Six: Able Seaman G. A. Booth, Royal Navy

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star, clasp, France and Germany; Africa Star; Italy Star; Defence and War Medals, extremely fine (6) £100-140

George Arthur Booth was born in Macclesfield, Cheshire on 17 November 1922. A butcher’s assistant by occupation, he volunteered for service in the Royal Navy on 15 October 1941. Rated an Ordinary Seaman, he served on the shore bases Raleigh (Torpoint, Cornwall) 18 October - 20 December 1941, Drake (Devonport), 21 - 31 December 1941 and Cabot (Bristol), 1 January - 9 February 1942. On 10 February 1942 he was posted to the battleship Rodney. He served aboard the ship, firstly as an Ordinary Seaman and then from 15 August 1942 as an Able Seaman, until his release from the the service on 15 April 1946.

Able Seaman Booth was aboard the Rodney when she took part in Operation Pedestal, 10-13 August 1942. In a last ditch attempt to bring supplies to the beleaguered island fortress of Malta, a massive force of two battleships (the Rodney and her sister ship Nelson), four aircraft carriers, seven cruisers and 32 destroyers were to escort 14 merchantmen to the island. The operation was a success, with the large tanker Ohio, having taken several bomb hits, being towed into Valetta, bringing her vital fuel to the island, and the aircraft carrier Furious, having performed her duty, by successfully re-supplying the island’s air garrison by flying off her spitfires to Malta. Ship casualties were heavy, with eleven merchant ships, one aircraft carrier, two cruisers and one destroyer being sunk. The loss of the aircraft carrier Eagle (struck by four torpedoes from the U-73) is recorded in three of the photographs sold with the lot. The Rodney was later involved in the landings at Oran (Operation Torch), the invasion of Sicily (Operation Husky) and in support of the Normandy landings.

Sold with the recipient’s Certificate of Service; Trade Certificate as Seaman Torpedoman; Order for Release from Naval Service (Class A); War Gratuity & Post War Credit of Wages slip; medical instruction form; medal forwarding slip; patriotic rosette and silk Union Flag, 140 x 110mm (approx.) bearing the ‘British Lion’ - parting gifts from his mother; foreign banknotes (4) and photographs (10); also with a copied detailed history of H.M.S. Rodney, 1939-48.