Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Victory Medal awarded to Able Seaman J. D. Harness, Royal Navy, who was killed in action when the destroyer Vittoria was sunk by the Bolshevik submarine Pantera in the Baltic on 31 August 1919

Victory Medal 1914-19 (J.31257 J. D. Harness. A.B. R.N.) in its damaged named card box of issue for British War and Victory Medals, extremely fine £50-£70

John David Harness was born at Alford, Lincolnshire, and joined the Royal Navy on 1 May 1914. He served aboard H.M.S. Lord Nelson from January 1915 to September 1917, including the Dardanelles. He was transferred to the destroyer Vittoria in February 1918 and was killed in action in the Baltic on 31 August 1919.

The Vittoria, Lieutenant-Commander Vernon Hammersley-Heenan, formed part of the force deployed to the Baltic to assist anti-Bolshevik forces. Patrolling in company with the flotilla leader Abdiel, it was thought safe, in the absence of hostile naval activity, for the pair to anchor about two-and-a-half miles off Seskar Island lighthouse, in the approaches to St Petersburg. At 6.20 p.m. a periscope was sighted on the starboard bow and simultaneously the tracks of two torpedoes were seen. One passed about thirty yards ahead of the Vittoria, but the second struck her on the starboard side in the vicinity of the after bulkhead of the engine room. The force of the explosion carried away the bulkhead causing the engine room to rapidly flood. The ship took a heavy list to port and in five minutes she rolled over, breaking in two as she did, the bow and stern sections rising vertically before they sank. Eight ratings died in the loss. Her attacker had been the Bolshevik submarine Pantera. Able Seaman Harness is commemorated by name on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Sold with copied record of service and other research.