Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Chief Engine Room Artificer 1st Class G. E. Quint, Royal Navy

1914-15 Star (270733 Act. E.R.A.2, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (270733 C.E.R.A.2, R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (270733 C.E.R.A. 2Cl., H.M.S. Woolwich) contact marks, some edge bruising, nearly very fine (4)
£90-120

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Ron Tuppen Collection of Naval Medals to Engine Room Officers.

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George Ernest Quint was born in Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent on 24 June 1878. An Engine Smith by occupation, he entered the Royal Navy as an Acting Engine Room Artificer 4th Class on 9 July 1902, being confirmed in his rank in April 1904. He was advanced to E.R.A. 3rd Class in October 1905 on Bedford; E.R.A. 2nd Class in October 1909 on Blenheim and E.R.A. 1st Class in October 1914 and Acting C.E.R.A. 2nd Class in October 1915 when on Tyne. Quint was based on the destroyer depot ship Woolwich, July 1916-October 1917, during which time he was awarded the Royal Navy L.S. & G.C. He served on the destroyer Pasley July 1916-30 September 1917, being promoted to C.E.R.A. 2nd Class in September 1916. As such he was on board the ship when she rammed and sank the British submarine G.9.

On the night of 16 September 1917, in foul weather, Pasley was escorting a convoy from Aspo Fjord, Norway to Lewick, when she encountered the G.9. In a case of mistaken identity the G.9 fired fired two torpedoes at Pasley, believing her to be a U-Boat, which in turn rammed and sank the British submarine, understandably believing her to be a U-Boat. Pasley then stopped to pick up survivors but only one man of the G.9 was saved.

At the Court of Inquiry held four days after the incident, it was decided no blame could be attached to Pasley, concluding "that the process of reasoning which led the captain of H.M. Submarine G9 to mistake H.M.S. Pasley for a U-boat is, and must remain, unexplained".

Quint returned to Pasley after she had had her bows repaired, November 1917-October 1919 and November 1919-February 1920. After service on the battleship Royal Oak, January 1921-October 1922, Quint was pensioned as a C.E.R.A. 1st Class on 8 July 1924.

With copied service paper