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Description: | Statuette of a silver lion rampant presented to Lady Ethel Beatty, wife of Admiral of the Fleet Sir David Beatty, 1st Earl Beatty (1871-1936) by the ship's company of HMS 'Lion'.
The lion stands on a rolling wave, mounted on a circular wooden base with the motto 'VENIANT OMNES' in cutout silver letters. A silver plaque on the base is inscribed 'PRESENTED TO LADY BEATTY BY THE SHIP'S COMPANY OF HMS "LION" AS A TOKEN OF ESTEEM 1915'.
The official ship's badge of the battle-cruiser 'Lion' depicted a lion rampant. This presentation piece was a mark of the loyalty Beatty inspired in his ship's company. Lady Beatty had earlier offered her own yacht 'Sheelah' to the Admiralty as a hospital ship.
At the battle of the Dogger Bank on 24 January 1915, Rear-Admiral David Beatty, with his flag in HMS 'Lion', led his squadron of battle-cruisers to victory over the German Admiral Hipper's squadron. However, HMS 'Lion', which Beatty had commanded since 1913, was severely damaged by enemy fire in the battle, disabling her from continuing the action.
HMS 'Lion' was the flagship of Vice Admiral David Beatty during the First World War, on 28 August 1914 at Heligoland Bight and a Dogger Bank on 24 January 1915, also at the Battle of Jutland in 1916, however the item was presented before that date.
caption: Statuette
caption: casket, statuette and sword | Publisher: | "http://collections.rmg.co.uk/" | Rights holder: | "Royal Museums Greenwich" | Subjects: | Beatty Lion 1910 (HMS) Ethel figurines | Source: | Royal Museums Greenwich | Identifier: | http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collections... | Go to resource |
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