Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Stoker Petty Officer W. H. Hawkins, Royal Navy, a recipient of the Russian St. George’s Medal for Bravery for Jutland

1914-15 Star (299124 W. H. Hawkins, Sto. 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (299124 W. H. Hawkins, S.P.O., R.N.); Russia St. George’s Medal for Bravery, 4th Class, silver, the reverse officially numbered ‘1272871’, contact marks and polished, thus fine or better (4) £600-800

William Henry Hawkins was born in Lincoln in November 1881 and entered the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in May 1902. A Stoker 1st Class by the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he joined the cruiser H.M.S. Galatea in November 1914 and remained similarly employed for the remainder of the War. For a short period after being commissioned the ship was leader of the 2nd Destroyer Flotilla at Harwich but during 1915-17 formed part of the 1st Light Cruiser Squadron with the Grand Fleet. On 4 May 1916 she took part in the shooting down of the zeppelin L.7, while at Jutland a few weeks later she was flagship of the 1st L.C.S. and the first to report the presence of German ships - thus triggering the action, and becoming the first British ship to be hit by an enemy shell during the battle. Hawkins, who had been advanced to Leading Stoker in April 1916, was awarded the Russian St. George’s Medal for Bravery, 4th Class. He was invalided ashore in December 1921.

Sold with copied service record.