Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce Great War D.S.C. group of five awarded to Surgeon-Commander A. G. V. Elder, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, for services with Naval ambulance trains and sea hospital transport throughout the war, and who was frequently under fire at the Gallipoli beaches

Distinguished Service Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued, the reverse hallmarked 1917; 1914-15 Star (St. Surg. A. G. V. Elder, R.N.V.R.); British War and Victory Medals (St. Surg. A. G. V. Elder, R.N.V.R.); Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Decoration, G.V.R., the reverse hallmarked 1928, court mounted for display, nearly extremely fine (5) £2,200-£2,600

Approximately 27 D.S.C’s awarded to Surgeons during the Great War, and 112 awards to officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve.

D.S.C. London Gazette 17 April 1918:
‘In recognition of his services in connection with Naval ambulance trains and sea hospital transport throughout the war. Acting Staff Surgeon Elder was frequently under fire at the Gallipoli beaches.’

R.N.V.R. Decoration London Gazette 1 March 1932.

Armin Gascoine Vavaseur Elder was born at Bielfeld, Germany, on 9 August 1880; qualified MRCS Eng. 1904; LRCP Lond. 1904. Prior to the outbreak of war in 1914, Elder was a surgeon in the Orient Steam Navigation Company and afterwards in the White Star Line. He was the author in 1906 of The Ship-Surgeon’s Handbook, a second edition of which was published in 1911

Elder was appointed Surgeon Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on 8 April 1914, and was advanced Acting Surgeon Lieutenant-Commander, R.N.V.R., in December 1915; Surgeon Lieutenant-Commander, R.N.V.R., on 1 January 1921; and Surgeon-Commander, R.N.V.R., on 31 December 1927. He was the R.N.V.R. representative at the burial of Admiral of the Fleet Lord Beatty on 17 March 1936, and, having retired, returned to service on 15 September 1939. He died in London of coronary artery disease on 13 June 1940, and is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.

Sold with research saved to CD and a copy of The Ship-Surgeon’s Handbook (modern reprint of the second edition).