Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Shipwright F. A. W. Bennett, Royal Navy, who was killed when H.M.S. Seagull was in collision with another ship in the Firth of Clyde in September 1918

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (F. A. W. Bennett, Car. Crew. H.M.S. Pearl.); 1914-15 Star (344302. F. A. W. Bennett. Shpt. 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (344302. F. A. W. Bennett. Shpt. 1. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (344302. F. A. W. Bennett. Shpt. 1Cl. H.M.S. Seagull.) good very fine or better (5) £200-£240

Provenance: Dix Noonan Webb, June 2008.

Frederick Albert William Bennett was born in Plymouth on 11 February 1878. A Carpenter by occupation, he entered the Royal Navy as Carpenters Crew based at Vivid II on 3 July 1901. Posted then to the cruiser Pearl, he served aboard her from December 1901 to November 1904, qualifying for the Q.S.A. Medal without clasp (189 awarded) and being advanced to Shipwright in April 1903. He was promoted to Leading Shipwright in October 1905 when on the Blake and Shipwright 1st Class in August 1914 when on the Warrior. Serving aboard the minesweeper Seagull from October 1915, he was accidentally killed on 30 September 1918, when the Seagull was sunk in a collision, probably with the steamship Corrib, in the Clyde. His name is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial. Sold with copied record of service and copied newspaper extract with obituary.