Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine ‘Queen Victoria’s funeral’ R.V.M. group of five awarded to Chief Petty Officer J. T. Old, Royal Navy

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Witu 1890 (J. T. Old. A.B. H.M.S. Conquest); Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902 (J. T. Old, P.O. 1 Cl., H.M.S. Forte.); British War Medal 1914-20 (142663 J. T. Old. C.P.O. R.N.); Royal Victorian Medal, V.R., silver, unnamed as issued; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (J. T. Old, P.O. 1 Cl., H.M.S. Hermione) generally better than very fine (5) £420-£460

R.V.M. awarded February 1901 for services at Queen Victoria’s funeral

John Thomas Old was born in Queenstown, Cork, on 25 February 1872 and entered Naval service as a Boy 2nd Class in H.M.S. St Vincent on 30 September 1887. He served with that ship until 15 February 1889, when he was drafted to Conquest, in whom he served until 11 May 1892, seeing advancement to Able Seaman in 1890. After promotion to Petty Officer 1st Class, while serving in Camperdown on 1 April 1898, he was drafted to H.M.S. Forte, with whom he remained until 10 May, but rejoined from 4 April 1902 to 16 February 1905. Between drafts, he served at ‘stone frigate’ H.M.S. Excellent, where he was part of the guard of honour drawn from the Senior Service for Queen Victoria’s Funeral. Following an incident with the horses, the Naval ratings had the honour of pulling the Queen’s body on a gun carriage to Windsor Castle. After being awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 6 March 1905, while serving in H.M.S. Hermes, he was pensioned to shore on 26 January 1912, after which he joined the Bristol Division Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, seeing service during the Great War.