Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Seaman J. Thomas, Royal Naval Reserve

1914-15 Star (D.2104 Smn., R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals (2104D Smn., R.N.R.); Royal Naval Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (D. 2104 Sean., R.N.R.); together with memorial plaque (James Thomas) generally nearly extremely fine (5) £250-300

Seaman James Thomas a native of Marazion, Cornwall was killed in action whilst serving aboard H.M.S. Goliath in the Dardanelles, 13 May 1915.

H.M.S. Goliath was engaged early in the war on the East African coast in pursuit of the German light cruiser Konigsberg. It was here in November 1914 that Commander Ritchie of the Goliath gained the first naval V.C. of the Great War at the capital of German East Africa, Dar-es-Salaam. After the destruction of the Konigsberg the Goliath received orders to proceed to the Dardanelles, where she arrived in the middle of April 1915. In the early hours of the morning of 13 May that year she was struck in quick succession by three torpedoes fired from the Turkish destroyer Mouavenet-Millieh, with the result that she sank so quickly that many of those below were drowned before they could reach the upper deck. Of the 750 men serving aboard H.M.S. Goliath about 570, including her Captain were drowned.