Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Carpenter’s Crew A. E. G. Tyrell, Royal Navy, who served in the Q-Ship Vala (a.k.a. Q-8) in 1916

British War and Victory Medals (M. 14157 A. E. G. Tyrell, Car. Cr., R.N.), very fine and better (2) £80-100

Albert Ernest George Tyrell was born in Plymouth in December 1892 and entered the Royal Navy as Carpenter’s Crew in June 1915.

In April 1916, he joined the clandestine world of Q-Ships, when he was appointed to Sabrina (a.k.a. Vala and Q-8), and he remained similarly employed until that September, when he came ashore to an appointment in Vivid II - the Vala was involved in no less than seven actions with U-boats prior to her loss with all hands in August 1917, including her gallant C.O., Commander Leopold Bernays, C.M.G., a hard-drinking, hard swearing skipper who was worshipped by his men.

Tyrell returned to sea in the cruiser Apollo in September 1917 and remained similarly employed until the War’s end, and was finally demobilised ashore in March 1920; sold with copied service record.