British War Medal 1914-18
Awarded to Admiral of the Fleet Sir Frederick Charles Doveton Sturdee (1859-1925). Obverse: Head of King George V (left). Legend: 'GEORGIVS V BRITT : OMN : REX ET IND : IMP:' Reverse: A Knight on horseback (right) a short sword in his right hand, trampling on the German shield, skull and cross-bones. Legend: '1914-18': Engraved on the edge: 'ADML. SIR .F.D.C. STURDEE. R.N.' Fitted with a bar and orange watered silk ribbon edged with blue, black and white stripes. Mounted on a bar with six others.
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 his 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’.
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 his 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: | MED2432 |
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Collection: | Coins and medals |
Type: | War medal |
Display location: | Not on display |
Creator: | Mackennal, Edgar Bertram; McMillan, William |
Events: | World War I, 1914-1918 |
Date made: | 1919 |
People: | Sturdee, Frederick Charles Doveton |
Credit: | On loan to the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, from a Private Collection |
Measurements: | Overall: 36 mm |