A rare British War and Victory Medal pair awarded to Driver A. Hobbs, 420th Battery Royal Field Artillery, who drowned in the Jolly Roger incident on Lake Onega, south of Murmansk, on 8 July 1919

British War and Victory Medals (8796 Dvr., R.A.) nearly extremely fine (2) £200-250

The Jolly Roger was a 40-foot American-built submarine chaser with a speed of 30 knots armed with one 3-pdr. semi-automatic naval gun borrowed from a French armoured train, seven Vicker's Machine Guns mounted on tripods and two Lewis Guns. The Captain of the Jolly Roger was Captain Herbert Francis Littledale, R.G.A.; his second in command was 2nd Lieutenant William Colston Wannell, R.A.S.C. The ship’s crew was made up of R.F.A. N.C.O’s. and men from 420th Bty., with one R.E. Corporal from the Syren Force Signal Company. The ship was a component of the Onega Lake Flotilla, part of the Murmansk Force.

On 10 June 1919, the Jolly Roger proceeded to Shunga and was sent north to shell the village of Fedotova, which she accomplished, destroying a bridge and killing 30 Bolsheviks. Throughout June 1919 she bombarded enemy villages and transported troops, guns and supplies to the troops at Shunga. On 8 July 1919 "the Jolly Roger was proceeding on a reconnaissance when a large explosion occurred in her starboard petrol tank. The force of the explosion blew three men and two Vickers guns overboard, and in a second the whole of the mid-ship portion of the vessel was burning furiously. The mechanics were assisted out of the engine room which was full of flames and an attempt was made to run her ashore. When about one mile from the shore, however, the engines stopped, and although most of the ammunition had been thrown overboard, one box, containing lyddite, had become ignited, and it was, therefore necessary to "abandon ship." All ranks behaved magnificently, men who could swim volunteering to assist men who could not, and of these there were a large proportion. Five men were unfortunately drowned, including two of those blown overboard. The remainder swam ashore safely, except four, who were picked up by a seaplane which had been sent out to ascertain the cause of the heavy column of smoke, caused by the explosion and subsequent fire."

Littledale was subsequently commended in the report made by the aircrew of the R.A.F. seaplanes of the incident: ‘Capt Littledale who had been in the water about 40 minutes had during the whole of this time been supporting one of his crew (an elderly man unable to swim and who was exhausted). His splendid action most assuredly saved this man’s life.’

Capt. Littledale and 2nd Lieutenant Wannell were both subsequently awarded the Military Cross; Littledale’s being published in the London Gazette without citation on 3 February 1920 ‘For distinguished service in connection with Military Operations in Murmansk, North Russia.’ and Wannell’s on 3 October 1919, the citation reading, ‘When carrying out a reconnaissance on Lake Onega on 8th July, 1919, in close touch with enemy vessels, the motor-boat caught fire and a petrol tank exploded. Though badly shaken himself he assisted three wounded mechanics on to the upper deck, and then returned to the engine room and drove the one engine, which was still working, until the boat was within a mile of the shore, when a second explosion wrecked her. His pluck and devotion to duty in driving the engine, at great risk to himself, got the boat near the shore and saved lives.’

Captain Littledale was also awarded the Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal for his bravery in saving the life of one of the men who could not swim by keeping him afloat until they were rescued.

Driver Arthur Hobbs, R.F.A. had entered the France/Flanders theatre of war on 31 May 1915 (entitled to the 1914-15 Star). Hobbs and the four other men who were killed in the Jolly Roger incident are commemorated on the Archangel Memorial to the Missing.

Captain. Herbert Francis Littledale, R.G.A. wrote an article some time after the Jolly Roger incident entitled Gunners as Sailors on the Murmansk Front, published in the Royal Artillery journal “The Gunner”.