Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Stoker H. Edwards, Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Reserve, who was serving in and survived the sinking of the cruiser H.M.S. Hogue when she was torpedoed, along with her sister ships Aboukir and Cressy, in the North Sea by the German submarine U-9, 22 September 1914, with the loss of 1,459 lives

1914-15 Star (S.S. 107290. H. Edwards. Sto. 1., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (SS.107290 H. Edwards. Sto. 1 R.N.); Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (SS.107290 Ch.B.9784. H. Edwards. Sto. 1. R.F.R.) mounted as worn, very fine (4) £120-160

Harry Edwards was born on 26 March 1889 at Wouldham, Kent, and joined the Royal Navy on 24 June 1908, serving in H.M.S. Acheron. Promoted Stoker First Class, serving in H.M.S. Charybdis, 1 May 1909, he was shore demobilised on 21 June 1913, having served his 5 years, and joined the Royal Fleet Reserve the following day. Recalled for service on the outbreak of the Great War, he was posted to the cruiser H.M.S. Hogue on 2 August 1914, and was serving in her when she was torpedoed, along with her sister ships Aboukir and Cressy, part of the 7th Cruiser Squadron engaged in blockade and patrol duties, in the North Sea by the German submarine U-9 on 22 September 1914. The Aboukir was the first to be hit, at 06:20; her captain thought that she had struck a mine and ordered the other two ships to close in order to transfer his wounded men. The Aboukir quickly began listing and capsized, sinking at 06:50. Having approached, stopped, and lowered her boats, Hogue was struck by two torpedoes at 06:55 as she was attempting to rescue the survivors. She capsized and sank within twenty minutes. Cressy meanwhile attempted to ram the submarine, but did not hit anything and resumed her rescue efforts until she too was torpedoed at 07:20. She too took on a heavy list and then capsized before sinking at 07:55. Total losses from the three ships were 62 officers and 1,397 men killed.

Edwards was one of the survivors, and subsequently transferred to H.M.S. Lancaster on 3 March 1916, in which ship he took part in the delivery of 6 guns to the Falklands Islands in 1916-17, whose purpose was to better protect the wireless station there, and arrived at Port Stanley on Christmas Eve, 1916. Transferring to H.M.S. Euryalus on 27 November 1918, he was shore demobilised for a second time on 18 June 1919.