Orders, Decorations and Medals

A Royal Victorian Medal group of six awarded to Chief Petty Officer G. H. Hopper, Royal Navy

Royal Victorian Medal, E.VII.R., bronze, unnamed; 1914-15 Star (172005 P.O. 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (172005 Act. C.P.O., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (172005 P.O. 1 Cl., H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth); Naval Good Shooting Medal, G.V.R. (172005 P.O. H.M.S. Audacious 1914 13.5 in B.L.) this with official correction to name, mounted court style for wear, good very fine (6) £450-500

R.V.M. London Gazette 6 June 1910. ‘P.O. 1st Class, H.M.S. Excellent’. Awarded for services at H.M. King Edward VII’s funeral.

George Henry Hopper was born at Mile End, London, on 12 August 1870. An errand Boy by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in February 1892, being advanced to Boy 1st Class in March 1894. He was promoted to Ordinary Seaman on Resolution in August 1895 and to Able Seaman on Australia in November 1896. In April 1903 when on Vengeance he was advanced to Leading Seaman and was promoted to Petty Officer 2nd Class in March 1905 when on Excellent and Petty Officer 1st Class in April 1908 when on Forward. As such he served in Excellent, October 1909-June 1910 and was a member of King Edward VII’s funeral party - for which he was awarded the R.V.M. Hopper served on the battleship Audacious, from October 1913 until 27 October 1914 when the ship was sunk - mined off Tory Island, Scotland. His next ship was the battleship Queen Elizabeth, in which he served from December 1914 until March 1918, being appointed Acting Chief Petty Officer in November 1917. In the ship he saw action at Gallipoli and the Dardanelles. Hopper attained the rank of Chief Petty Officer in November 1918 when on the Excellent. He was demobilised in March 1919. With copied service papers.