Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A post-war civil B.E.M. group of four awarded to Mr. P. D. O’Shea, late Chief Petty Officer (Writer), Royal Navy, onetime attached Royal Australian Navy

British Empire Medal, (Civil) G.VI.R., 2nd issue (Peter Daniel O’Shea); British War and Victory Medals (M. 5275 P. D. O’Shea, Wr. 2, R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue (M. 5275 P. D. O’Shea, C.P.O. Wr., H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth), one or two edge bruises and contact marks, generally very fine (4) £250-300

B.E.M. London Gazette 9 June 1949.

Peter Daniel O’Shea was born at Ballynacargy, Co. Westmeath, Ireland in February 1891 and entered the Royal Navy as a Writer 3rd Class in December 1912.

By the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was serving in H.M.S. Gibraltar at Queenstown but he came ashore to Vivid I, the Devonport establishment, in November of the same year, where he was advanced to Writer 2nd Class in December 1916. He remained similarly employed until being loaned to the Royal Australian Navy with an appointment in H.M.A.S. Sydney September 1917, in which capacity he remained actively employed until returning to Vivid I in February 1918. His final wartime appointment was in the battle cruiser Lion, from August 1918, in which period he gained advancement to Writer 1st Class.

Post-war, O’Shea served in several battleships and was advanced to Chief Writer in December 1922 and to Chief Petty Officer Writer in January 1924. He was awarded the L.S. & G.C. Medal in February 1928.

Transferring to the Coast Guard in the mid-1930s, he was employed at Bangor during the 1939-45 War and beyond, services that resulted in his award of the B.E.M. in 1949; sold with copied research.