Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Yeoman of Signals H. J. Hobbs, Royal Navy, a Naval Boer War veteran who saw much action in the Great War, including at the first battle of Heligoland Bight, the Battle of Dogger Bank and the Battle of Jutland, before surviving the sinking of H.M.S. Nottingham on 19 August 1916

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (H. J. Hobbs, Qd: Sig: H.M.S. Doris.); 1914-15 Star (185667 H. J. Hobbs, Y.S., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (185667 H. J. Hobbs. Y.S. R.N) good very fine (4) £240-£280

Horace John Hobbs was born in King’s Norton, Worcestershire, on 26 April 1880 and enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 28 September 1895, serving in H.M.S. Doris during the Boer War. Advanced Yeoman of Signals on 15 February 1914, his Great War service included service in H.M.S. Lion at the First Battle of Heligoland Bight; in H.M.S. Southampton at the Battle of Dogger Bank; and in H.M.S. Nottingham at the Battle of Jutland, shortly before she was sunk on 19 August 1916 after being hit by three torpedoes from U-52, with the loss of 38 lives. He saw later war service in H.M.S. Glorious and H.M.S. Galatea. He was shore pensioned on 17 August 1920, before joining the Royal Fleet Reserve.