Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Boy First Class J. T. Cornwell winning the Victoria Cross.

A contemporary print of the famous portrait of Boy First Class John Travers ‘Jack’ Cornwell winning the Victoria Cross, by Frank O. Salisbury, painted on board H.M.S. Chester for the Admiralty, and published on behalf of the Boy Cornwell Memorial Fund, with illuminated citation below, signed by the artist and counter-signed by First Lord of the Admiralty Edward Carson, Admiral of the Fleet John Jellicoe, and Admiral David Beatty, mounted in a glazed display frame, the whole measuring 1055mm x 675mm, very good condition £300-£400

V.C. London Gazette 15 September 1916:
‘Mortally wounded early in the action, Boy, First Class, Jack Travers Cornwell remained standing alone at a most exposed post, quietly awaiting orders, until the end of the action, with the gun's crew dead and wounded all round him. His age was under sixteen and a half years.’

The original portrait, painted by court painter Frank O. Salisbury, who used Cornwell’s brother Ernest as his model, is on display at the Royal Navy’s Initial Training Establishment H.M.S. Raleigh.

Please note that this lot is not suitable for shipping, but can be hand delivered within mainland Britain by prior arrangement.