Five: Chief Stoker W. H. Davis, Royal Navy, a member of H.M.S. Powerful who served ashore with the Naval Brigade during the Second Boer War and who was later wounded in action during the Battle of Heligoland Bight, 28 August 1914

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Belmont, Modder River (281134 Sto. W. H. Davis. H.M.S. Powerful); 1914-15 Star (281134. W. H. Davis. Ch. Sto, R.N.) officially engraved naming; British War and Victory Medals (281134. W.H. Davis. Ch. Sto, R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (281134 W. H. Davis Sto P.O. H.M.S. Sealark) contact marks, good very fine or better (5) £500-£700

Walter Henry Davis was born in November 1875 in Burton Bradstock, Devon. He enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Stoker and first served with H.M.S Victory. In June 1897 he was posted to H.M.S. Powerful and served ashore with the Royal Naval Brigade during the Anglo-Boer War, being involved in two of the earliest battles of the campaign, both of them in the last ten days of November 1899. For this service he was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with the clasps Belmont and Modder River.

Davis was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in January 1911 whilst serving in H.M.S. Sealark, an auxiliary steam yacht which at the time was involved in hydrographic survey work around Australia and the South Pacific. On the outbreak of the Great War, he was serving aboard the cruiser H.M.S. Fearless as a Chief Stoker. He was wounded in action on 28 August 1914 during the Battle of Heligoland Bight and was also in the ship’s crew during the Battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916. From December 1916 until January 1920 he served aboard the destroyer, H.M.S. Orcadia, having transferred to the Royal Fleet Reserve in December 1917. He was discharged in March 1920.