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Picture courtesy of DNW

Transport Medal (1) S. Africa 1899-1902 (A. Freer.);
1914-15 Star (Lt. Commr. A. Freer. R.N.R.);
British War and Victory Medals (Commr. A. Freer. R.N.R.;
Royal Naval Reserve Decoration GV, the reverse hallmarked London 1918

Alfred Freer was born at Portsmouth, Hampshire, on 4 January 1874. He joined the merchant service with the Allan Line, obtaining his Extra Master’s Certificate in December 1897, and served during the South African War of 1899-1902 as executive 2nd officer aboard the S.S. Bavarian.

He joined the Royal Naval Reserve as a Sub-Lieutenant on 13 April 1904; Lieutenant, 8 July 1907; Lieutenant-Commander, 8 July 1915; Commander 30 June 1919. Still serving with the Allan Line on a variety of vessels in the period prior to the outbreak of war, Freer was appointed to the Alsatian on 8 August 1914, for active service, and served in that vessel until demobilised on 26 September 1919. He was awarded the Royal Naval Reserve Decoration on 23 June 1919, and was promoted to Captain (Retired) on 30 June 1924.

Sold for a hammer price of £1,000. Totals (inc VAT on the commission for the UK only): £1,288. R25,900. Au$2,200. Can$2,200. US$1,700.

Picture courtesy of DNW

OBE (Military) 1st type breast badge, silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1919;
Transport Medal (1) S. Africa 1899-1902 (S. de B. Lockyer, In Command);
1914-15 Star (Commr. S. de B. Lockyer, R.N.R.);
British War and Victory Medals (Commr. S. de B. Lockyer, R.N.R.);
Royal Naval Reserve Decoration, GV, silver and silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1918

OBE LG 4 July 1919: ‘In recognition of the services of the under mentioned officers of the Royal Naval Transport Service during the War.’

Sydney de Bohum Lockyer was born in Middlesex in 1855 and took his Master’s certificate in Liverpool in 1887, while employed by the P. & O. Steamship Company. He subsequently commanded the S.S. Simla in South African waters during the Boer War, which ship had accommodation for 278 sick or wounded, and was presented with his Transport Medal & clasp by King Edward VII at a ceremony held in November 1903.

Meanwhile, in his capacity as a qualified ship’s master, he had been commissioned as a Sub. Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Reserve, and had risen to the rank of Commander before being placed on the Retired List in October 1901. Duly recalled on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he went to sea in the following year and, by the end of hostilities was serving as a Transport Officer 1st Grade, in which capacity he was awarded the OBE.

Awarded the RNR Decoration (London Gazette 14 May 1918, refers), Lockyer reverted to the Retired List, upon which he was advanced to Captain prior to his death in July 1924.

The OBE group to Sydney Lockyer sold last week for a hammer price of £1,600. Totals (inc VAT for UK only): £2,061. R39,900. Au$3,590. Can$3,430. US$2,740

Picture courtesy of DNW

Transport 1899-1902, (1) S. Africa 1899-1902 (A. L. Parkinson.);
1914-15 Star (Lt. Commr. A. L. Parkinson. R.N.R.);
BWM and VM (Lt. Commr. A. L. Parkinson. R.N.R.);
Royal Naval Reserve Decoration, GV unnamed as issued, silver and silver-gilt, hallmarks for London 1918

Arthur Leslie Parkinson was born on 3 June 1880 and was appointed a Midshipman in the Royal Naval Reserve on 10 October 1898. He was commissioned Sub-Lieutenant on 5 December 1904, and was promoted Lieutenant on 11 September 1907, and Lieutenant-Commander on 11 September 1915. He served with the Royal Naval Reserve during the Great War, and was commended for having ‘handled his vessel carefully and with skill under trying conditions’. He was awarded his Royal Naval Reserve Decoration in 1920, and was promoted Commander on 30 June 1921. He retired with the rank of Commander on 20 November 1922. In civilian life he was employed by the Union Castle Line.

Transport Medal group to Chief Engineer Mosses Roberts.
Transport Medal officially named to: M. ROBERTS. Single clasp for S. Africa 1899-1902
War Medal and Mercantile Marine Medal officially named to: MOSSES ROBERTS.

