Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

British War Medal 1914-20 (5) (J. 19714 E. Brown. Boy. 1. R.N.; J.88552. E. R. Lawton. Ord. R.N.; K. 21398. E. C. Marsh. L. Sto. R.N.; 2802T.S. J. W. Morrice Tr. R.N.R.; A.A. 233 C. Derry. A.B. R.N.V.R.) last in named card box of issue, generally very fine or better (5) £70-£90

Edward Brown, of Haselbury, near Crewkerne in Somerset, was just 17 when he was serving on board H.M.S. Bulwark in 1914. Bulwark was with the 5th Battle Squadron based at Portland, Dorset at the start of the Great War, and was assigned to the reformed Channel Fleet to defend the English Channel and oversee the British Expeditionary Force en route to France in August 1914. In November of that year the 5th Battle Squadron transferred to Sheerness because of fears that German invasion of Britain was imminent. At just before 8.00am on 26 November 1914 a huge explosion ripped through Bulwark whilst she was moored near Kenthole Reach in the Medway Estuary, destroying the ship entirely with the loss of 741 men. A naval enquiry held two days later ruled out enemy action, either through torpedo or mine, as there was no evidence of an explosion against the outer hull. It was concluded that cordite charges, which were being re-stowed, were probably placed near boiler room bulkheads when the ship’s company was called for breakfast at 7.45am. These bulkheads then increased in temperature when the boilers were fired up, igniting the charges which, in turn, detonated nearby shells which then spread to the aft twelve-inch magazine which exploded ripping the ship apart. Brown was amongst those killed, and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

Edward Lawton was born on 11 April 1900 in Portsmouth. He enlisted in the Royal Navy in May 1918 serving in H.M.S. Victory I (Portsmouth Barracks) until 11 November 1918, and then in H.M.S. Agincourt until 1 March 1919.

Edward Marsh of Sturry in Kent was on board H.M.S. Africa when she was attached to the 9th Cruiser Squadron for service in the Atlantic Patrol for convoy escort duties, accompanying ships between Sierra Leone and Cape Town in South Africa. It was whilst based in Sierra Leone in September 1918 that an Influenza epidemic struck the ship. On 9 September 476 men were reported as sick and one crew member died of pneumonia. Over the next few days a further 13 had died and on September 14 alone ten men died. Burial parties were being regularly sent ashore with the dead being buried in Freetown (King Tom) Cemetery. Such was the extent of the sickness that the only option was to quarantine the ship. By the time the quarantine was lifted over 50 crewmen had lost their lives including Edward Marsh who died on 15 September 1918.