Head-and-shoulders bronze bust, with an irregular lower edge, facing forwards on a square plinth. The sitter is shown in admiral's full-dress uniform with medals and ADC's braid. There are two white celluloid plaques on the plinth. The larger reads 'Admiral of the Fleet / Sir F. C. Doveton Sturdee, Bart. / GCB, KCMG, CVO / Given by The Dowager Lady Sturdee'; the smaller below reads 'Executed by Lady Welly / 1925'.

Nothing is currently recorded of the sculptress. The NMM acquired the sculpture in November 1963 on the dispersal of the RUSI collection.

Sturdee entered the Navy in 1871 and became a torpedo expert and commander of the First Battle Squadron, 1910. As a vice-admiral in 1914 he was chief of war staff at the Admiralty under Prince Louis of Battenburg until the latter was succeeded by Fisher. Sturdee then returned to sea and, in December, was responsible for avenging von Spee's defeat of Cradock's British squadron off Coronel, Chile, by destroying von Spee's off the Falkland Islands. In the 'Benbow' he commanded the Fourth Battle Squadron, 1915-18, including at Jutland, and his last post was as commander-in-chief at the Nore, 1918-21. He had then become President of the Society for Nautical Research, and as such played a large part in the successful campaign to preserve Nelson's 'Victory' at Portsmouth, where she was dry-docked at the turn of 1921-22. His early death in 1925 was partly credited to the work he put into this cause. The NMM also owns a study of him by A. S. Cope, for the latter's 'Naval War Group' (BHC3042).