Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Petty Officer 1st Class H. R. Locke, Royal Navy

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 2 clasps, Witu August 1893, Juba River 1893 (A.B., H.M.S. Blanche); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (P.O. 1st Cl., H.M.S. Doris); British War Medal 1914-20 (132587 C.P.O., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (Actg. Ch. P.O., H.M.S. Isis) the third officially re-impressed, edge bruising and contact marks, very fine or better and rare (4) £1400-1600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Richard Magor Collection of Medals Relating to India and Africa, and other Fine Awards.

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Collection

Approximately 25 ‘Witu August 1893’ / ‘Juba River 1893’ clasp combinations were issued to the Royal Navy.

Headon Richard Locke was born in London in April 1870 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in April 1885. Advanced to Ordinary Seaman in April 1888 and to Able Seaman in December of the same year, he joined H.M.S. Blanche at the end of 1890. In the latter ship he served off Africa and was employed in the Naval Brigades landed for the Witu and Juba River operations of 1893 (accompanying research verifies).

Locke became a Petty Officer 1st Class in July 1895 and served in the Doris between November 1897 and March 1900, including operations off South Africa during the Boer War. And in May 1903, he was awarded the L.S. & G.C. Medal and advanced to Chief Petty Officer. Locke was finally pensioned ashore in May 1910, was recalled for the duration of hostilities in August 1914, and served in home waters until demobbed in April 1919.