TOPIC:

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

CBE Military, 1st type;
Egypt, dated reverse (0) (“E. Lees” Midn. R.N., H.M.S. “Northumberland”) name re-engraved;
QSA (6) Cape Colony, Tugela Heights, Orange Free State, Relief of Ladysmith, Laing’s Nek, Belfast (Commander E. Lees, R.N.) officially engraved naming;
Khedive’s Star, dated 1882;
Japan, Order of the Sacred Treasure, 2nd class breast star, silver-gilt and enamels

Noonan's state that although there were 63 Medals with 6 clasps issued to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines, just four of which were to officers, this is the only medal with this combination of clasps.

CBE London Gazette 1 January 1919: 'In recognition of valuable services rendered in connection with the war.’

Edgar Lees was born on 11 May 1866, and entered the Royal Navy as a Cadet in July 1879. His first seagoing appointment was as a Midshipman in the old ironclad H.M.S. Northumberland in the Channel Squadron. Advanced to Sub-Lieutenant in the corvette Sapphire on the China station in October 1885, and to Lieutenant in the gunboat Orwell in home waters in August 1888, Lees next came ashore to qualify in torpedo duties at Vernon. Duly qualified, he was appointed Torpedo Lieutenant in the cruiser Immortalité in the Channel Squadron, but he returned to Vernon as a senior staff officer in 1895.

Then in 1897, he was appointed First Lieutenant of the Doris, flagship of Admiral Sir Robert Harris at the Cape, and it was in that capacity that he was landed for service as an A.D.C. to Sir Redvers Buller in the period November 1899 to October 1900. Present at the relief of Ladysmith, and in the actions at Tugela Heights, Laing’s Nek and Belfast, he was promoted to Commander in June 1900 and twice mentioned in despatches. Firstly, in Buller’s despatch of March 1900, for being ‘a thoroughly capable and deserving officer, who rendered me great assistance’, and, secondly, in his despatch of June 1900, as being ‘strongly recommended for consideration’. Moreover, his Queen’s South Africa Medal, which he received from the hands of the King, was a unique naval award on account of its clasp combination.

In January 1903, Lees took command of the gunboat Hazard, then employed as a tender to submarines and, on being advanced to Captain in June 1904, he succeeded Admiral Bacon in command of the depot ship Thames, then the Headquarters of the ‘underwater craft’. In the latter appointment, in addition to his executive and administrative work, he superintended the designs of the early submarine boats.
In November 1906, on being placed on the Retired List as a Rear-Admiral, he became Managing Director of the Whitehead Torpedo Works at Weymouth. And it was in that capacity that he was awarded the CBE for his work during the war, in addition to the Japanese Sacred Treasure in April 1921. He died Harrogate, Yorkshire in September 1925, aged 60.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

East and West Africa 1887 (1) 1892 (T. F. Hurrell, Lg. Stoker H.M.S. Racer.);
QSA (0) (T. F. Hurrell, Ch: Sto: H.M.S. Doris);
Royal Navy LS&GC Ed VII (127761 T. F. Hurrell, Ch. Sto. H.M.S. Cornwallis.)

Noonan's say nine East and West Africa Medals with clasp ‘1892’ were awarded to the Royal Navy, 6 to Racer and 3 to Sparrow.

Thomas Frederick Hurrell was born in Devonport on 18 November 1864 and entered the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in May 1884. Having been advanced to Leading Stoker 2nd Class in the interim, he joined H.M.S. Racer in October 1890, and it was in that capacity that he witnessed active service on the west coast of Africa in April 1892. Among a handful of ratings landed as bluejackets, he participated in the attack on Chief Suliman Santa’s stronghold at Toniataba. The town was well-fortified and the enemy resisted strongly and only after a hard fight was it taken and destroyed. Hurrell was advanced to Leading Stoker 1st Class in March 1893.

Subsequently appointed a Chief Stoker in March 1896, he joined the flagship Doris on the Cape of Good Hope station in the following year and was likewise employed at the time of the Boer War. Pensioned ashore in May 1904, he was enrolled in the Royal Fleet Reserve the following month but, somewhat unusually, he was allowed to rejoin the Royal Navy for a further period of five years. Whilst serving aboard Cornwallis Hurrell was awarded the LS&GC medal before coming ashore for a final time in the summer of 1909, being discharged as medically unfit.

The trio to Chief Stoker Hurrell sold for a hammer price of GBP 1,600. Totals (VAT UK only): GBP 2,061. R46,200. Au$4,050. Can$3,710. US$2,660.

The CBE group to Commander Lees sold for a hammer price of GBP 2,000. Totals (VAT UK only): GBP 2,576. R57,800. Au$5,060. Can$4,640. US$3,320.