Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria. To coincide with the OMRS Convention

The mounted group of eleven miniature dress medals attributed to Captain (later Vice-Admiral) A. F. B. Carpenter V.C., commanding officer of the “Vindictive” at Zeebrugge, Victoria Cross, good quality, of contemporary manufacture; China 1900, no clasp; 1914-15 Star; British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. Oakleaf; Defence; Coronation 1937; Jubilee 1935; France, Third Republic, Legion of Honour, Chevalier’s badge, silver, silver-gilt and enamel; France, Croix de Guerre 1914-1918, bronze palm on ribbon; Royal Humane Society Medal, silver, successful, mounted as worn, last medal separated from frayed ribbon, good very fine (11) £1400-1800

Ex Spink 25 November 1998, lot 1749

Sold with a copy of the book, The Blocking of Zeebrugge, by Captain A. F. B. Carpenter, inscribed to his illustrator, ‘To my friend Charles de Lacey, The Artist, (signed by) A. F. B. Carpenter’, ex-libris C. deL. W. Fforde, East Yorkshire Regiment; also with a a letter from Carpenter to deLacey regarding the artwook for the book. With a cap badge and a quantity of copied research.

Alfred Francis Blakeney Carpenter was born in Barnes, Surrey on 17 September 1881. Joining the Royal Navy in 1896, he saw service in Crete in 1898 and China in 1900. Promoted Sub-Lieutenant in 1901 and Lieutenant in 1903, he specialized in Navigation and after being promoted Lieutenant-Commander in 1911 was appointed to the War Staff in 1913. He was awarded the Royal Humane Society Medal in 1913, when as an officer aboard H.M.S. Achilles, he and two others rescued a man who had fallen into the sea at Spithead. With the outbreak of the Great War he served on Admiral Jellicoe’s staff, July 1914-November 1915 and was Navigating Commander aboard the battleship H.M.S. Emperor of India, November 1915-November 1917. On 22 / 23 April 1918, Commander (Acting Captain) Carpenter was in command of H.M.S. Vindictive in the attack upon Zeebrugge - his skill in navigating through heavily mined waters, supervision of the landing of troops on the harbour mole and personal leadership resulted in the balloted award of the Victoria Cross. His actions resulted in his special promotion to Captain and the award of the Legion of Honour and Croix de Guerre. After the War he lectured at Cambridge University 1919-20 and commanded the cruiser H.M.S. Carysfort in the Atlantic Fleet, 1921-23. During 1924-26 he held the post of Captain of Chatham Dockyard, followed by command of the battleships Benbow and Marlborough, 1926-28. He was placed on the Retired List with the rank of Rear-Admiral in 1929 and Vice-Admiral retired in 1934. During the Second World War he was officer commanding the 17th Gloucestershire (Wye Valley) Battalion, 1940-44 and Director of Shipping 1945. He died on 27 December 1955.