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Badge and Star: Order of the Bath, 1st class (military)
Badge and star, Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath awarded to Admiral of the Fleet Sir Frederick Doveton Sturdee (1859-1925). 1. Star. A silver flaming star with a gold Maltese Cross superimposed, on which is the enamelled device of three crowns surrounded by a red band with the motto of the order: 'TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO'. The whole is encircled by a green laurel wreath, 'ICH DIEN' on a blue scroll below..
Reverse: Plain with vertical pin fastening. 2. Badge. Maltese cross of eight points, enamelled white, each point tipped with a small gold ball and in each angle between the arms of the cross, a lion. In the centre of the cross a device consisting of a rose, thistle and shamrock issuing from a sceptre and three Imperial crowns, surrounded by red enamel circle bearing the motto: 'TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO' in gold. The circle is surrounded by two branches of laurel enamelled green and below is a blue enamel scroll inscription in gold: 'ICH DIEN'. Suspended by a loop and ring from a crimson sash worn across the right shoulder with the badge pendant on the left hip. Sturdee was made Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1913 and a Knight Grand Cross in 1921.
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Frederick Charles Doveton Sturdee was the son of Captain Frederick Ranney Sturdee, RN. He entered the Royal Navy on 15 July 1871. At the beginning of World War I, Vice-Admiral Sturdee was serving as Chief of Naval War staff under Prince Louis of Battenberg. His tenure was marked by the loss of HMS 'Aboukir', Cressy' and 'Hogue' and the defeat of the Battle of Coronel. His old enemy, the new First Sea Lord, Sir John Fisher re-appointed Sturdee Commander in Chief, South Atlantic and South Pacific. He destroyed the German squadron led by Maximilian, Count von Spee off the Falkland Islands on 8 December 1914, avenging von Spee’s earlier victory over the British. Sturdee was granted a baronetcy for this service and commanded the 4th Battle Squadron at Jutland in 1916. He was promoted Admiral in 1917 and to Admiral of the Fleet in 1921 on his retirement.
In later life he became president of the Society for Nautical Research and was active in the campaign to preserve HMS ‘Victory’.
Reverse: Plain with vertical pin fastening. 2. Badge. Maltese cross of eight points, enamelled white, each point tipped with a small gold ball and in each angle between the arms of the cross, a lion. In the centre of the cross a device consisting of a rose, thistle and shamrock issuing from a sceptre and three Imperial crowns, surrounded by red enamel circle bearing the motto: 'TRIA JUNCTA IN UNO' in gold. The circle is surrounded by two branches of laurel enamelled green and below is a blue enamel scroll inscription in gold: 'ICH DIEN'. Suspended by a loop and ring from a crimson sash worn across the right shoulder with the badge pendant on the left hip. Sturdee was made Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1913 and a Knight Grand Cross in 1921.
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Frederick Charles Doveton Sturdee was the son of Captain Frederick Ranney Sturdee, RN. He entered the Royal Navy on 15 July 1871. At the beginning of World War I, Vice-Admiral Sturdee was serving as Chief of Naval War staff under Prince Louis of Battenberg. His tenure was marked by the loss of HMS 'Aboukir', Cressy' and 'Hogue' and the defeat of the Battle of Coronel. His old enemy, the new First Sea Lord, Sir John Fisher re-appointed Sturdee Commander in Chief, South Atlantic and South Pacific. He destroyed the German squadron led by Maximilian, Count von Spee off the Falkland Islands on 8 December 1914, avenging von Spee’s earlier victory over the British. Sturdee was granted a baronetcy for this service and commanded the 4th Battle Squadron at Jutland in 1916. He was promoted Admiral in 1917 and to Admiral of the Fleet in 1921 on his retirement.
In later life he became president of the Society for Nautical Research and was active in the campaign to preserve HMS ‘Victory’.
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Object Details
| ID: | MED2420 |
|---|---|
| Collection: | Coins and medals |
| Type: | Order |
| Display location: | Not on display |
| Date made: | circa 1921 |
| People: | Sturdee, Frederick Charles Doveton |
| Credit: | On loan to the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, from a Private Collection |
| Measurements: | badge: 80 mm; star: 92 mm |
| Parts: | Badge and Star: Order of the Bath, 1st class (military) |