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Auction: 26002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 168

A Second World War M.B.E. group of ten to Captain P. G. Lachlan, Royal Navy, who served as the Topedo Officer on Ajax during the Battle of the River Plate and was additionally 'mentioned' twice and further awarded a Croix de Guerre for the landings at Elba

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Military Division, Member's (M.B.E.) breast Badge, 2nd Type; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp, France and Germany (copy); Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, with M.I.D. oak leaf; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Near East (Cdr. P. G. Lachlan. M.B.E. R.N.); Coronation 1953; France, Croix de Guerre, undated reverse, with vermillion star, court mounted as worn, very fine (10)

M.B.E. London Gazette 11 December 1945.

M.I.D. London Gazette 21 December 1943, 1 August 1944.

Peter Graham Lachlan was born on 5 August 1920 at Slough, Berkshire. He was educated at Wellington College and joined the Royal Navy in 1937, initially training in Erebus in Portsmouth. Lachlan moved to Vindictive and at the end of his Cadet's year was appointed to Ajax. On 3 September 1939 Ajax found and sank the German Merchant ship Olinda followed by the scuttling of Carl Fritzen, another German Merchant ship, and the Ussukuma, a passenger ship.

Ajax patrolled the Falkland Islands and in December 1939, along with Exeter and Achilles, located the Graf Spee. Lachlan was the Torpedo Firing Officer on Ajax having passed his course with a First Class Certificate before deployment in July 1939. Exeter, whilst severely damaged by the Graf Spee, enabled both Ajax and Achilles to close in and attack. Both ships fired torpedoes at the Graf Spee and each suffered damage from shells from the German battleship, which headed to Montevideo and in turn was scuttled on 17 December 1939. Ajax despite being damaged had remained waiting for the Graf Spee; she refuelled at Port Stanley and returned home to Chatham in January 1940.

Lachlan continued with further studies on Nelson before going to Whale Island to become a Sub-Lieutenant. Newly promoted he went to Scimitar in August 1940 and saw service off the coast of Northern Ireland. Lachlan then saw service with the Combined Operations serving as a Staff Officer to a Captain who was in charge of a Brigade sector in the landings in Sicily, Anzio and Elba. Their responsibilities in Sicily were to land a Brigade of British troops in the south-east and then run the beach as the main supply route for the 8th Army until Syracuse was developed. At Anzio they landed the U.S. Rangers in the town and then set up a naval base and organised the port to receive supplies for the land battle.

At Elba they landed the French troops, who insisted on taking 200 mules with them. The landing started very successfully. Surprise was gained with six Rocket ships pounding the beach defences, putting the German gunners in their pill boxes out of action. The first two waves of assault craft landed troops without opposition, so they pressed on inland. Meanwhile the German gunners gradually came to and from their pill boxes were able to command the beach and decimate the follow-up waves of LCIs. Those that could retreated back into the sea as they were quite unsuitable craft for landing troops against enemy fire. The day was saved by the mules who, loaded with ammunition, were put ashore in a rocky little cove to the west, climbed up the cliff and found the assault troops. They were then able to retake the main beach from inland.

On his return to the U.K., Lachlan served as First Lieutenant on Obdurate between 13 February 1945 and 11 January 1946 where he would be awarded his M.B.E.. He then briefly served in command of Hadleigh Castle before serving on Cygnet, which was involved in anti-submarine patrols during the Normandy landings. Post War he served on Excalibur, Woodbridge Haven, Crispin and served as Executive Officer on Albion during the Suez Crisis. Lachlan was made Captain on 30 June 1960 and served on Girdleness with further shore-based service at both Northwood and at Admiralty in London. His last ship was Fife before he retired from the Navy in 1969.

Sold together with the following archive:

i)
Certificate for the M.B.E., with forwarding slip from Buckingham Palace.

ii)
Certificates for both M.I.D. awards.

iii)
Letter from Admiralty dated 24 August 1945 allowing him full unrestricted wear of the Croix de Guerre with Vermilion Star, for gallantry and devotion to duty to the capture of the Island of Elba.

iv)
Corporation of London Luncheon in the Guildhall invitation for 23 February 1940 with corresponding menu.

v)
A Royal Navy Officer's sword, by Gieves with G.VI.R. cypher etched to the blade and 'P. G. Lachlan R.N.' engraved to the hilt.

vi)
A Royal Navy Officer's sword belt by Gieves.

vii)
A Royal Navy Pattern telescope by W. Ottway & Co Ltd, Ealing, London, engraved 'P.G. Lachlan R.N.'.

viii)
Journal for the Use of Midshipmen, used by him whilst on H.M.S. Ajax from 30 September 1938.

ix)
Captain's Night Order Book for H.M.S. Fife.

x)
An assortment of correspondence and letters including relating to his retirement from the Royal Navy.

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Estimate
£800 to £1,200

Starting price
£600