Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Stoker 1st Class W. Lamb, Royal Navy, later Tyne Electrical Engineers, Royal Engineers, who was serving in H.M.S. Lychnis when she sank the prized predator, U-64, on 17 June 1918, resulting in Lieutenant-Commander Noakes being awarded the D.S.O.

British War and Victory Medals (K.44370 W. Lamb. Sto. 1 R.N.); together with a Tyne Electrical Engineers Medallion, bronze, the reverse engraved ‘“Porter” Cup 1930 Spr. W. Lamb.’, in original fitted jewellers case, minor contact marks, good very fine (3) £60-80

William Lamb was born in Gateshead in 1899, and joined the Royal Navy on 19 July 1917. He served first in H.M.S. Victory as Stoker 2nd Class, and then in the Q Ship H.M.S. Lychnis from 15 November 1917 until 31 December 1918. he was demobilised on 6 August 1919 and later re-enlisted in the Royal Engineers. He died in 1974.

H.M.S. Lychnis, under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Cyril John Laugham Noakes and with a compliment of 80 men, on 17 June 1918, while escorting a convoy from Marseilles to Alalta with H.M.S. Partridge between Sardinia and Sicily, sank U-64. Lychnis first brought U-64 to the surface with a depth charge and then sank it by gunfire, leaving 38 dead and 5 survivors. For his gallant command Noakes was awarded the D.S.O. The U-64 was the eighth most successful predator among 329 U-boats serving in the Kaiserliche Marine. Operating in the Mediterranean, in three years, it sank the French warship ‘Danton’ and 46 merchant ships, damaged another three, and took one as a prize.