Capt Sir Benjamin Chave KBE

[Penny Alexander]

Medals.jpg
Can anyone tell me what these ribbons are that have been attached to this photograph of my grandfather please? I assume prior to his KBE. Many thanks indeed.

[cappy]

Medals.jpg
Can anyone tell me what these ribbons are that have been attached to this photograph of my grandfather please? I assume prior to his KBE. Many thanks indeed.

#cant tell you about the medals but he was one big character ...and old time seaman..respects to him cappy

[Captain Kong]

Four: Captain Sir Benjamin Chave, K.B.E., Royal Naval Reserve
1914-15 Star Trio, M.I.D. (Commr. B. Chave, R.N.R.); Mercantile Marine War Medal (Benjamin Chave) the group mounted as worn, together with bullion Torpedo badge, nearly extremely fine (4)
These were Auctioned see google.


Footnote
K.B.E. London Gazette 1 January 1920.

Benjamin Chave was born in 1870 and educated at King Edward VI Grammar School, Southampton, subsequently becoming a Master Mariner with the Union Castle Steam Ship Company. During the Great War he served as Commander, R.N.R., aboard H.M.S. Armadale Castle, and subsequently, as Naval Transport Officer at Ludentzbucht, during General Botha’s successful campaign in German South West Africa. He was later Commanding the Transport Alnwick Castle when torpedoed in March 1917.

The liner Alnwick Castle was taken over in 1914 as a troopship and in 1915 was in the Dardanelles. On 19 march 1917, when 310 miles west of the Bishop Rock, Scilly Isles, the ship was torpedoed without warning and sank within half an hour. The lifeboats, of which there were six, got away without mishap, but the weather worsened and the boats were separated. Two of them were never heard of again but the Chief officer’s boat, containing 31 persons, drifted about for 9 days before being rescued by Spanish fishing boats and taken into Carino, near Cape Ortega. Ten persons had died, some had lost their reason and all were suffering from intense thirst, the water having given out some days before. Commander Chave’s boat had fared little better. She was five days adrift and was picked up by the French Fabre liner Venezia. Four persons had died from exposure. When a final muster of the survivors was made some weeks later, it was found that out of 139 persons on board the Alnwick Castlewhen she was torpedoed, 40 had been drowned or had died, including three of the crew of the Trevose, 25 crew of which ship had been rescued by Commander Chave the day before his own vessel was sunk. The full story of this episode is recounted by John Masters in his book I.D., chapter VI, ‘The Ordeal of Captain Chave’. He concludes: ‘No finer feat of seamanship has been performed in living memory: it ranks with the great voyages of the Elizabethans.’ Sold with further research.

Hope this helps from google.
cheers Brian

[Chris Allman]

Top Bar Left to Right

1 - 39 - 45 Star

2 - Atlantic Star Medal

3 - Africa Star Medal

4 - Defence Medal

5 - 39 - 45 War Medal

Bottom Bar Left to Right

1 - WW1 1914 - 1920 Service Medal

2 - WW1 Mercantile Marine Medal

3 - WW1 British War Medal

4 - WW1 1914 - 15 Star

Pretty sure I have them right but obviously stand to be corrected by more knowledgeable folk.

.

[robpage]

look on the B & C staff register Benjamin Chave

[Brenda Shackleton]

Hello Penny
His signature is in my Dad's Discharge book. Dad started as a Deck boy with Union Castle.
KILDONAN CASTLE June 1922-31 July 1922; BRITON 18th August 1922- 09 October 1922; BRITON 27th October 1922- 18th December 1922; BRITON 5th January 1923- 26th February 1923.
Description of Voyage is ' CAPE MAIL'. Leaving and returning to Southampton.
regards
Brenda

[j.sabourn]

KBE... For those unaware stands for Knight of the Grand Order of the British Empire.
Although Knights who are members of an Order take precedence over Knights Bachelor, members of the latter group belong to the most ancient title of Honour known in Britain.
Hardly in line of thinking of present day politics and those of the far left. A lot of this was brought into disrepute during master Blairs reign of power where according to at least one media article he was letting certain ones go at cost price to alleviate party funds being his excuse when found out. Roughly the Honours and Medal system in the UK consist of the Peerage (Lords, Barons,etc.), Knighthood, Decoration, Orders of Chivalry The Honours... Order of the Garter, Order of the Thistle, Order of the Bath, Orderof St. Michael and St. George, Royal Victorian Order, Order of the British Empire, Order of Merit. Companions of Honour, Distinguished Service Order, Imperial Service Order, Royal Victorian Chain, Victoria Cross, GeorgeCross, George Medal, Red Cross, Distinguished Service Cross, Military Cross, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Force Cross, Military Medal, Queens Gallantry Medal, Polar Medal.
Churchill said in a speech to the House of Commons in March 1944 "...The object of presenting medals,stars and ribbons is to give pride and pleasure to those who have deserved them".
A lot of people are against the British System, whether through jealousy or so called political theory's. It would be a drab old world without them. Although many people after the war were loathe to claim them my father included, I would be glad to have had his to remember him by. JWS

[Brenda Shackleton]

Hello
I have just looked up Sir Benjamin Chave. 1870 - 1954 What a man ! End of Second World War when he was 75. Involved in evacuation at Dunkirk. Middle East, North Africa. RNR Sea Transport. The beat goes on !
You will know all this, Penny, and more and I'm sure that you and your family are rightly proud of him.

Brenda

[Chris Isaac]

look on the B & C staff register Benjamin Chave

Benjamin Chave

[Chris Allman]

I wonder why, when people have been kind enough to assist and find answers to peoples queries, that some people requesting help have not got the manners to at least acknowledge the help given. It makes people reluctant to help, sad really as there are a lot of people on this site only too keen to research subjects and help as much as possible.