Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Leading Stoker A. E. Darby, Royal Navy, who saw action in H.M.S. Kent at the Battle of the Falklands in December 1914

Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1908-10 (295196 A. E. Darby, Sto. 1st Cl., H.M.S. Proserpine); Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-1914 (295196 A. E. Darby, Act. L. Sto., H.M.S. Prosperpine); 1914-15 Star (295196 A. E. Darby, L. Sto., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (295196 A. E. Darby, L. Sto., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (295196 A. E. Darby, Ldg. Sto., H.M.S. Kent), good very fine (6) £550-600

Albert Edward Darby was born in Taunton, Somerset, in December 1881, and entered the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in April 1900. Joining the ship’s company of H.M.S. Proserpine in September 1908, he witnessed active service off Somaliland (Medal & clasp), and in the Persian Gulf (Medal & clasp), and gained advancement to Acting Leading Stoker in the same period. Then in May 1912, he came ashore and enrolled in the Royal Fleet Reserve.

Recalled on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he joined the cruiser Kent, and quickly saw action in the battle of the Falklands on 8 December. On that occasion, the Kent pursued and sank the enemy cruiser Nurnberg, but not before a spectacular duel in which Kent was hit on no less than 36 occasions and sustained casualties of five killed and 11 wounded, of whom three later succumbed to their injuries. The Nurnberg, her decks a mass of twisted metal, finally succumbed to a broadside of lyddite shells delivered from 3,000 yards range and all but a handful of her complement perished. Three months later, on 15 March 1915, the Kent was present at the destruction of the Dresden, the only enemy ship to have escaped an earlier demise off the Falklands, while in February 1916, she sailed to South Georgia to search, without success, for Shackleton.

Awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in September 1917, Darby finally departed the Kent in June 1918, when he came ashore to an appointment in Portsmouth, and he was finally demobilised in May 1921.

Sold with copied service record.