Obverse: Winged Victory standing (front), a palm branch in her right hand, her left arm outstretched. Reverse: Within a laurel garland, Inscription: 'THE GREAT WAR FOR CIVILIZATION 1914-1919'. Inscription on edge: 'LIEUT. R.N. STUART. R.N.R.' mounted on bar with four other medals. Fitted with a ring and watered silk ribbon of rainbow hues. Shares a box of issue numbered ZBA8020 with MED1258 and MED1259.

Ronald Neil Stuart (1886-1954) came from a long line of seafarers. After serving his apprenticeship, he worked first for the Allen Line and then for Canadian Pacific after it took over the former company. During the First World War, he was promoted Lieutenant RNR in September 1916. He served in Q -ships...merchantmen with concealed arms, intended to provoke attack by German submarines to be followed by a British counter attack. His senior officer Gordon Campbell commanded the Q-ship 'Pargust'. She successfully sank UC.29 on 6 June 1917. The Victoria Cross was awarded to the whole ship. The men involved could ballot for one officer and one seaman and chose Lieutenant R N Stuart DSO RNR and seaman William Williams DSM RNR. Stuart won the US Navy Cross whilst in command of Q-sloop 'Tamarisk' when he stood by the US destroyer 'Cassin' after she had been torpedoed by a U-boat on 15 October 1917 and towed her back to harbour. After the war, Stuart kept up a career both in the RNR becoming a captain in 1935, and with Canadian Pacific. He captained the 'Empress of Britain' and became Commodore of the Canadian Pacific fleet. He left the sea in 1938 and became general manager of Canadian Pacific in London until he retired in 1951.