Orders, Decorations and Medals

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Cape Colony, South Africa 1902 (G. R. Kinnear, Boy 1st Cl., H.M.S. Barracouta) small impressed naming, nearly extremely fine £300-350

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Boer War Medals to the Royal Navy.

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George Robertson Kinear was born in Battersea, London on 5 February 1884. A Baker’s Boy by occupation he joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 11 May 1899. Advanced to Boy 1st Class in March 1900, he served on the Minotaur, Agincourt and Sybille before proceeding to the 3rd class cruiser Barracouta in February 1901. On the crew of the Barracouta he served ashore during the Boer War and was awarded the Queen’s medal with two clasps - one of 36 men of the ship so entitled. Still on the vessel, he was promoted to Ordinary Seaman in February 1902 and Able Seaman in September the same year. He was promoted to Leading Seaman when on the Excellent in April 1910 and Petty Officer when on the Neptune in August 1913. In February 1915 he was promoted to Acting Gunner. Serving as a Gunner aboard the battlecruiser Queen Mary, he was killed in action when the ship blew up during the battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916. Only three officers and six men survived the loss; 57 officers and 1,209 ratings of the ship lost their lives. Gunner Kinnear’s name is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Sold with copied service paper.