Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The mounted group of eight miniature dress medals worn by Captain W. St. A. Malleson, Royal Navy, who was awarded the V.C. for his gallantry in securing the lighters from the H.M.S. River Clyde during the Gallipoli Landings, 25 April 1915

Victoria Cross; 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Coronation 1937; Coronation 1953, mounted court style as worn; together with the recipient’s Sir Alfred Butt’s Invitation to VC’s Medallion, obverse featuring the Victoria Cross set upon a lyre, with theatrical masks of ‘comedy’ and ‘tragedy’ below, and the inscription, ‘Sir Alfred Butt’s Invitation to V.C’s.’, the reverse inscribed ‘This Badge is issued for the Personal Use of Lieut. W. St. A. Malleson Royal Navy. subject to the conditions signed by him’, 34 x 31mm, silver-gilt, hallmarks for Birmingham 1918, nearly extremely fine (9) £1400-1800

V.C. London Gazette 16 August 1915:
‘Assisted Commander Unwin, H.M.S. River Clyde, at the work of securing the lighters which were to form the bridge to the shore which had broken adrift. After Midshipman Drewry had failed from exhaustion under heavy rifle and maxim fire to get a line from lighter to lighter, he swam with it himself and succeeded. The line subsequently broke, and he afterwards made two further but unsuccessful attempts at his self-imposed task.’

Malleson’s own account of the action is recorded thus:
‘On the night of the 24th April, 1915, the “V” Beach Party of about 30 men and 8 officers, with Lieutenant Morse in command, was transported to the Fleet Sweeper Newmarket, lying at Tenedos. I, personally, got off to sleep as soon as possible. I had myself woken about 3:30 am next morning and found the ship under way about 5 miles from the straights. About 4:00 am the bombardment started, and later we could hear rifle and machine gun fire, telling us the covering parties had landed. The ship was full of troops, Munsters and RND, and about 5:30 am they landed. Our turn did not come until the third tow, about 6:30 am or 7:00 am. We were taken in a tow of 4 lifeboats. We arrived starboard side of River Clyde and landed on a lighter under the bow of the River Clyde. In coming in we only sustained about 4 or 6 casualties all due to stray rifle fire. Even in getting out of the boat we got off very lightly. It was in the act of getting out of the boat that Midshipman Hardiman was fatally wounded. This was about the nearest escape I had, as I was standing about 2 feet away from him. Sub Lieutenant Walker and Mr. Spillame, the Bo’sun, stayed in the boat with the crew and took her round to the stern of the River Clyde. We then lost sight of them. Our remnant of the Beach Party was now on its face in the lighter. Nothing very much was possible as bullets were whistling over our heads and the lighters were all isolated and swaying backwards and forwards on account of the current. After about an hour of inaction, during which time occupants of the lighter sustained about 1 casualty every 10 minutes, I observed a lighter on the starboard side, manned by Lieutenant Morse and Midshipman Drewry, being pushed from behind by our 2nd boat (Midshipman Voelcker). This lighter was pushed into place between my lighter and the next, a very skilful performance, due to the numerous shoals, constant rifle fire, and general unwieldiness of the lighter. The fore end of the new lighter was secured, but the rear end began to drift away owing to the current. Midshipman Drewry then jumped in and attempted to swim across. But owing to the fact that he had to swim against the current, and his rope was too short, he got into difficulties. I therefore got together some rope and getting together a soldier (Munsters, name not known) to pay it out, managed to get it across. I was a bit done, so Lieutenant Morse made in fast.
The new lighter had by now drifted. I therefore swam to it and managed to get a rope from it and started to tow one end back. However, the rope was now too short, and feeling exhausted I scrambled aboard the lighter again. Lieutenant Morse told me to get a dry change and so I crawled into the River Clyde where I remained until the evening.’

Wilfred St. Aubyn Malleson was born at Kirkee, India, on 17 September 1896, the eldest son of Major Genearl Sir Wilfred Malleson, and was educated at the Royal Naval College Osborne. He was commissioned Midshipman on 7 August 1914, serving in H.M.S. Cornwallis, and was present in that ship during the Gallipoli landings, for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. Evacuated to Bighi Naval Hospital, Malta, with rheumatic fever, he returned to the U.K., and transferred to H.M.S. Dolphin for submarine training on 15 October 1917. He served during the Second World War as Assistant Captain, Malta Dockyard, and was Captain of the Dockyard, and King’s Harbour Master, from 1945-48. He retired in 1948 with the rank of Captain, and died at St. Clement, Truro, Cornwall, on 21 July 1975. Cremated, his ashes were scatted at sea off Falmouth, Cornwall.

Malleson was invested with his Victoria Cross by H.M King George V at Buckingham Palace on 2 January 1918; his V.C. and other full size awards are currently on display as part of the Lord Ashcroft Collection in the Imperial War Museum, London.

Sold together with the recipient’s own hand-written account of the action, signed ‘W. St. A. Malleson, Mid. R.N.’; together with a hand written copy of Lloyd’s Account to Skipper.

Sir Alfred Butt was Director of Rationing in the Ministry of Food, 1917-18 and was M.P. for Balham and Tooting, 1922-36. He was also Chairman of the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane and other theatrical companies. It was doubtless in this latter capacity that Sir Alfred had these badges produced and distributed to V.C. recipients allowing them free entry to his various theatres. An article on the badge, by J. M. A. Tamplin, is featured in the Summer 1988 edition of the Journal of the O.M.R.S., p.117; it was likely for use as a watch fob.