A group of medals (with accompanying miniatures), awarded to Surgeon Rear Admiral James Lawrence-Smith RN (1862-1945), comprising a Royal Victorian Order, Victorian Egypt Pair, (with Suakin 1885 bar and named to the recipient for work onboard HMS Starling), Victorian East & West Africa medal (named, and for HMS Blonde, with Sierra Leone 1898-99 bar), George V WWI War Medal, and the French star of the Légion d'Honneur, together with a Victorian Service Medal of the Order of St John of Jerusalem (later named, issued and dated 1967). The lot includes a number of related materials, comprising a framed photograph of James Lawrence-Smith, elements from his uniform, his original diary from 1914 (to include references to the start of the Great War), a copy of 'HRH Prince Henry Marice of Battenburg KG, A Memoir, by Rowland E. Prothero (to include a hand-written presentation inscription to Lawrence-Smith 'in recognition of his kind service to the Prince, from Beatrice, Prince Henry of Battenburg', [Beatrice being the wife of the Prince and Queen Victoria's youngest child], a quantity of military service certificates relating to the Lawrence-Smith, a 1896 hand-written letter from Lawerence-Smith from HMS Blonde in Madeira, three Board of Admiralty stamped certificates notifying the appointment of Lawrence-Smith to various roles, including one signed by George V, a full service history for Lawrence-Smith, a letter from the Admiralty, dated 14th May 1945, acknowledging receipt of the family's notification of the death of Lawrence Smith, and sending sympathy, two pairs of opera glasses and a photocopied collection of the above diary pages.

Surgeon Rear Admiral James Lawrence-Smith RN (1862-1945), was favoured by Queen Victoria and various members of her family. His services to them were honoured by the Queen herself who made him a Member of the Victorian Order.

He was serving in Malta as Surgeon General where he was placed in charge of the famous Bighi Hospital. There, in a scribbled diary, he recorded the very start of the First World War.

The French Fleet were stationed in Malta during this period and in honour of his services to so many of their personnel, the French Government made him a Member of The Legion D’Honour with its exquisite porcelain figure marking his Membership.

The people of Malta, too, honoured him and in gratitude for all that he had done for them they presented him with the gift of the magnificent marquetry chest (see related lots in this sale) which, with other memorabilia, passed down to his only son, Surgeon Commander Alexander Maxwell Lawrence-Smith. Retained in the family by descent.