Presentation Silver Desk Calendar to illustrious Commander of Submarine L5

A very fine example that carries an engraving to the top stating "Presented to Lieutenant Commander C. B. Allen by The Officers, Engineers & Crew of H M Submarine 5 on The Occasion of his Marriage Hong Kong 4-11-27". The piece is made from silver and carries clear manufacturing assay marks confirming it was made by Birmingham silversmiths Wilmot Manufacturing Company of Camden Street, Birmingham. This company was established in June 1912 whilst this piece is date stamped 'A' confirming it was made in 1925. A period photograph is fitted to a recess at the front, that shows both the submarine L5 and her crew.

Online research indicates Commander Conway Benning Allen D. S. O (1896-1980) attended RN College Osborne from 1909 and joined the Royal Navy in 1918. He had an illustrious Naval career, serving in two World Wars, initially in Cruiser HMS Hampshire and then Warspite through the Battle of Jutland. He was then posted to Dolphin, followed in September 1917 by an appointment to depot ship HMS Vulcan, to instruct on submarines. He then served in HMS H42 and then as First Officer to HMS K12. Allen was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1926 and was appointed Captain of HMS H34, then as Captain of HMS L5 from 1/9/1926 - 27/8/1929.

HMS L5 was built by Swan Hunter and launched on 1 September 1917and was initially based at Falmouth, Cornwall in 1918. L5 was assigned to the 4th Submarine Flotilla in 1919 and sailed to Hong Kong, arriving on 14 April 1920. She served on the China Station and was clearly serving in Hong Kong in 1927, when Lt Commander Allen was married on 4th November of that year. On 20 October 1927 off Hong Kong, L5 rescued the crew of the merchant ship SS Irene from a pirate attack after firing her deck gun. HMS L5 was sold in 1931 and broken up in Charlestown, Fife.

Allen's next appointment was as Captain of HMS Rover, a Rainbow-class submarine, whilst in 1930 he took command of surface ship HMS Rochester, a Shoreham-class sloop between January 1941 and October 1942. During Commander Allen's tenure HMS Rochester sunk by deth chages German U-Boat U204 on 19/10/1941 near Tangier. Then German U-Boat U82 was sunk north of the Azores on on 6/2/1942, again by depth charges dropped from HMS Rochester. Commander Allen was awarded the DSO, Gazetted 5th January 1943 'for gallantry for attacks on enemy submarines ', for the actions summarised above. Allen survived the War and retired from the Navy 1945, with the rank of Commander. He resided in Helson, Cornwall and died in British Columbia in July 1980. Naval careers do not come more illustrious than this and we imagine this presentation calendar would have sat on Commander Allen's desk. Whilst the calendar date does still operate it is somewhat stiff and we have treated this with respect as it nears its 100's year. We would suggest the new owner treats this as an historical artefact rather than for its original intended purpose and as a reminder of the owners illustrious career that seemed to largely revolved around submarines -both above and below the surface!

The final picture shows the medal grouping awarded to Commander Allen comprising the Distinguished Service Order dated 1943, 1914/15 Star, WWI War Medal and Victory Medals, 1939/45 Star, Atlantic Star, Defence Medal and WWII War Medal. These are illustrated for interest only and are not included in the sale as sadly not in our ownership!