Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Able Seaman G. E. B. Stroud, Royal Navy, lost overboard in a storm when serving on H.M.S. Albemarle, 7 November 1915

1914-15 Star (221919 A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (221919 A.B., R.N.); Memorial Plaque (George Edward Bracey Stroud), this last mounted on a wooden plaque, 30 x 30cm., with a metal label, ‘George Edward Bracey Stroud who was lost at sea from H.M.S. Albemarle somewhere in the North Sea November 7th 1915’, nearly extremely fine (3) £160-200

George Edward Bracey Stroud was born in St. Leonards-on-Sea, Sussex on 21 February 1887. An Errand Boy by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 22 September 1902 and was advanced to Boy 1st Class in June 1903. Serving on H.M.S. Sutlej, November 1904-May 1906, he was promoted to Ordinary Seaman in February 1905 and Able Seaman in December 1905. He served on the pre-dreadnought battleship H.M.S. Albemarle from December 1913 on into the Great War. In August 1914 the ship formed part of the 6th Battle Squadron, stationed at Portland. As part of the Channel Fleet they provided cover for the B.E.F. as it crossed over to France. In January the 6th Battle Squadron was based at the Nore before being dispersed later in the year. In October 1915 Albemarle underwent a refit at Chatham Dockyard and in November 1915 the Albemarle was ordered to move to the Mediterranean with a division of the 3rd Battle Squadron. The ships left Rosyth on 6 November but encountered extremely heavy weather that night in the Pentland Firth. Albemarle, heavily loaded with spare ammunition, suffered severe damage - her forebridge and the personnel on it were washed overboard and her conning tower and superstructure were badly damaged and she was forced to return home for repairs. Stroud is recorded as having been ‘washed overboard and drowned during storm’ on 7 November 1915. His name is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval memorial. With copied service paper.