Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A Second World War group of three attributed to Lieutenant Norris Henry Hoare, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, H.M.S. Hood, killed in action against the Bismarck, 24 May 1941

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, these unnamed as issued, in wooden framed glass-fronted case, bearing a brass name plate inscribed, ‘Lt. Norris Henry Hoare, R.N.V.R., Killed on Active Service 24.5.41, H.M.S. Hood’, extremely fine (3) £300-400

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of the late Eric Smith.

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Norris Henry Hoare, son of Henry and Elizabeth Jane Hoare, of Whipton, Devon, was a member of staff of Lloyds Bank Limited at Newton Abbot, Devon and was a Member of the Institute of Bankers. During the Second World War he served as a Lieutenant in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Serving aboard the battle cruiser H.M.S. Hood, he was killed in the action with the German battleship Bismarck in the Denmark Straits on 24 May 1941. Aged 28 at the time of his death; his name is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

The battle cruiser Hood, together with the battleship Prince of Wales were closing with the Bismarck and her cruiser consort, the Prinz Eugen, when the Hood was hit by shells from the Bismarck and exploded. Only three men of her compliment of 1,421 survived her catastrophic end.

Sold with the book In Memoriam 1939-1945. The book was published in conjunction with the unveiling of a Memorial to fallen members of Lloyds Bank staff, erected at the Banking Hall at 71 Lombard Street. The Memorial was unveiled on 11 November 1949, at a service of dedication attended by many of the relatives of the deceased, directors, senior officials and staff of the Bank. The book contains the Order of Service for the Dedication and provides a photographic record of members of staff named on the Memorial, who were killed during the war (including Lieutenant Hoare). With the book is a forwarding letter from the Chairman and Directors of the Bank, dated 3 September 1951, addressed to Mr & Mrs H. Hoare at ‘Morwenna’, 10, Kennerley Avenue, Whipton, near Exeter. Also with a copy of the letter of acknowledgement and thanks sent in return.