Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Chief Petty Officer J. F. Johns, Royal Navy

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 2 clasps, Brass River 1895, Benin 1897 (P.O. 1Cl., H.M.S. Barrosa) note: duplicate medal issued in 1899; British War Medal 1914-20 ( 130414 C.P.O., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (C.P.O., H.M.S. Implacable) edge bruising, contact marks, good fine (3) £340-380

John Francis Johns was born at Talland, West Looe, Cornwall on 3 August 1869. He enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 29 December 1884, being advanced to Boy 1st Class in December 1885. He was promoted to Ordinary Seaman in August 1887 when on H.M.S.Triumph; Able Seaman in January 1889 when on H.M.S. Wild Swan; and Leading Seaman in November 1891 when on H.M.S. Lion. Served on H.M.S. Cambridge, April 1893-February 1894, being advanced to Petty Officer 2nd Class in October 1893 and to 1st Class in February 1894. When again on Cambridge in December 1897 he was advanced to Acting Chief Petty Officer and was confirmed in that rank in December 1898 when on H.M.S. Britannia. Shore pensioned on 1 August 1907 when he joined the R.F.R. Recalled for the duration of the war, he served on the training ship H.M.S. Powerful throughout. With copied service paper. Duplicate East & West Africa Medal issued 24 April 1899.