Need help deciphering Royal Navy Reserve service record

[dream_angel720]

Hi, I finally decided to get around checking out the service record of Alexander Horace Kirk (1871~1950). He did lots of painting and etchings, visited Singapore at some point too. Could someone help me make sense of his record?



This information Crown Copyright, from www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

[MaxD]

Some gaps in the hieroglyphics:

Rank throughout this period Temporary Lieutenant
(Postings to…)
26/6/16 HMS Victory to assist Commander G Armstrong with net drifters at Home (ie UK waters) (accounted for by HMS Victory the Portsmouth shore establishment – sounds like a desk job)
12/11/16 HMS Hermione for Motor Launch Course at RN College Greenwich (accounted for by Hermione which then was the HQ ship for motor launches and coastal motor boats)
(Letter reference) Appreciation of services expressed by the Admiral ( ) Havre (the French dockyard), endorsed by Cdr Armstrong.
26/1/17 ( ) additional for Motor Launch 75 in command (appointed captain of ML 75)
Two further command appointments
4 Sep 19 Demobilized from 12 Sep 19 11 Sep 19 (rated) satisfactory, excellent,  French,  Commander ? Mainroy ?
Demobilized 14 Oct 1919 Previous orders cancelled
Legion of Honour (Chevalier) Gazetted 12 Dec 19 (This was the French Legion d’Honneur, Chevalier grade.(Possibly connected with whatever he did at Le Havre??)

Was there an earlier page?

MaxD

[dream_angel720]

Thank you MaxD There isn't another page... He appeared in the Royal Navy Officers Medal Roll 1914-1920, the event dated 1914, with the rank of Lieutenant earned the Victory & British War Medals.

He was also awarded the Croix de Guerre with Silver Star in 1919. Not sure how to go on with the info.

[ShaunJ]

From the Kent & Sussex Courier, 23 June 1916:

[MaxD]

Good spot ShaunJ (my home town!)
Further searches of the Navy List find him on HMS Kosmos (an armed trawler) with a joining date of Sep 17.  Another has him in a list of officers on "Miscellaneous Services".  The medal rolls frustratingly do not give, as they do for some others, the duty for which he received the French awards.
My thought is that getting two French decorations and a letter of appreciation from the Admiral at Le Havre speaks of some sort of sustained service with the French rather than any one act.  Failing any other ideas, I'd approach the RN Museum for their ideas on what that might have been.  https://www.nmrn.org.uk/contact-us.
Whatever, this is outside my area of what is laughingly called expertise, need a real RN expert to steer you.

MaxD

[RRTB]

The French Croix de Guerre represents a medal awarded for a Mention in Dispatches by a commanding officer, at least a regimental commander. The Silver Star element denotes that the mention was at Divisional level so presumably an even higher ranked officer?

RRTB

[dream_angel720]

ShaunJ: Thanks for attaching the news clipping!

MaxD, RRTB: Thank you for sharing your opinions