Orders, Decorations and Medals

Three: Stoker 1st Class J. Clase, Royal Navy

Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (Sto., H.M.S. Porpoise); British War Medal 1914-20 (117156 Sto. 1, R.N.); Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (117156 Po.1360 Sto.1, R.F.R.) contact marks, nearly very fine and better (3) £140-180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals for the Somaliland 1902-1904 to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines.

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Joseph Clase was born in Brighton, Sussex, on 4 August 1866. He entered the Royal Navy as a Band Boy in August 1881. Serving on Lion, he was advanced to Bandsman 2nd Class in September 1884 and Bandsman in June 1885. He was transferred to the Iron Duke in May 1886 but in February 1887 his rating was dramatically changed to Stoker 2nd Class, becoming Stoker in August. He was promoted to Leading Stoker 1st Class in May 1893 when based on Vivid II. Serving on Superb, June 1893-February 1894, he was ‘disrated for incompetency’, being reduced to Stoker in January 1894. He then served for a while as a Boatman with the Coastguard, being based at Newhaven, March 1894-December 1897. Clase then returned to the fleet as a Stoker and served aboard the 3rd class cruiser Porpoise, April-August 1903, during which time he qualified for the A.G.S. medal and Somaliland clasp. He was pensioned ashore and joined the R.F.R. in September 1904. Strangely, he served as a Domestic 2nd Class on the Revenge, December 1906-June 1907. During the Great War he served as Stoker 1st Class on the shore bases Victory II and Vernon. Sold with copied service paper.