Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War C.M.G., pre-War M.V.O. group of nine awarded to Vice-Admiral A. K. Macrorie, Royal Navy, who commanded the Royal Yacht Victoria and Albert 1911-14, and was later Mentioned in Despatches for his services during the Dardanelles Campaign

The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, C.M.G., Companion’s breast badge converted for neck wear, silver-gilt and enamel, with neck riband; The Royal Victorian Order, M.V.O., Member’s 4th Class breast badge, silver-gilt and enamel, the reverse officially numbered ‘424’; 1914-15 Star (Capt. A. K. Macrorie, M.V.O., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Capt. A. K. Macrorie. R.N.); Denmark, Kingdom, Order of the Dannebrog, Third Class neck badge, C.X.R. (1912-47), silver-gilt and enamel, with neck riband; Japan, Empire, Order of the Sacred Treasure, Third Class neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel, with neck riband complete with usual fitments; Greece, Kingdom, Order of the Redeemer, Third Class neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel; France, Third Republic, Legion of Honour, Officer’s breast badge, gold and enamel, with rosette on riband, mounted as worn, minor enamel damage in parts and the campaign medals lacquered, generally very fine and better (9) £2,400-£2,800

C.M.G. London Gazette 1 January 1919:
‘In recognition of valuable services rendered during the War.’

M.V.O. Fourth Class London Gazette 12 August 1913.

Danish Order of Dannebrog awarded September 1913 on the occasion of the Royal Visit to Copenhagen (not gazetted).

Japanese Order of the Sacred Treasure London Gazette 6 April 1918.

Greek Order of the Redeemer London Gazette 17 April 1918.

French Legion of Honour London Gazette 21 June 1918.

Arthur Kenneth Macrorie was born on 6 June 1874, the son of the Rt. Rev. W. K. Macrorie, Bishop of Maritzburg, and was educated at H.M.S. Britannia. He entered the Royal Navy in January 1888 and was appointed Midshipman in 1890. He was commissioned Lieutenant in 1896, and served in a variety of ships, being given his first command, that of H.M.S. Thrasher, in November 1900. He subsequently served in command of H.M.S. Osprey and H.M.S. Panther, and was advanced Commander in 1907.

In August 1911 Macrorie was appointed to command the Royal Yacht H.M.Y. Victoria and Albert, and held the appointment for the usual three years, being awarded the Royal Victorian Order, Fourth Class, in 1913, on the conclusion of H.M. The King’s visit to Cowes for the annual regatta. Promoted Captain on 1 August 1914, on his departure from the Royal Yacht he was given the command of the light cruiser H.M.S. Juno, and served during the Great War in the Dardanelles Campaign of 1915 for which he was Mentioned in Despatches ‘for the period from the landing on the Gallipoli Peninsula in April until the withdrawal in December 1915’ (London Gazette 14 March 1916).

Appointed next to H.M.S. Theseus, Macrorie served in her until August 1918 and then, at the conclusion of the war, was employed as Superintendent of the Signal School, Royal Naval Barracks , Portsmouth from 15 November 1918. His final appointments was as Captain of the drifter Columbine, for command of Port Edgar base, from 20 November 1921 and then as Captain of H.M.S. Emperor of India the following year.

Appointed Aide-de-Camp to H.M. the King on 2 November 1923, Macrorie retained the appointment until placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Rear-Admiral on 2 September 1924. A Justice of the Peace for West Sussex, he was advanced Vice-Admiral on the Retired List on 1 August 1929, and died in Chichester on 25 November 1947.

Sold with copied research, including two group photographic images of the recipient with Their Majesties King George V and Queen Mary and the officers of the Royal Yacht.

Note: The recipient’s original insignia of the Order of the Dannebrog was returned to the Danish Orders Secretary in Copenhagen upon his death, in line with the statutes governing the Order, and the insignia included in this lot was subsequently acquired as a representative example.