Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Great War K.C.M.G. group of ten awarded to Admiral Sir S. H. Carden, Royal Navy, in command of Naval operations in the Dardanelles until March 1915

The Order of St. Michael and St. George, K.C.M.G., neck badge and breast star, silver-gilt and enamels; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, dated reverse, 1 clasp, Suakin 1884 (Lieut. R.N. H.M.S. “Thalia”); East & West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Benin 1897 (Comdr., H.M.S. Theseus); 1914-15 Star (V. Adml.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (V. Adml.); Coronation 1902, silver; Coronation 1911; Legion of Honour, Officer, gold and enamels, usual chips; Khedive’s Star 1882, the earlier campaign medals nearly very fine, otherwise good very fine (11) £1600-1800

Sackville Hamilton Carden was born on 3 May 1857, and entered the Navy in 1870. He served as Lieutenant of Thalia during the Egyptian war of 1882 (Medal, Khedive’s Star); First Lieutenant of Dryad during the naval and military operations near Suakin, in the Eastern Soudan, 1884 (Suakin Clasp); As Commander of Theseus served in the punitive naval expedition commanded by Rear-Admiral Rawson, C.B., and landed from the Squadron to punish the King of Benin for the massacre of the political expedition, 1897, ending at the capture of Benin City, 18 February 1897 (General Africa Medal, Benin Clasp); Officer of the Legion of Honour; Rear-Admiral, 15 November 1908; Rear-Admiral in Atlantic Fleet, August 1910 to August 1911; Admiral Superintendent of Malta Dockyard, August 1912 to September 1914; Vice-Admiral, 27 August 1914; Vice-Admiral Commanding Allied Fleet at the Dardanelles during attacks on the forts from 19 February to 16 March 1915, when he resigned owing to illness. He was appointed K.C.M.G. in recognition of services rendered in connection with Naval operations of the war, 1 January 1916.

When the Dardanelles campaign was mooted with considerable optimism by Winston Churchill, and others, to overcome the stalemate on the Western Front, Carden was chosen to implement the plan to force the Narrows by sea power alone. The attempt to achieve this failed completely and was followed by the equally incompetent landings at Gallipoli, by which time Carden had been incapacitated by illness. Admiral Carden died on 5 May 1930.