Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Bosun H. A. Filewood, Royal Navy, who, after lengthy service in the submarine depot ship Aquarius in the Mediterranean, saw action in the Baltic and White Sea in the monitor Erebus 1919-20

1914-15 Star (Bosn. H. A. Filewood, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Bosn. H. A. Filwood, R.N.); France, Minister of Marine’s Medal for Courage and Devotion, silver, the reverse centre embossed, ‘Filewood, H. A., 1908’, good very fine or better (4) £140-180

Henry Alfred Filewood was born in Caher, Co. Kerry, in June 1881, and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in November 1896. Gaining steady advancement over the coming decade, he was specially promoted to Petty Officer 1st Class in the cruiser Arrogant in October 1907, for his services in connection with the rescue of the Leon XIII in the same month, services that also resulted in the award of his French decoration (Board of Trade files and his service record refer).

Having then passed his Bosun’s exam in August 1912, he was confirmed in that rank just prior to the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, and, as verified by his service record, was next ‘Approved to enter Submarine Service’. Filewood was duly employed in the submarine depot ship Aquarius until July 1918, a lengthy commission that would have incorporated service in the Mediterranean and Adriatic. His final wartime appointment was in the monitor Erebus from July 1918, and he saw further action in her in operations in the Baltic and White Sea before coming ashore in February 1920. Placed on the Retired List at his own request in May 1922, he was briefly recalled in the 1939-45 War, as an Assistant Fuelling Officer, Dover, and was advanced to Lieutenant in 1941; sold with copied service records.