The James Fox Collection of Naval Awards

Royal Victorian Medal, E.VII.R., bronze, unnamed as issued in its damaged case of issue, together with original Buckingham Palace Certificate of Award to ‘Petty-Officer John Alfred Wise’, dated 5th August 1907, suspension re-fixed, otherwise very fine £300-£400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The James Fox Collection of Naval Awards.

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R.V.M. (Bronze) awarded 5 August 1907 to Petty Officer 1st Class Gunnery Instructor John Alfred Wise as a member of the gun laying team on the occasion of King Edward VII’s Inspection of H.M.S. Dreadnought at Cowes, 5 August 1907.

Sold with a fine original photograph of Dreadnought’s gunnery team posing proudly on deck with the target used in the demonstration before the King at Cowes in August 1907; together with copied service papers and medal roll showing entitlement to 1914-15 Star trio but with no indication of actual issue. In February 1916, Wise was court-martialled for theft and receiving government stores, and bookmaking on the results of gunnery trials. He was consequently sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and discharged from the service with forfeit of pension. It is therefore unlikely that he received his Great War medals.