Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War Belgian Croix de Guerre group of five awarded to Able Seaman T. B. Batter, Merchant Navy, who was 62 years old at the time of winning his award

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals; Belgium, Croix de Guerre 1940, with bronze palm, extremely fine (4) £140-160

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards for the 1939-45 War.

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Thomas Baxter Batter was born in Solihull in February 1882 and, judging by accompanying documentation, served in the Royal Navy during the Great War. Sometime thereafter transferring to the Merchant Navy, his first seagoing appointment in the 1939-45 War was the S.S. Corhampton, aboard which ship he served from 7 July to 15 November 1941, and won a company commendation for his bravery following an attack by enemy aircraft north-east of Spurn Head on the latter date, the Manager of Wm. Cory & Son Ltd. writing to Batter in the following terms:

‘Captain W. F. Anderson has reported to us that after the Corhampton was abandoned following enemy air attack, you volunteered to re-board the vessel in an attempt to save her, as she was still afloat. We consider your action in subjecting yourself to further danger highly commendable and in the best traditions of the Merchant Navy, and as a small token of our appreciation, we have pleasure in enclosing a cheque for £5.’

Though taken in tow, the Corhampton slipped her cable and drifted before sinking, a probable cause for Batter’s loss of his Great War awards. Be that as it may, he remained actively employed as an Able Seaman, serving successively in home waters in the steamships Lancashire Coast (December 1941 to March 1942), Hunter (March 1942 to July 1943) and Swift (July 1943 to March 1944), following which he joined the Corglen, in which vessel he served off Normandy in June 1944 - fitted out with two large derricks, the Corglen transferred 29 armoured vehicles of the Northumberland Hussars to “rhino” ferries on her very first trip.

Removing to the Liberty ship Fort Cataraqui in August 1944, he remained similarly employed until January 1945, a period that encompassed his ship’s part in the liberation of Antwerp, when she formed part of the first convoy to arrive at the port in November 1944 - as per accompanying documentation, Batter was awarded the Belgian Croix de Guerre (London Gazette 6 January 1948 refers). Having then ended the War in the Westown, a vessel of G. W. Grace & Co. Ltd., he was discharged from the Merchant Navy in October 1947.

Sold with a quantity of original documentation, including certificate of award for the Belgian Croix de Guerre, dated 16 January 1947, together with Ministry of Transport forwarding letter which confirms the award was in respect of ‘good services in the S.S. Fort Cataraqui during the War’; letter of commendation from the Manager of Wm. Cory & Son Ltd., as cited above, dated 26 November 1941, and several other letters from the same source, including one regarding his financial reward; together with a letter to the recipient from Captain H. R. G. Kinahan, R.N., dated 12 November 1942, in which he refers to their earlier service together some 27 years prior (’You are doing a grand job and a fine example at your age too. The Hun will never win through so long as we can go on building ships for men of your type to man ...’).