Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

British War and Victory Medal pairs (3) (L.6038 J. Davies, O.S.2, R.N.; 81908 Gnr. D. McLean, R.A.; Lieut. W. A. Thomas) first B.W.M. with correction to surname

Victory Medal 1914-19 (5) (1420 Pte. T. Rushe, S. Ir. H.; 10796 Pte. F. Boland, Conn. Rang.; 18957 Pte. A. C. Gold, Labour Corps; P-8231 L. Cpl. A. Palmer, M.F.P.; 290067 Pte. 2 F. Knight, R.A.F.) very fine and better (11) £140-180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Great War Campaign Medals.

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Officer’s Steward 2nd Class John Davies, R.N., was killed in action on 27 October 1916 whilst serving on the destroyer H.M.S. Nubian. He was buried in Chiswick Old Cemetery, Middlesex.

The destroyer H.M.S. Nubian was in action with German destroyers off Folkstone on the night of 27/28 October 1916. She was hit by a torpedo and had her bow blown off. However, she was taken under tow and beached near Dover. On 8 November 1916, her sister ship, H.M.S. Zulu had her stern blown off by a mine near Dunkirk but was taken under tow to Calais. The two wrecks were then towed to Chatham Dockyard where a single ship was constructed out of the two wrecked parts. The resulting destroyer was suitably named ‘H.M.S. Zubian’.