British Groups

Lot 2025    Session 7 (11.30am Wednesday)    British Groups

Estimate $20,000
Bid at live.noble.com.au
SOLD $20,000

PAIR: George Cross; Distinguished Service Cross. Lieut Arthur Gerald Bagot D.S.C. R.N.V.R. 1918 on first medal, this medal having been exchanged for the Albert Medal, Lieut A.G.Bagot R.N.V.R. on second medal. Both medals engraved and with original cases of issue. A unique combination to an Australian whilst serving in the R.N.V.R. Extremely fine.

Arthur George Bagot, G.C., D.S.C. Lieut R.N.V.R. D.S.C.: L.G. 19Jul1918 'Lieut Arthur Gerald Bagot, R.N.V.R., 2nd in command of H.M. Motor Launch 283. He Showed great coolness under fire. It was largely due to the magnificent manner in which the officers and men of Motor Launch 283 carried out their duties that so many officers and men of 'Brilliant' and 'Sirius' were rescued'. A.M. (G.C.): L.G. 20Aug1918 'Arthur Gerald Bagot. Sub-Lt. D.S.C. Royal Navy (H.M.S.Lookout). Bronze. Sea 11Apr1918. He and another officer boarded the burning H.M.M.L. No.356 off Dover after an explosion and removed the depth charge before the flames reached it'. Born on 26th April, 1888 in Adelaide, South Australia Arthur Bagot was one of four brothers to attend Geelong Grammar School, attending from August 1903 until 1907 after being at St Peter's Adelaide. At Geelong Grammar he was in both the XI and the XVIII for three years, a member of the VIII in 1906 and champion athlete in 1905 and 1906. In 1907 he set a new record of 16.8 seconds for the hurdles in the United Public Schools' Sports. He was also a Sergeant in the Cadets, and a Prefect in 1907. After living with his family in Vancouver, he enlisted in 1916 to serve in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as an officer in the Motor Launch division of the Dover Patrol. For his part in naval actions on the enemy held ports of Zeebrugge and Ostend he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and Mentioned in Despatches. On 20th August 1918 it was announced by the Admiralty that King George V had been graciously pleased to approve the award of the Albert Medal for Gallantry in Saving Life at Sea to Lieutenant-Commander Keith Robin Hoare, D.S.O., D.S.C., R.N.V.R., and Lieutenant Arthur Gerald Bagot, D.S.C., R.N.V.R., the account of their services reading as follows 'On the 12th April 1918, an explosion took place in the engine-room of H.M.Motor Launch 356, and the forward tanks burst into flame. The Officer and some of the crew were blown overboard by the explosion, and the remainder were quickly driven aft by flames, and were taken off in a skiff. By this time the flames were issuing from the cabin hatch aft, and there was much petrol burning on the surface of the water. It was then realised by the crews of adjacent vessels that the aft petrol tanks and the depth charge were being attacked by the fire, and might explode at any moment. At the moment when others were running away, Lieutenant Hoare and Sub-Lieutenant Bagot jumped into their dinghy, rowed to the wreck, got on board, and removed the depth charge, thereby preventing an explosion which might have caused serious loss of life amongst the crowd of English and French sailors on the quay'. The decision of the United Kingdom Government in 1971, approved by the Queen, that surviving holders of the Albert and Edward Medals would be required to exchange their awards for the George Cross, by then more widely recognised than its predecessors as an award for gallantry second only to the Victoria Cross, if not indeed equivalent to it. Normally the surrendered medal was to remain in safe custody with the Home Office on behalf of the Crown, but arrangements were possible whereby it could be presented, on behalf of the person to whom it was awarded, to a museum or other suitable body of his choice if he specifically requested this. Mr Bagot expressed the wish that his Albert Medal should be presented to Geelong Grammar School, and the Home Secretary accordingly presented it to the school on his behalf. After being demobilised, Arthur Bagot returned to Canada for several years and then to his birthplace of South Australia. In 1925 he took up a mixed-farming property near Piawaning in Western Australia, where he remained until he retired in 1962 to live in Perth. He died there on 29th November 1979. Together with Bagots silver ID wrist band he was wearing during the Zeebrugge/Ostend operation, a folder containing original documentation, photographs, his Navy Officers sword, an M.I.D. Certificate to Capt J.F.Bagot 13th Light Horse Regt (brother) and a belt. The documentation shows he was related to Capt Lance Hawker a VC winner with the RFC, also his older brother served in the Boer War, and as an Officer in the Canadian Army in WWI, whilst his younger brother was an officer in the 13th LHR A.I.F.(M.I.D.)