First World War’s First Naval Victoria Cross Anticipated to Sell for £260,000 at Auction

July 3, 2024 TruthUSA

London auction house Noonans Mayfair will be holding an auction of a collection of medals that represents over 200 years of naval history.

At the upcoming London auction, the first naval Victoria Cross (VC) medal awarded during World War I is anticipated to reach up to £260,000.

Part of a collection of 250 medals, the naval VC medal is considered the most esteemed decoration in the British honours system, with Noonans estimating the total collection value at around £2 million.

Captain Ritchie

One of the naval VC medals up for auction was presented to Captain Henry Peel Ritchie of the Royal Navy, who demonstrated valorous leadership of H.M.S. Goliath’s steam pinnace in Dar-es-Salaam, East Africa, on Nov. 28, 1914.

Nimrod Dix, deputy chairman of Noonans and director of the medal department, recounted Ritchie’s brave actions under heavy gunfire, where he was wounded multiple times but successfully navigated the vessel to safety.

Captain Ritchie, who was later promoted to captain on the retired list, passed away in Edinburgh at the age of 83 in 1958. His naval VC medal became part of a collection owned by former United States Navy officer Jason Pilalas, born in 1941.

The auction house noted that Pilalas’ profound interest in naval history stemmed from his service as a U.S. Navy officer and his multiple tours of duty in Vietnam.

Mr. Pilalas was described as a diverse individual with a deep passion for all things nautical, always eager to learn and collect items related to the Royal Navy. Despite his love for the collection, he understood the transient nature of ownership and stewardship.

Lieutenant-Commander Hiscock

Noonans auction includes a wide range of medals spanning over two centuries of naval history. Notable items in the collection are a unique Second War bomb and mine disposal George Cross (GC) and a group of ten Distinguished Service Crosses awarded to Lieutenant-Commander William Ewart Hiscock of the Royal Navy, born in Dorchester in 1886, with an estimated value of £80,000-£120,000.

Mr. Dix recounted Lt. Cmdr. Hiscock’s courageous actions as a Controlled Mining Officer at H.M.S. St. Angelo in Malta during a period of intense siege, including his disarmament of hazardous ordnance to safeguard the island.

Lt. Cmdr. Hiscock tragically lost his life, along with his wife, in a bombing raid on Valetta in 1942, shortly after being honored with the GC. King George VI personally presented the medal to one of his daughters at Buckingham Palace on June 23, 1942.

In 2022, Noonans auctioned off the first Victoria Cross awarded to a civilian—an Irishman from Co-Westmeath, Thomas Henry Kavanagh—for nearly £1 million. The final sale price reached £930,000, reflecting the robust market for premium collectibles.

Acknowledging the remarkable achievements of Thomas Henry Kavanagh, Noonans chairman and CEO Pierce Noonan commented on the enduring appeal and value of high-quality collectibles in today’s market.

PA Media contributed to this report.

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