Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Chief Petty Officer W. H. Baster, Royal Navy, who died of disease on 4 September 1918

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Witu 1890 (W. H. Baster, A.B., H.M.S. Conquest.); China 1900, no clasp (W. H. Baster, P.O. 1Cl., H.M.S. Arethusa.); 1914-15 Star (127235, W.H. Baster, C.P.O. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (127235. W. H. Baster., C.P.O. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (127235. W. H. Baster, P.O. 1Cl. H.M.S. Arethusa.) contact marks, nearly very fine (6) £500-£700

William Henry Baster was born in Gravesend, Kent, on 25 November 1868. He joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class on 29 May 1884, initially serving aboard H.M.S. St Vincent. Over the next 22 years, Baster, who by 1904 was rated Chief Petty Officer, would service with a large number of ships, taking part in the Witu expedition of 1890 and the China operations in 1900. Awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in March 1903, he was shore pensioned on 3 December 1806 and joined the Royal Fleet Reserve the following August. Following the outbreak of the Great War, Baster was recalled to service, and served at H.M.S. Columbine between August 1914 and March 1916. His service during the war appears to be mainly shore based; however on 12 October 1917 he joined the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Ark Royal, and was serving in her when he died of disease on 4 September 1918. He is buried in Syra New British Cemetery, Greece.