Five: Chief Writer G. F. Lonnon, Royal Navy

1914-15 Star (190039 G. F. Lonnon. Ch. Wr. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (190039 G. F. Lonnon. Ch. Wr. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (190039 G. F. Lonnon. Ch. Writer H.M.S. Venerable); Royal Naval Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R. (190039 G. F. Lonnon. Ch. Wtr. “Vernon” Services During War) light contact marks, otherwise good very fine (5) £300-£400

George Ford Lonnon was born at Fareham, Hants, on 22 February 1881, and joined the Royal Navy on 31 August 1896, as a Boy 2nd Class and entered H.M.S. St Vincent, the boys Training Ship. He appears to have had second thoughts and he ‘bought himself out’ on 28 September 1896, possibly to expand his education as he rejoined the Navy on 7 May 1900, this time as Writer 3rd Class. By the outbreak of the Great War he had been advanced to Chief Writer and was serving aboard the battleship Venerable, initially in the North Sea but, from late May 1915, in the Dardanelles. He was approved for his L.S. & G.C. medal in August 1915 and went ashore on 28 December 1916, spending the remainder of his naval career in Victory I and Vernon. Whilst in Vernon he was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal ‘for Services during the War’, gazetted on 11 June 1919. Sold with copied record of service.