Badge and star: Order of the Redeemer, 1st class

Greek order awarded to Admiral of the Fleet, Earl David Beatty, G C B (1871-1936) in 1919. Badge: Gold Maltese cross enamelled white, the arms connected by a green enamelled wreath of oak and laurel, pendant from an Imperial crown. Obverse: Centre, a gold medallion bearing the portrait of Christ the Redeemer enamelled in natural colours, surrounded by a blue enamelled band with the legend in Greek letters in gold: 'E DEXIA SOKHEIR, KYRIE, DEDOXASTAI EN ISKYI'. Reverse: A Blue enamelled medallion bearing the white cross of Greece, surrounded by a blue enamelled band with the legend in Greek letters in gold: 'E EN ARGEI DETHNIKE TON ELLINIKON SYNEDEYSES 1829'. Suspended by a ring from a sash of pale blue watered silk ribbon with a white stripe near each edge. Star: A facetted rayed silver star of 8 points with the same centre medallion as the obverse of the badge. 'E DEXIA SOKHEIR, KYRIE, DEDOXASTAI ENISKYI'.

Beatty entered the navy in 1884 at the age of 13, training in ‘Britannia.’ He commanded a gunboat on the Nile during Kitchener's re-conquest of the Sudan, gaining the D.S.O. and early promotion to commander. He served in ‘Barfleur’ during the Boxer Rebellion, leading reinforcements to Tientsin and Hsiku. He was wounded during this operation. In 1910 he was promoted Rear-Admiral at an exceptionally early age. In 1912 Churchill, then First Lord of the Admiralty, appointed him his naval secretary. During the First World War he commanded the battle-cruiser fleet based on Rosyth in HMS ‘Lion’ He achieved a decisive victory at Heligoland Bight on 28 August 1914. During an action in the area of Dogger Bank, 24 January 1915, the ‘Blucher’ was sunk but the remaining German ships escaped. Beatty led the battle-cruiser fleet at Jutland 31 May 1916 - the only major naval action of the war. In 1916 he succeeded Jellicoe as Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Fleet and after the war, was First Sea Lord from 1919-1927.

Object Details

ID: MED2234
Collection: Coins and medals
Type: Order
Display location: Not on display
Date made: circa 1919
People: Beatty, David
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, Earl Beatty Collection. Purchased with the assistance of the National Heritage Memorial Fund, 1983.
Parts: Badge and star: Order of the Redeemer, 1st class
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