Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Chief Stoker S. Avery, Royal Navy

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Gambia 1894 (S. Avery., Sto. H.M.S. Magpie); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (S. Avery, Ch. Sto. H.M.S. Magicienne); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Jubaland (Silas Avery, Ch. Sto. H.M.S. Magicienne); British War Medal 1914-20 (133118 S. J. Avery. Ch. Sto. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R.(133118 S. J. Avery, Ch. Sto., H.M.S. Leander.) very fine and believed to be a unique combination of awards (5) £800-£1,200

Approximately 46 East and West Africa Medals with clasp Gambia 1894 awarded to H.M.S. Magpie.

Silas John Avery, a labourer from Plymouth, was born on 9 March 1866. Enlisting in the Royal Navy on 6 May 1885, he served in H.M.S. Magpie during operations on and off the West Coast of Africa in February 1894, landing as part of the Naval Brigade in operations against the slave raider Chief Silah, when Magpie suffered the loss of one officer and four men killed, and seven wounded, a 25% casualty rate, the highest of any ship present. He later joined H.M.S. Magicienne, and was present in South African waters during the Boer War. In early 1901 he was one of the 225 members of the Naval Brigade that landed in East Africa, at Kismayu, in support of army operations against the Ogaden Somalis. He was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 20 February 1906, and he was shore pensioned 25 May 1907. Joining the Royal Fleet Reserve three days later, he was recalled for service during the Great War, serving at home before being demobilised on 22 June 1916.