Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Great War ‘Palestine operations’ D.S.O. group of five awarded to Vice-Admiral (Retired) J. D. Nares, Royal Navy, who was decorated and mentioned in despatches for services whilst serving in H.M.S. Enterprise in October & November 1917

Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R., silver-gilt and enamel, with integral top riband bar; British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaves (Commr. J. D. Nares. R.N.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45, unnamed as issued, flaking to obverse red enamel central medallion, otherwise good very fine (5) £1,400-£1,800

D.S.O. London Gazette 20 February 1919: ‘Cdr. John Dodd Nares, R.N., H.M.S. Enterprise. Did most useful service prior to the operations in fixing positions north of Gaza, thus enabling a map to be drawn up. Rendered every 'assistance’ to R.A. Egypt from the 6th to 12th November, 1917, when the Rear Admiral’s flag was flown in Enterprise.’

John Dodd Nares was born on 11 December 1877, the son of Admiral Sir George Nares, the Arctic explorer. He entered the Royal Navy on 15 January 1892 and was promoted to Sub Lieutenant on 15 December 1897, having served as a Cadet in H.M.S. Britannia, and in H.M.S. Crescent, in which he advanced to Midshipman on 15 March 1994. As a Midshipman he served in H.M.S. Katoomba, H.M.S. Orlando, H.M.S. Flora, H.M.S. Calliope, H.M.S. Victory and H.M.S. Volage. It was remarked that he "suffers greatly from sea sickness". He became an Assistant Surveyor 4th Class on 1 September 1898 and, as a Sub-Lieutenant, served in H.M.S. Triton and H.M.S. Penguin. He was promoted to Lieutenant on 1 April 1900, then serving in H.M.S. Dart, H.M.S. Penguin, H.M.S. Research and, from March 1908 to February 1911, in H.M.S. Egeria, as First Lieutenant and, from March 1910, in command. He was in H.M.S. Fantôme from 21 February 1911, and in command from May 1911 until May 1913, when he spent a few months in the Hydrographic Department before taking command of H.M.S. Hearty on 7 November 1913. He was promoted to Commander on 31 December 1913, and left Hearty only a couple of months later on 28 February 1914, when he returned to the Hydrographic Department the following day as a Naval Assistant, before becoming Superintendent of Charts on 17 February 1915. He joined H.M.S. Enterprise on 1 September 1917, in command and as Charge Hydrographic Surveyor, and was also appointed to the Staff of the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies, nominally to conduct surveys in the Red Sea. But, from October to December 1917, operated in H.M.S. Enterprise off the coast of Palestine, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and was also mentioned in despatches. From 19 August 1918, he commanded H.M.S. Merlin, in Hong Kong and was promoted to Captain on 30 June 1919. It is recorded that Their Lordships "expressed satisfaction at the circumstances in which hydrographic information of considerable value of Canton Rivers East and West was obtained". He was Superintendent of Charts in the Hydrographic Department from 1 November 1920 to 1 March 1922, when he took command of H.M.S. Endeavour on the west coast of Africa, remaining in her until 13 August 1924. He returned to the Hydrographic Department as Assistant Hydrographer until 23 February 1928, when he joined H.M.S. Iroquois in command on the China Station until 6 December 1929. Vice Admiral Tyrwhitt described him as "Above average. A most efficient surveyor and has carried out his duties in accordance with Admiralty Orders. Charming personality and a pleasant companion." He was promoted to Rear-Admiral on 4 April 1931 and retired the following day.
During 1931-32 he undertook surveys of Bharanager Channel on the west coast of India, before becoming the President of the Directing Committee of the International Hydrographic Bureau in Monaco from 1932 to 1940 when, with the collapse of France, he returned to England to serve in the Hydrographic Department - first as a Retired Commander and then as a Retired Captain. From 1942-44 he held the post of Assistant Hydrographer in Bath. He returned to Monaco as a Vice Admiral (dating from 1 Jan 1936) in 1945, and remained there until his death on 18 January 1957.

Sold with copied research, including record of service and confirmation of Second War medals.