Nice pun Thanks

About time faulty device is thrown out! (7)

Anagram of "device" about t(ime) -> evicted

I see that was a tough one for you, Rog

Strap this non-faulty, fully-functional device about your hips ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Cue!

Food stolen by boxer perhaps? (3,3)

hot dog

Nice solve, Demosthenes! : ===[**CDM**]===

Thanks, Rog!

“Poor Wandering One” became popular (6,6)

Gained renown = became popular - anagram (poor) of wandering one

That's it. You're up, Lex! ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you kind sir!

Comic news bulletin from Spooner at Little Bighorn? (6,6)

Direct on left, cvccvc cvvcvc, one e in each word and all other vowels different

Buster Keaton (Custer Beaten)

Successfully busted, so you may take custody of this: ===[**CDM**]===

Thank you, Lex!

More disturbed about the unfinished dam (6)

mother (anagram of “more” around unfinished “the”)

Yes, Demosthenes! Here's your belt. ===[**CDM**]===

Hurrah!

Routine navy retreats preserve order--larger ones might whistle over the bright blue sea? (6,5,9)

Direct on the right, 7 vowels, 3 e's.

cvcvcc cvcvc cvcvcvcc; definition by example

I am completely stuck on this one (but then I had noticed your capacity to be quite tricky, even if perhaps not quite as devious as Denis...!)

I have been thinking of seabirds, missiles, sea shanties, shooting stars, and even oil rigs or wind turbines, all to no avail; to make things worse, I am not getting anywhere on the clue construction either, pondering possible synonym for routine + reversed synonym for navy containing synonym for/type of order...

I'll definitely take that as a compliment, Lex!

You're right that “retreats” is a reversal indicator--but in this case it applies to “preserve” rather than “navy.” “order” is an anagram indicator, which is mean of me because it's difficult to tell where the anagram ends and the definition begins.

Oh, and the synonym for “routine” is somewhat questionable, because of course it is...

I like this alternate version better:

Moderate port side navy retreats preserve order--larger ones might whistle over the bright blue sea? (6,5,9)

If preserve = jam, then the second word could be major, but otherwise I am still all at sea...

"major" is correct for the second word! (and in a previous iteration "at sea" was the anagram indicator )

I think that Modern Major Generals has to be the answer, but I am still a long way from justifying it!

Well actually perhaps I can: mode (routine, or left/port side of moderate) + rn (navy) + maj (jam reversed) + or generals (larger ones anagrammed), but I am not familiar enough with HMS Pinafore to entirely understand the direct