Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Royal Fleet Reserve L.S., G.V.R., 1st issue (2) (K. 2464 Po. B. 11346 A. Kerwin, S.P.O., R.F.R.; K. 16935 (Ch. B. 18937) H. E. Toms, L. Sto., R.F.R.) the first with edge bruising, very fine, the last extremely fine (2) £30-50

Arthur Kirwin was born in Hull, Yorkshire in April 1889 and entered the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in April 1909. Advanced to Stoker 1st Class in April 1910, he was serving in the cruiser H.M.S. Black Prince on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914. Taking up a shore appointment at Victory I in January 1915, he returned to sea in the battleship Royal Sovereign between April 1916 and March 1918, and ended the War with an appointment in the Pekin as a Stoker Petty Officer. Kerwin was discharged ashore in March 1920, in which month he was enrolled in the R.F.R.

Henry Ernest Toms was born in Dover, Kent in January 1890 and entered the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in November 1912. Advanced to Stoker 1st Class one year later, he was serving in the destroyer depot ship Woolwich on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914 and, although unclear on his service record, would appear to have been attached to H.M.S. Ferret, which destroyer was present at Heligoland Bight in the same year. Toms remained similarly employed in destroyer depot ships, including the Tyne, until the end of hostilities. Discharged ashore in November 1924 as a Leading Stoker, he enrolled in the R.F.R. in the same month.