Mosses Roberts was born in 1865 as per his WWI MIC, although he is listed as being 4 years old in the 1871 census. He was born in Carnarvon, Wales. He was the son of Richard and Catherine Roberts. He had three siblings: Robert, Gwen and Richard. They lived and Beudy Bach, Dolyddelen, Llanrwrst, Caiernarvonshire, Wales as per the 1871 census and had a servant Elizabeth Williams of Merionethshire, Wales.

During the second Anglo-Boer War, Roberts was the Chief Engineer onboard the SS Englishman. There were 13 Transport Medals issued to the SS Englishman (Richard & Mills). R. Roberts (NO Relation) was the Master as listed on ADM-171-52 / 79.

Master 1; Officers 4; Engineers 7; Surgeons 1; Purser 0 for a total number of 13 medals issued to crewmen. Roberts was one of 550 Engineers to receive the medal. (480 with SA; 70 with SA & China). According to the Anglo-Boer War website, there were a total of 1,822 medals. Mosses Roberts is listed as the Chief Engineer on page 206 of ADM-171-52

Roberts M Chief Engineer Transport Medal, clasp: South Africa. Ship: Englishman (Richard & Mills).
Source: Transport Medal roll

SS Englishman made at least one voyage to Australia where she transported the 3rd and 4th Australian Commonwealth Horse to S. Africa sailing first week of April, 1902. The small photo is of Boer War troopship no. 60, SS Englishman, Fremantle, April 1902.

I don’t know what ship(s) Mosses Roberts crewed on during WWI, but Roberts served in the Mercantile Marine and was awarded his BWM and MMWM on 20/08/1919. (see accompanying documentation below)

Picture courtesy of Baldwin's

Transport Medal (1) S. Africa 1899‑1902, (D. Morrison);
British War Medal (Donald Morrison);
Mercantile Marine War Medal (Donald Morrison);
Memorial Plaque (Donald Morrison)

Served on board the SS Malda and was killed on the 25th of August 1917 when the Malda was sunk by U‑Boat Ace and Pour Le Mérite Holder Kapitänleutnant Otto Wünsche of U‑70.

SS Malda was torpedoed by U‑70 without warning on the 25th of August 1917 130 miles W ¼ S from Bishop Rock, 64 lives lost.

A Newspaper report states:. The Last Hours – A Scottish Engineer Drowned at Sea. Mr Donald Morrison, Chief Engineer of a vessel torpedoed recently on the homeward voyage. Intimation had been received by his brother, Mr G. Morrison, 5, Edgemont Gardens, Langside, that his body was washed ashore at Trevon, a small town on the coast of Britany. Information of the finding of the body was conveyed in a letter sent by a French lady to a friend in Liverpool, through the publication of which identification was established. The writer tells of the honour paid to the dead officer by the Mayor and rector of the town. The latter with the sacristan, and the bearing of the cross, met the party bearing the body from the shore. “He was laid to rest”, the lady writes, “in our quiet and sheltered churchyard. I went to the newly covered grave, and there offered up a prayer in English for its poor occupant.” She adds.

Mr Morrison, who was a native of Stornoway, served his apprenticeship with Messrs J. and G. Thomson, at Finnieston and Clydebank. For over 30 years he was in the service of the British India Steam Navigation Company and at the time of his death was one of the oldest chief engineers of the firm. A week or two before he was drowned his eldest son was killed in action in France. His wife and two remaining sons live in London.

U‑70 was commanded by Kapitänleutnant Otto Wünsche the Malda was the 79th ship he had attacked he eventually sank 76 ships, 1 Warship Sunk, H.M.S. Rhododendron and 7 ships damaged.

Sold with two original photographs of Donald, original packets of issue for the British War Medal and Mercantile Marine Medal, 5 postcards most handwritten showing “Malda” original “Permit to Land in Marseille” with original photograph, original Memorial plaque card case inner envelope and Memorial slip, copied newspaper articles for him and his son Private Donald H.G. Morrison, East Kent Regiment. And a printout for the Transport Medal Roll. Morrison D. Chief Engineer SS Booldana (British India).

Donald Morrison is commemorated on the Tower Hill Memorial he was 55 years old when he died.