Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Plumber T. W. Stace, Royal Navy and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, who witnessed the destruction of the German raider S.M.S. Greif in a fierce North Sea engagement in 1916

1914-15 Star (M.20876. T. W. Stace. A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (M.20876 T. W. Stace. Pbr. R.N.); Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue (3/169. T. W. Stace, Plumbr. Mate. R.N.V.R. Sussex Divn.) nearly extremely fine (4) £120-£160

Thomas William Stace, a gas fitter, was born in Eastbourne, East Sussex, on 22 March 1883, and spent his childhood living at Harebeating Farm, Hailsham. He joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (Sussex Division) on 29 March 1909 and initially served at Portsmouth as Able Seaman. Posted to the armed merchant cruiser H.M.S. Andes on 21 April 1915, he was present aboard her on patrol in the North Sea on 29 February 1916 when four British vessels attempted to intercept the German raider Greif which was maintaining the illusion of a neutral Norwegian steamer.

Spotted by Andes and Alcantara at about 8.45am, the two British ships closed on the Greif until within signalling range. Captain Wardle of Alcantara ordered the German vessel to stop and two blank rounds were fired. The Germans hove to and signalled that they were from Trondheim and were headed for Rio de Janeiro. At about 09.40am the British were close enough to lower a few boats with a boarding party to take command of the seemingly harmless steamer. It was at this moment that Greif unmasked her guns and fired; the first rounds struck Alcantara’s bridge causing heavy damage and destroying the communications equipment. Witnessing her plight, Andes opened fire upon Greif, her first shots destroying the raider’s steering gear. Greif responded by launching two torpedoes, one of which struck Alcantara amidships. Andes and Alcantara then set the German’s fuel tanks on fire, with one shell detonating in the engine room bringing the enemy to a halt. German fire ceased at 10.18am amidst a mass of flame and confusion, but the British continued to shoot and struck the German commander in the neck killing him instantly; it was around this time that Comus and Munster arrived to assist Andes in finishing off the German raider.

The engagement cost the lives of 72 British sailors and 187 Germans, with the survivors from Alcantara picked up after about 20 minutes in the water; Captain Wardle was subsequently invested with the Distinguished Service Order for gallantry and was later advanced Rear Admiral.

Stace continued to serve aboard Andes until 25 May 1916, when he was sent to Portsmouth Naval Base. He saw just 4 further days with the R.N.V.R., being transferred to the Royal Navy as Plumber’s Mate on 31 May 1916, the date corresponding with the Battle of Jutland. Sent to the Royal Naval College, Osborne, as Plumber IV Class for much of the remainder of hostilities, Stace was demobilised on 27 September 1919. He returned home to Hailsham and resumed employment as a workshop foreman for a gas company.