Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (35590 S. Chinniah, O.S. 2, H.M.S. Southampton) nearly very fine £20-30

Suppuramanian Chinniah was born in Trincomalee, Ceylon in June 1869 and entered the Royal Navy as a Domestic 1st Class aboard H.M.S. Bonaventure in April 1897. Transferring to the Eclipse in the following month, having been disrated to Domestic 2nd Class, he next removed to the cruiser Highflyer in August 1900, and remained in her until September 1903, thereby winning entitlement to the Africa General Service Medal with ‘Somaliland 1902-04’ clasp. Chinniah next joined the cruiser Hyacinth, was advanced to the rate of Officer’s Steward 1st Class, and went on to gain the ‘Somaliland 1908-10’ clasp, thus becoming one of around 100 Naval personnel to qualify for a two-clasp Medal. By the eve of hostilities, he was serving back in the rate of Officer’s Steward 2nd Class aboard the Swiftsure but was ordered ashore at Colombo, where he remained for the duration of the War. Chinniah enjoyed several more seagoing appointments in the early 1920s and was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in April 1923.