The extraordinary medal collection of Joseph Stenhouse sold September 14
A remarkable collection of polar and militarymedals that were awarded to Joseph Stenhouse has sold with excellent results as part of a UK auction on September 13-14.
The collection included polar medals and examples from both world wars
The London sale saw the set sell 20% above the 20,000-25,000 estimate, at 30,000 ($48,667). The collection included Stenhouse's OBE, DSO, MID oak leaf, 1939-45 Star, Africa Star, Defence and War Medals 1939-45, Polar Medal 1904, Royal Naval Reserve Decoration and French Croix de Guerre.
Joseph Stenhouse started out as commander of the Aurora, a vital supply ship that accompanied Ernest Shackleton on his world-renowned expedition of the Antarctic. It was on the mission that Stenhouse would earn his title as a British hero, after the Aurora became trapped in pack ice, forcing him to make a gruelling 1,000 mile journey to New Zealand in order to save his crew.
Ernest Shackleton himself would later describe Stenhouse's voyage as "one of the most difficult journey's on record".
He finally returned home to find the first world war well under way. Here, Stenhouse served as first officer aboard the PQ62 "mystery ship", which rammed and sank a German submarine and, as a result, saw him awarded the DSO.
Stenhouse was then recommended for promotion by Major Shackleton and accompanied him to Murmansk in Russia, where they trained an elite north-Russian, anti-Bolskevik force. It was here that he spent the remainder of the first world war.
At the beginning of the second world war, Stenhouse enlisted as a senior non-commisioned officer at age 52. He served on the Thames and Medway Examination Service, which was soon mined and saw him engage in a daring rescue, earning yet more honours.
After his recovery, Stenhouse was then sent to the Gulf of Aden in the Arabian Sea, where, following the destruction of his ship, he was posted missing, presumed dead on September 12, 1941.
Visit the Medals and Militaria section of our online store for some brilliant memorabilia from both world wars.
