Orders, Decorations and Medals

Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (350420 Richard Willis, Sick Berth Stewd. H.M.S. Hampshire) nearly extremely fine £40-60

Richard Willis was born on 28 November 1891 at Aberystwith, Cardiganshire. He entered the Royal Navy as a Probationary Sick Berth Attendant at Haslar Hospital on 23 July 1896 and was confirmed at that rank in October the same year. He served on a number of vessels and hospitals over the years, serving at Hong Kong Hospital, April 1900-September 1902. He was advanced to Sick Berth Steward in August 1906. He served on the armoured cruiser Hampshire, January-February 1914, during which time he was awarded the Long Service Medal. Willis was based at Malta Hospital, November 1915-January 1916, and Haslar Hospital, March 1916-March 1918. He was demobilised in January 1920.

The armoured cruiser H.M.S. Hampshire, on route from Scapa Flow to Russia, bearing a high level military and financial mission headed by Lord Kitchener, struck a mine laid by the German submarine U-75 off the coast of Orkney on 5 June 1916. Sinking within 15 minutes, only 12 men out of a compliment of 655 survived; Lord Kitchener and the other six members of the mission were also lost in the disaster. With copied service papers.