Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Chief Painter S. Cole, Royal Navy

1914-15 Star (343785 S. J. Cole Ptr.1., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (343758 S. J. Cole Ptr.1. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (343758 S. J. Cole Ptr 1. Cl. H.M.S. Cornwall) mounted as worn, light contact marks, very fine (4) £80-£120

Samuel James Cole, a decorator from Plymouth, Devon, enlisted in the Royal Navy on 13 November 1900, declaring his date of birth as 3 February 1880. His Great War service started in H.M.S. Cornwall, which was present at the First Battle of the Falklands in December 1914, before taking part in the naval blockade of S.M.S. Kongsberg in East Africa, and then seeing service in the Dardanelles campaign. He later served on the Submarine Depot Ship H.M.S. Leander. He was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 18 August 1916, and was promoted Chief Painter 1st Class on 1 January 1919. Shore Pensioned 12 February 1922, his service record notes his true date of birth as 3 February 1882.