Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Stoker First Class T. W. Sweby, H.M.S. Castor, Royal Navy

1914-15 Star (288368, T. W. Sweby, Sto.1., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (288368 T. W. Sweby. Sto.1. R.N.) very fine (3) (3) £100-£140

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals for the Battle of Jutland.

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The light cruiser H.M.S. Castor was launched on 28 July 1915 and was part of the 11th Destroyer Flotilla at the Battle of Jutland, where she was damaged by German gunfire and suffered total casualties of 13 killed and 23 wounded.

Thomas William Sweby was born in Harpenden, Hertfordshire, on 10 November 1878 and joined the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class on 26 April 1898. Advanced Stoker 1st Class on 1 July 1906, he served during the Great War in H.M.S. Castor from 12 November 1915 to 7 September 1916. At Jutland the light cruiser Castor, of Commodore J. R. P. Hawksley, Commanding the Destroyer Flotillas of the Grand Fleet, came into action during the confused fighting during the evening of 31 May 1916. An extract from the ‘Narrative from H.M.S. Castor (Night Action) reads:
‘Soon after dark we saw three ships loom up to starboard, and as we challenged they switched on searchlights and opened fire. They fired only at us, being apparently unable to see our destroyers, which were painted black. We were hit direct four times; one shell hit the forecastle just under the bridge and, bursting inside, made a hole about 5 feet in diameter, and the splinters from it wounded a large number of men in the fore ammunition lobby; one shell went right through the fore mess deck and burst outside the disengaged side of the ship; one hit the motor barge, a brand new boat which had only done one trip with Captain (D.), bursting in her and setting her on fire; another shell hit the disengaged side of the fore-bridge and wiped out everybody in the way of signalmen, messengers, etc., who had gathered there, with the exception of one man. This man had a miraculous escape, the 4-inch shell bursting practically between his legs, but all the force of the explosion must have gone on in the direction in which the shell was travelling, for it blew a large hole in the deck of the bridge, and through which this man fell. He landed on another man who had been killed by that same shell, but he himself was practically unhurt. Besides these direct hits, the ship was covered with splinter dents from shells which burst on hitting the water short, and several men at the midship guns were laid out by them. We fired a torpedo at the leading Hun, and the two after 6-inch guns, which were not being directly fired at, were making good practice at the enemy. But the Germans soon altered course away, thereby avoiding the torpedo we had fired, and we did the same, missing collision with one of the second half-flotilla boats by inches only ... Two or three times during the night we saw heavy firing some 2 or 3 miles ahead, but we were not able to ascertain who it was. Suddenly a German destroyer appeared quite close, steaming slowly. We tried to ram and got within a few yards of her, but she was too quick and avoided us. However, we fired several shots into her at point-blank range, but it was impossible to tell if she sank. That was the last we saw of the enemy, and we then set about trying to regain touch with our own battle fleet, as it was still possible that the action might be renewed at daybreak, but it was 9 o’clock in the morning before we found them.’

Sweby was shore pensioned on 8 April 1920.

Withdrawn