A Collection of Medals to the Royal Naval Air Service and Armoured Car Squadrons

A Great War O.B.E. group of seven awarded to Major J. E. Arrol-Hunter, Royal Air Force, late Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and Armoured Car Squadrons of the Royal Naval Air Service, awarded the Russian Orders of St. Stanislaus and St. Anne for services with the British Armoured Car Squadron in Russia

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1919, on 2nd type (military) ribbon; British War Medal 1914-20 (Major, R.A.F.); Victory Medal 1914-19 (Lieut. R.N.V.R.); Defence; Russia, Order of St. Stanislaus, ‘Kerensky’ period, 2nd Class neck badge with swords, 48mm., bronze-gilt and enamel; Russia, Order of St. Anne, 3rd Class breast badge with swords, gold and enamel; Italy, Order of the Crown, Knight’s breast badge, gold and enamel, all except fifth mounted as worn, very fine and better (7) £2500-3000

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals to the Royal Naval Air Service and Armoured Car Squadrons.

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O.B.E. London Gazette 3 June 1919. ‘... in recognition of distinguished services rendered during the War’.

John Eric Arrol Hunter was born on 11 August 1893, the son of John and Cathleen Hunter (later Sir John and Lady Hunter, knighted in 1917). Living at the time at 13 Queen’s Gate, Dowanhill, Glasgow and later at Bracklinn, Bearsden, Glasgow, he was educated at Glasgow Academy, 1900-07. During 1910-15 he served as an apprentice engineer at the firm of Sir William Arrol & Co. Ltd. where his father was Chairman. With the war in progress, Hunter entered the services in August 1915 and was first posted to the R.N.V.R. as a Sub-Lieutenant at the Barrow Airship Station. His service there was followed by postings with Commander Locker-Lampson to the Armoured Car Squadrons of the R.N.A.S. in Armenia, Romania and Russia. He served finally with the newly formed R.A.F. in the Mediterranean. He was transferred to the Unemployed List on 1 February 1919. For his services in the war he was awarded the O.B.E.; the Russian Order of St. Stanislaus, 2nd Class with swords, Russian Order of St. Anne, 3rd Class with swords, and Italian Order of the Crown, 5th Class.

It is recorded in his service papers that ‘On the night of 2/3 December (1916) he went out 3 times in charge of Russian working party to bring in the damaged British Armoured Cars from between the Russian and enemy (Bulgarian) lines, although exposed by searchlights and under fire. This officer displayed great devotion to duty. On the night of December 28/29 he successfully carried out the difficult task of covering the retreat of the left flank of the 6th Russian Army’.

Both the above actions are recorded in The Czar’s British Squadron, by Perrett & Lord; the second action is recorded in Actions and Reactions in Russia, by R. Scotland Liddell. Sold with a quantity of copied service papers and other research.