Beschreibung:

An important Great War group to Admiral Arthur Hayes-Sadler, C.S.I., Royal Navy, Senior Naval Officer during the Persian Gulf operations 1914-15, for which he was awarded the C.S.I. The Most Exalted Order of the Star of India, C.S.I., neck badge in gold and enamels, the motto set with small diamond chips around central carved cameo bust of Queen Victoria; Egypt and Sudan 1882-89, 1 clasp, Alexandria 11 July (Midn., R.N., H.M.S. Sultan); 1914-15 Star (R.Adml., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, with oak leaf M.I.D. emblem (R. Adml., R.N.); Khedive’s Star 1882; Legion of Honour, Commander’s neck badge in gold and enamels, 58 mm, the five medals mounted as worn and the group contained in a contemporary fitted carrying case, the Egypt medal with light pitting, otherwise good very fine or better (7) £4000-5000 Footnote The group is accompanied by the following items: i Two Midshipman’s Logs covering the period 3 February 1879 to 20 June 1883. Both are profusely illustrated with maps, plans of ships, sketches and watercolours. The first volume begins with a superb frontispiece in ink and watercolours, the second volume containing a detailed description of the battle of Alexandria with watercolour illustrations of the forts being bombarded. ii Personal diaries kept by Rear Admiral Hayes-Sadler for the years 1917 and 1918. Although his writing is at times difficult to read, these diaries contain much detail of historic importance of the final two years of the war. iii Original Warrant for the C.S.I., dated 4 May 1916, and bearing the signatures of the King and Austen Chamberlain. This was one of only three operational awards of the Star of India given to Naval officers during the entire Great War. iv Original parchment Warrant for the Legion of Honour, dated Paris 5 February 1915. v Three Masonic awards, two in silver-gilt and enamels, including the St John Lodge and one in silver, 1914-18, this named (Bro. Rear-Admiral, No. 2612). Admiral Arthur Hayes-Sadler was born on 9 October 1865, in Spa, Belgium, son of Sir James Hayes-Sadler, K.C.M.G. He entered the Royal Navy via H.M.S. Britannia, 15 January 1877, and served in various ships until appointed Midshipman on 21 June 1879. In H.M.S. Sultan, he witnessed the bombardment of Alexandria in 1882 and served ashore with the Naval Brigade shortly afterwards. He was thereafter promoted Sub-Lieutenant, 21 June 1883; Lieutenant, 30 June 1886; Commander, 1 January 1890; Captain, 30 June 1904; Rear-Admiral, 19 July 1915; Vice-Admiral, 3 November 1919, and Admiral (Retired), 1st August 1924. In October 1914, Hayes-Sadler was ordered to the Persian Gulf in the battleship Ocean, to conduct operations against the Turks. The key to the Gulf then, as now, was Basra, the great emporium of Mesopotamian trade, situated seventy mils up the Shatt-al-Arab. On 19 October, Ocean made a rendezvous with Dufferin and elements of the Gulf Expeditionary Force, under Brigadier-General W. S. Delamain, and reached Bahrain four days later. On the 31st, the Admiralty sent authority to begin hostilities against Turkey. By 3rd November, the convoy was off the outer bar of the Shatt-al-Arab, which Ocean could not cross. Next day, Hayes-Sadler armed various tugs and launches, and prepared to force a passage past the Turkish fort at Fao which guarded the entrance to the river. The following morning he set forth in the sloop Odin with an armed tug, and having silenced Fao’s guns, landed a party of Ocean’s Marines and some 600 troops who threw the enemy’s ordnance into the river. By 10th November, the whole of General Delamain’s force was ashore at Saniyeh awaiting reinforcements under Lieutenant-General A. A. Barrett. All in all a smart piece of work. Under German influence, a Jihad had been declared and therefore prompt action was everything. On the 17th, the land forces advanced, supported by Hayes-Sadler’s sloops, Odin and Espiegle, and two armed launches, providing fire from the river. Having put the enemy to flig