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Auction: 20003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 518

The impressive cased mounted group of ten miniature dress medals worn by Captain Sir I. H. Benn, Bt, Royal Naval Reserve, late Royal West Kent Regiment and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, Mayor of Greenwich 1901-02 and long-served Member of Parliament

The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, Companion's Military Division Badge; Distinguished Service Order, G.V.R.; Order of St John of Jerusalem, Badge; 1914-15 Star; British War Medal 1914-20, 8 clasps, Home Seas 1914, Home Seas 1915, Narrow Seas 1916, Narrow Seas 1917, Narrow Seas 1918, Belgian Coast, Zeebrugge Ostend, Ostend 10 May 1918; Victory Medal 1914-19, with M.I.D. oak leaves; Coronation 1902, Mayor's and Provosts issue; Coronation 1937; Territorial Efficiency Decoration, G.V.R.; France, Croix de Guerre, with Palme upon riband, mounted as worn and housed in a glazed display frame by Spink & Son, 5/7 King Street, very fine (10)

Ion Hamilton Benn was born on 31 March 1863 in County Cork and was educated at Merchant Taylor's before joining the timber firm Price & Pierce, eventually becoming their Chairman. Elected as Greenwich Mayor in 1901, he was a founder member of the Metropolitan Water Board and stood in the 1906 Election for the Tariff Reform faction of the Conservatives. Despite losing in 1906, he won the 1910 Election and was a leading opponent to Irish Home Rule.

Benn had been Honorary Colonel of the 2nd (Volunteer) Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiemnt from May 1906, before it became the 20th Battalion (Blackheath and Woolwich), London Regiment in April 1908. A member of the R.N.V.R., he was commissioned Lieutenant-Commander on 12 October 1914 and was made Commander in April 1915. Commanding a flotilla of Motor Launches for the Dover Patrol, he served in the Zeebrugge Raid and on the Ostend Raids, earning a C.B., a D.S.O. and a Croix de Guerre to go with a trio of 'mentions'.

Created a Baronet in June 1920, he retired from Parliament in 1922. Benn served on the Executive Committee of the National Playing Fields Association, was Chairman (and later President) of the Dreadnought Hospital, served on London County Council and was Director of the Port of London Authority. He died at home in Kensington on 12 August 1961.

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Sold for
£580

Starting price
£520