The Marine Society, Reward of Merit medal

The Marine Society, Reward of Merit medal. Obverse: Britannia seated (right), a trident and shield at her side, clasping the hand of a naval boy, the muzzle of a cannon at his feet; the stern of a vessel with Union Jack (left) a ship in the distance (right). Legend: 'MARINE SOCIETY INSTITUTED MDCCLVI'. Exergue: 'INCORPORATED MDCCLXXII'. Reverse: Inscription within a floral wreath. 'REWARD OF MERIT TO (incuse) CECIL E.E. MILES JUNE 1ST 1911'. Fitted with a bar and dark blue ribbon.

The medals were presented to former Warspite boys for five years of exemplary service after they had left the ship and joined the Merchant Navy. They are now awarded annually for deeds of exceptional merit at sea.

Cecil Ernest Edward Miles (1889-1966) was born in Southwark son of Francis and Annette. His family worked in the printing trade. Cecil Miles trained on HMS 'Warspite' and after a short spell in the merchant service, entered the Royal Navy in 1904. During the start of the First World War he served in the Mediterranean in Submarine B6. During 1915 he was in HMS 'Blenheim' and submarine depot HMS 'Adamant which were deployed to Mudros, on the island of Lemnos, in support of the Gallipoli Campaign. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal in October 1916 - Miles was serving on the submarine E54 that torpedoed and sank the German UC10 in the North Sea on 21 August 1916. He left the Navy in 1929 with the rank of Chief Petty Officer and after a spell in business as an electrical engineer, he was recalled to naval service from 1939-1944. He was living in Broadstairs at the time of his death.

Object Details

ID: MED1401
Collection: Coins and medals
Type: Prize medal
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Unknown
People: Miles, Cecil Ernest Edward; Spink & Son Ltd
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Overall: 47 mm