Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second War C.B.E. and Great War ‘Tigris Gunboats’ D.S.O. group of thirteen awarded to Captain R. N. Suter, Royal Navy

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) Commander’s 2nd type neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with full neck riband; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top riband bar, centres loose and with minor repair; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Cape Colony (Midn. R. N. Suter, R.N. H.M.S. Doris) engraved naming; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-14 (Lieut. Commr. R. N. Suter, R.N. H.M.S. Swiftsure.); 1914-15 Star (Commr. R. N. Suter, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Commr. R. N. Suter. R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Russia, Empire, Order of St. Anne, Military Division, Second Class neck badge, with swords, by Eduard, St. Petersburg, 54mm, gold and enamel; Czechoslovakia, Republic, War Cross 1939, bronze, mounted as worn, very fine or better (13) £3,600-£4,400

Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, June 2002.

C.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1944:
‘For services as Divisional Sea Transport Officer at Greenock.’

D.S.O. London Gazette 7 August 1918:
‘In recognition of the zeal and ability displayed by him as Flag Commander to the Rear-Admiral, Persian Gulf and Mesopotamia, from June 1917 to May 1918. Lieutenant-Commander Suter has served in the trying climate of this station for five years, and took part in many actions whilst in command of H.M.S. Lawrence.’

Czech War Cross London Gazette 15 September 1942.
Awarded for services as Divisional Sea Transport Officer at Marseilles during the evacuation of Czech forces from France in 1940.

Roy Neville Suter was born in 1884 and first saw active service as a Midshipman in H.M.S. Doris’s Naval Brigade during the Boer War. In May 1902 he was appointed to H.M.S. Hazard at Barrow in Furness for Torpedo ‘duties in connection with submarine boats’, and presumably took part in the early sea trials of the original Holland Class submarines, first launched in November 1901.

Suter saw service in the Persian Gulf whilst Lieutenant-Commander of H.M.S. Swiftsure from April 1913 until November 1914, when he took command of H.M.S. Lawrence on the same station. He was ‘Mentioned in report of S.N.O. Persian Gulf, for coolness and skill in handling his ship in difficult conditions of unsurveyed waters under fire at capture of Qurnah [Kurnah], December 1914’. He remained in command of H.M.S. Lawrence until August 1918, during which time he took part in the Kurnah operations in December 1914, and landed at Bushire with the Indian Expeditionary Force in August 1915. During 1917-18 whilst still in command of Lawrence, Suter served on the Staff of Rear-Admiral, Persian Gulf and Mesopotamia, and from August 1918 until July 1919 he was in command of the flower-class sloop H.M.S. Ceanothus. In October 1919 he was appointed to the Staff of Captain C. A. Freemantle, as Naval Liaison Officer with the British Military Mission in South Russia, and was awarded the Order of St. Anne 2nd Class with swords.

In the post-war years Suter commanded various ships, including H.M. Ships Lupin, Calliope, Caledon, and Concord. In 1926 the Air Council ‘expressed appreciation for assistance with ground survey of Persian Gulf section of Egypt-India air route.’ He retired as Captain on 1 April 1930 but was recalled to serve as Sea Transport Officer in charge, Egypt, 1933-36. In 1938 he was permitted to accept employment under the International Council for Non-Intervention in Spain, and authorised to proceed abroad as necessary. He was appointed Divisional Sea Transport Officer at Marseilles in January 1940, and in June 1944 he was appointed Principal Sea Transport Officer, South East Coast. He died on the Isle of Wight on 10 June 1958.

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