Orders, Decorations and Medals

Three: Able Seaman R. J. Tilley, Royal Navy, killed in action when the submarine E-49 was mined off the Shetlands, 12 March 1917

1914-15 Star (J.11627 A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J.11627 A.B., R.N.); Memorial Plaque (Robery Janes Tilley) extremely fine (4) £280-320

Robert James Tilley was born in Camberwell, London, on 8 January 1895. A Warehouse Boy by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 29 March 1911. Advanced to Boy 1st Class in November 1911, he was promoted to Ordinary Seaman in April 1912 and Able Seaman in January 1913, whilst serving on Black Prince. At the start of the Great War he was on the destroyer Saracen based at Dover, July 1914-May 1915. Tilley was on Research, the auxiliary patrol depot ship at Portland, October 1915-December 1916, before transferring to submarines. He was based on the submarine depot ship Dolphin, with the 6th Flotilla, December 1916-January 1917, and then from 13 January 1917 was based on Lucia, the submarine depot ship for the 10th Flotilla on the Tees. Able Seaman Tilley was killed in action on 12 March 1917 when the submarine E-49 was mined and sunk off the Shetland Islands. Robert James Tilley was the brother of Edwin Thomas Tilley of 47 Linnell Road, Camberwell, London. His name is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Sold with copied service paper and other research.