Orders, Decorations and Medals

Five: Chief Petty Officer J. W. Varney, Royal Navy

Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-1914 (212923 Lg. Sea. H.M.S. Sphinx); 1914-15 Star (P.O. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (P.O. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue with fixed suspension (P.O. H.M.S. Erin) together with a large quantity of original documents and photographs, including Certificates of Service, Hurt Certificates (2), Gunnery & Torpedo History Sheet, naval cap, Union flag, and various maps, etc., very fine (5) £150-200

Joseph William Varney was born at Bermondsey, Kent, on 13 May 1885, and joined the Royal Navy on 3 January 1901. He served aboard H.M.S. Sphinx from March 1913 to August 1914, during which time he took part in the operations in the Persian Gulf. Transferring to the Dufferin in August 1914 he remained in the Gulf area of the Red Sea and was wounded by a bullet in the right buttock on 21 March 1915, when he was one of the landing party at Mowilla, Red Sea, being hit by enemy fire as they reached the shore. He was granted a Hurt Certificate for this wound, having previously been granted another Hurt Certificate for an injury sustained while performing Physical Drill in May 1910. In May 1917 he was issued with a duplicate N.G.S. medal and clasp free of charge to replace originals lost on active service. He served in Pembroke, November 1916 to June 1917, and then in Ceres until March 1920. Promoted to Chief Petty Officer in June 1923, he remained in the service until November 1944, when he was Indefinately Released.