Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Leading Stoker S. W. Stratford, Royal Navy, who was killed in action at Jutland aboard H.M.S. Queen Mary

1914-15 Star (311687 S. W. Stratford, L. Sto., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (311689 S. W. Stratford, L. Sto., R.N.); Italy, Messina Earthquake Medal 1908, silver, very fine or better (4) £400-500

Sylvester William Stratford was born in Kent in January 1889 and entered the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in May 1907. Joining H.M.S. Duncan as a Stoker 1st Class in the following year, he was present in the Messina earthquake rescue operations (Medal), and was serving in the battle cruiser Queen Mary by the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914. Advanced to Leading Stoker in the following year, he was subsequently killed in action at the battle of Jutland, when the Queen Mary entered into a duel with the Derfflinger and was hit by two 12-inch shells which caused the detonation of her ‘A’ and ‘B’ magazines - 57 officers and 1209 ratings were killed in the subsequent explosion; sold with copied service record and research.