A Great War O.B.E. group of three awarded to Commander E. L. A. Foakes, Royal Navy, Nautical Adviser to the General Post Office and Naval Assistant to Army Postal Service

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Civil) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, hallmarked London 1916; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (Lieut. E. L. A. Foakes, R.N., H.M.S. Barracouta.); British War Medal 1914-20 (Commr E. L. A. Foakes. R.N.) mounted on card for display, good very fine (3) £360-£440

O.B.E. London Gazette 7 January 1918: ‘Commander Edward Lindsay Ashley Foakes, R.N. Naval Assistant to Director of Army Postal Services, and Nautical Adviser to the Post Office.’

Edward Lindsay Ashley Foakes was born in Brighton on 6 April 1865. Educated privately, he joined the Royal Navy on 31 October 1895 as a Lieutenant. He served aboard Benbow from 1895-97 when he joined Barracouta, in which ship he served until December 1900, earning the South Africa medal. He then served aboard Forth, Pallas, Latona (for passage), Halcyon and Vulcan as navigator. He retired on 1 August 1908 with the rank of Commander to take up the post of Nautical Adviser to the Post Office. He was recalled for service during the Great War as Naval Assistant to the Director of the Army Postal Services, and was awarded the O,B.E. for this service. He received his award at Buckingham Palace on 13 February 1918. He afterwards emigrated to South Africa where he was elected Mayor of Knysna, Cape Province, in August 1930. He died there on 6 October 1947.