Seven: Chief Stoker H. Thomas, Royal Navy

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Gambia 1894 (H. Thomas. Sto. H.M.S. Raleigh); 1914-15 Star (153031, H. Thomas, Ch. Sto., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (153031 H. Thomas, Ch. Sto., R.N.); Coronation 1911, unnamed as issued; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (Herbert Thomas, Ch. Sto., H.M.S. Challenger.); Italy, Kingdom, Messina Earthquake Medal 1908, silver, unnamed as issued, edge bruising, polished, therefore nearly very fine (7) £400-£500

Herbert Thomas, a fisherman from Penzance, was born on 1 July 1870, and joined the Royal Navy as a Stoker Second Class on 4 January 1890. Initially serving with H.M.S. Indus, he joined H.M.S. Raleigh on 3 October 1891 and served aboard this ship during the Gambia Expedition of 1894. Leaving H.M.S. Raleigh on 24 February 1895, and with periods at Vivid II, he subsequently served in H.M. Ships Cambridge, Ringdove, Magnificent, Challenger, Argonaut, Hannibal, and Sutlej, in which latter ship he was present during the rescue operations following the Messina Earthquake 28 December 1908. He saw further service in H.M.S. Donegal and finally in H.M.S. Carnarvon, before being shore pensioned on 11 January 1912. Having joined the Royal Fleet Reserve at Devonport on 14 January 1912, following the outbreak of the Great War, Thomas, who had been rated Chief Stoker in 1901, joined H.M.S. Theseus. Serving only until 28 November 1914, he had a brief spell at Vivid II, before joining H.M.S. Eaglet on 22 January 1915. Thomas would serve the rest of the War in the latter, which was a shore training establishment, until finally being demobbed on 22 September 1919.