Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A rare Boer War ‘Defence of Ladysmith’ Naval Brigade group of seven awarded to Chief Petty Officer L. Harmer, H.M.S. Powerful, Royal Navy, complete with the recipient’s presentation City of Portsmouth presentation pocket watch, and Lloyd’s presentation tobacco box; Harmer subsequently served in H.M.S. Sparrowhawk at the Battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916, and for his services was awarded the Russian Medal of St. George

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Defence of Ladysmith (173178 A.B. L. Harmer, H.M.S. Powerful) officially engraved naming; 1914-15 Star (173178 L. Harmer, P.O. 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (173178 L. Harmer. C.P.O. R.N.); Royal Victorian Medal, V.R., bronze, unnamed as issued, suspension repaired above crown and no longer swivelling; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (173178 Leonard Harmer, P.O. 1Cl. H.M.S. Blenheim); Russia, Empire, Medal of St George, Fourth Class, silver, the reverse officially numbered ‘1272854’, this lacking original ring suspension; together with the recipient’s City of Portsmouth Presentation Hunter Pocket Watch, silver case, continental hall marks, the outer front lid inscribed ‘Siege of Ladysmith, 118 Days, 1899-1900, L. Harmer, A.B., H.M.S. Powerful’, the Swiss made movement signed ‘S. Smith & Son, 9 Strand, London, Watchmakers to the Admiralty’; and the recipient’s Corporation of Lloyd’s Presentation silver Tobacco Box, by ‘H. & A.’, hallmarks for Birmingham 1899, the lid with engraved crest and ‘Lloyd’s’ above and the date ‘7 May 1900’ below, additionally inscribed ‘To L. Harmer A.B. H.M.S. Powerful’, very fine or better (9) £3,000-£4,000

Dix Noonan Webb, December 2007.

Leonard Harmer was born at Broadwater, Sussex, on 28 November 1877, and joined the Royal Navy on as a Boy Second Class in H.M.S. Impregnable on 25 May 1893. He served in H.M.S. Powerful from 8 June 1897 to 8 June 1900, and was promoted Able Seaman on 21 April 1898. He served with Powerful’s Ladysmith Naval Brigade and was present throughout the defence of that town. Advanced Petty Officer First Class on 15 September 1907, he was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in November 1910 whilst serving in H.M.S. Blenheim. During the Great War he served in a variety of ships ands shore based establishments, including in the destroyer H.M.S. Sparrowhark at the battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916; Sparrowhawk was sunk during the action, but fortunately suffered very few casualties. Awarded the Russian Medal of St George 4th Class for his services at Jutland, Harmer was advanced Chief Petty Officer on 1 August 1918, before being invalided out of the service in May 1920 suffering from a growth on his lower jaw.

Sold with a black cloth seaman’s cap with ‘H.M.S. Powerful’ tally, mothed but generally good for the period.