Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Petty Officer C. C. Pycroft, Royal Navy, who was serving in H.M.S. King Alfred when she was torpedoed by the German submarine U-86 on 11 April 1918

1914-15 Star (J.535, C. C. Pycroft, L.S., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J.535 C. C. Pycroft. P.O. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (J.535 C. C. Pycroft. P.O. H.M.S. Dolphin.) light contact marks, nearly very fine and better (4) £120-£160

Cecil Charles Pycroft was born at Portsea, Hampshire, on 27 April 1892 and commenced his naval service as a Boy Second Class in H.M.S. Impregnable on 10 February 1908. He was advanced Petty Officer in H.M.S. King Alfred in March 1918, and he was paid a war gratuity in H.M.S. Columbine. He was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in June 1925, and died in service at the Royal Naval Hospital Haslar on 29 August 1925, aged 33. He is buried in Gosport Borough Cemetery, Hampshire.

Pycroft is listed in the National Roll of the Great War thus: ‘He was already in the Royal Navy at the outbreak of hostilities and served in H.M.S. Princess Royal, Mohawk, and King Alfred. He was sent to the North Sea, and took part in the Battle of Heligoland Bight, and then proceeded to the South Atlantic, and was engaged in the Battle of the Falkland Islands, afterwards returning to the North Sea he served in the Battle of the Dogger Bank, and was present at Scarborough, when the town was bombarded. From September 1916 till April 1917 he was with the Dover Patrol, and was present at the engagement between H.M.S. Swift and Broke and an enemy destroyer Flotilla. Later he was in H.M.S. King Alfred, when that vessel was torpedoed in April 1918, but fortunately was saved. In 1920 he was serving in H.M.S. Vivacious, and holds the 1914-15 Star, and the General Service [i.e. British War] and Victory Medals.’