Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An Edwardian S.G.M. group of three awarded to J. R. Lascelles, Mercantile Marine

Sea Gallantry Medal, E.VII.R., small, bronze (James Reah Lascelles, “Elswick Hall”, 12th September 1910); British War and Mercantile Marine War Medals 1914-18 (James R. Lascelles), the first with edge bruise, otherwise better than very fine (3) £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Awards to Merchant Seamen and D.E.M.S. Gunners.

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James Reah Lascelles, who was born in South Shields in 1878, entered the Mercantile Marine as an Apprentice with William Runciman of Newport in May 1898. Taking his 1st Mate’s ticket in 1901, he was serving as Chief Officer of the S.S. Elswick Hall on the occasion of winning his Sea Gallantry Medal, in bronze. Board of Trade records state:

‘On 12 September 1910, the Elswick Hall stranded on Stanislav Bank in the estuary of the River Dniper, and anchors were run out in an attempt to get her off. One of the vessel’s lifeboats, in the charge of the Chief Officer, Mr. Lascelles, and manned by six men, whilst attempting to shift anchor, was struck by a heavy sea and capsized. Mr. Lascelles and four of the men succeeded in getting on the upturned boat, but the other two men, unable to swim, did not reach the boat and were in danger of being drowned. Seeing their peril, Mr. Lascelles and a seaman named May at once dived off the boat and succeeded in rescuing them. There was a heavy sea running at the time and the rescuers incurred considerable risk.’

Lascelles, who received his S.G.M. from the King at Buckingham Palace on 2 May 1911, served in the Mercantile Marine throughout the Great War, initially as 1st Mate of the Linkmoor, which ship was sunk by gunfire from the U-35 50 miles west from Cape Matapan on 20 September 1915 - there were no casualties.

Lascelles’ final wartime appointment was as Master of the William Balls, from November 1915, and he was still in service when knocked down and killed by a car at Ghent in May 1928; sold with a file of research.