on 19 March 1902 and given Command of CANNING.

In July 1903 he was appointed Marine Transport Officer to the Somaliland Field Force. He was mentioned in Despatches and created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, London Gazette 6 September 1904, ‘in recognition of services during the recent operations in Somaliland’.

Kendall was next appointed to the Command of DALHOUSIE (August 1904) and promoted to Commander 2nd Grade on 20 August 1905. In December 1905 he became a Staff Officer at Karachi Dockyard and on promotion to Commander 1st Grade he was appointed Marine Transport Officer at Mandalay (May 1907). His next appointment was Port Officer and Shipping Master at Calcutta (July 1911) and he served in this appointment until the outbreak of World War I when he was appointed a Junior Marine Transport Officer at Suez on 22 August 1914. He held this post for four years until transferred to Cairo as Divisional Transport Officer on 11 February 1918. Having been promoted to Captain on 13 June 1917, he reverted to the Royal Indian Marine on 12 June 1919 and retired in 1920 after 35 years service. In recognition of his war services he was created a Companion of the Indian Empire London Gazette 1 January 1919, and also received from the Khedive of Egypt the Order of the Nile 3rd Class London Gazette 17 March 1919. Captain Kendall died on 11 December 1943.