Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Seven: Petty Officer G. A. Cawood, Royal Navy

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Burma Star; Italy Star; War Medal, M.I.D. oak leaf; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (J.106370 P.O. H.M.S.Cheshire), the last with minor edge bruise, good very fine (7) £100-120

George Arthur Cawood was mentioned in despatches for his services in the battle cruiser H.M.S. Renown (Seedie’s refers - London Gazette 2 June 1943).

The Renown won no less than nine Battle Honours in the 1939-45 War, ranging from “Norway 1940” to “Sabang 1944”, with the “Bismarck Action 1941” and two or three Mediterranean actions in between. The Cheshire, too, had a busy war, serving as an armed merchant cruiser. She was twice torpedoed, firstly in October 1940, when she was beached near Kilroot Point, Belfast Lough, and again in August 1942, when on passage from Freetown. On this latter occasion the torpedo tore a hole 40 by 30 feet in her port side, near the bow, but she managed to make port with a maximum speed of 8 knots.