Beschreibung:

A Great War C.B. group of five awarded to Admiral E. F. Bruen, Royal Navy, who commanded H.M.S. Bellerophon at the battle of Jutland The Most Honourable Order of the Bath, C.B. (Military) Companion’s neck badge, silver-gilt and enamels, with neck cravat; 1914-15 Star (Capt. E. F. Bruen. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, with M.I.D. oak leaf (R. Adml E. F. Bruen. R.N.); France, Legion of Honour, Officer’s breast badge, gold and enamels, the first with minor chipping to wreaths, otherwise good very fine or better (5) £2,600-£3,000 Footnote C.B. (Military Division) London Gazette 3 June 1918. M.I.D. London Gazette 14 September 1916 (Commended for services in the Battle of Jutland). Officer of the Legion of Honour London Gazette 22 September 1916 (Jutland). Order of St Anne, 2nd Class with Swords London Gazette 5 June 1917. Order of the Sacred Treasure, 2nd Class London Gazette 29 November 1918. Edward Bruen was born on 7 November 1866, into the Anglo-Irish landed gentry. He was the second son of the Right Honourable Henry Bruen of Oak Park, Carlow, a long standing Member of Parliament and member of the Privy Council for Ireland, and his wife Mary (née Connelly). He was educated at Stubbington's House, a naval preparatory school at Fareham, Hampshire, and in January 1880 he became a cadet at Britannia on the river Dart. The course lasted for two years and Bruen did so well that, on passing out in December 1881, he was credited with eight months' seniority. Bruen began his sea-going service in the armoured cruiser Northampton as a Midshipman. She was flagship of the North America and West Indies Squadron; based at Halifax, the ship visited Quebec, Bermuda, Antigua, Barbados and other colonies. During the two years in which Bruen served in her, the Northampton flew the flags of Admirals Sir Francis Leopold McClintock, the polar explorer, and Sir John Commerel. One of his fellow midshipmen was “Barge” Goodenough, who recalled that the friends he made on that commission remained his friends for life. They were entertained by the eccentricities of their seniors, grateful for small kindnesses shown to them, enjoyed practical jokes and sometimes became embroiled in brawls with the locals. Over the following twenty years he was appointed to a variety of ships, mostly battleships and cruisers, deployed at different home stations and in the Mediterranean; the battleships Alexandra and Superb in the Mediterranean (1883-85), the battleship Edinburgh in the Jubilee Squadron (1887), the cruiser Melampus (1893), the armoured cruiser Edgar (1894-96) and the battleships Anson and Howe (1897–1901). Officers were assessed on the criteria of general conduct, ability, zeal, judgement, temper, professional knowledge, temperance, physical qualities and performance of special duties. Bruen was assessed very highly in all categories except for physical qualities; he was rather small and it was noted that he had a weak physique. He studied French and Spanish and comments from this early part of his career recorded that he was “zealous and painstaking” and “an excellent signals officer.” A number of his senior officers recommended him for promotion and he was promoted sub-lieutenant in 1886 and lieutenant in 1889. His record was not unblemished. In March 1886 he was “blamed for a grave error of judgement committed in connection with the foundering of the sailing pinnace of Edgarby, in which 48 lives were lost consequent on his unskilful management.” However, his career survived this mishap and in January 1900 his commanding officer, Captain Wilson, reported “A very smart, reliable 1st Lieutenant – I should like to have him with me as Commander.” Duly promoted to Commander in 1901, Bruen was next appointed to the cruisers Arrogant, Doris and Pandora in the Channel Squadron. Here he caught the eye of fellow-Irishman Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, one of the most influential officers in the Royal Navy, who wrote of him in 1904; “I have the highest opinio