THE GROUP OF MINIATURE MEDALS WORN BY VICE-ADMIRAL BASIL CHARLES BARRINGTON BROOKE, C.B., C.B.E., A MEMBER OF THE BROOKE FAMILY THAT RULED THE KINGDOM OF SARAWAK 1841-1946, WHO DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR COMMANDED THE CRUISER HMS CURLEW, WHICH WAS SUNK BY THE LUFTWAFFE OFF NARVIK ON 26TH MAY 1940 AND THE LIGHT CRUISER HMS SOUTHAMPTON, ALSO SUNK BY THE LUFTWAFFE, OFF MALTA, ON 11TH JANUARY 1941.
This group of miniature medals is the only complete set of medals to Vice-Admiral Brooke that has survived, his full size First World War medals having been lost at sea, when the ship he was commanding, HMS Curlew, was sunk in 1940.
Eleven: C.B., C.B.E., 1814-15 Star, British War and Victory Medals, 1939-45, Atlantic and Africa Stars, Burma Star with Pacific clasp on ribbon, 1939-45 War Medal and Jubilee Medal, 1935 (unnamed, as issued). Silver medals attractively toned, generally Extremely Fine, virtually as struck and mounted court style, as worn.
Group accompanied by biographical details from Wikipedia, 5 pages copied service papers, and some copied research.
Vice-Admiral Brooke (189501983) was born at Boddington House, Bayfield, Northamptonshire, 6/4/1895, the eldest son of John Charles Evelyn Hope Brooke (1858-1934) who was the grand-nephew of Sir James Brooke, the first White Rajah of Sarawak, his mother being Violet Mary Barrington, the second daughter of the 9th Viscount Barrington. Brooke entered the navy as a Cadet in 1913, seeing service during the First World War and being promoted Lieutenant, March 1918, and Lieutenant-Commander, March 1926. Promoted Commander, 1931 and Captain, June 1938, Brooke first saw service during WW2 in command of the cruiser HMS Curlew, sunk off Narvik May 1940, and afterwards commanded the light cruiser HMS Southampton, sunk off Malta, January 1941. Brooke subsequently commanded the cruiser HMS Renowned until July 1945. Brooke was promoted Vice-Admiral on the Retired List in December 1950.
Admiral Brooke was a first class cricketer, who played for the Singapore National Cricket Team and the Royal Navy Cricket Club.
