Orders, Decorations and Medals

Pair: Stoker 1st Class G. E. Greetham, Royal Navy, killed in action at the Battle of Jutland, 1 June 1916, whilst serving on H.M.S. Ardent

British War and Victory Medals (K.21785 Sto. 1, R.N.) extremely fine (2) £160-200

George Edward Greetham was born in Leeds, West Yorkshire, on 11 May 1894. A Machinist by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class on 28 January 1914. On the outbreak of war he was serving on the destroyer Racehorse, April 1914-January 1915, being advanced to Stoker 1st Class in December 1914. He was posted to the destroyer Ardent and the depot ship Hecla in January 1915. The Ardent formed part of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla of the Grand Fleet at the battle of Jutland, 31 May/1 June 1916. In the early hours of the 1 June, the lone destroyer ran foul of the German fleet as it steamed through the ‘soft tail’ of Grand Fleet. Caught in a blaze of searchlights she became the target of every German gun that could bear upon her and was swiftly destroyed. Four officers and 74 ratings, including Stoker Greetham were killed; only one officer and one rating survived the sinking. With copied service paper.