Auction Catalogue

17 August 2021

Starting at 10:00 AM

.

Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

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Lot

№ 371

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17 August 2021

Hammer Price:
£400

Three: Able Seaman V. A. A. Johnson, Royal Navy, who was killed in action when H.M.S. Queen Mary was sunk during the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916

1914-15 Star (J.13324. V. A. A. Johnson. A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J.13324 V. A. A. Johnson. A.B. R.N.) nearly extremely fine (3) £180-£220

Victor Alexander Augustine Johnson was born in St. Helier, Jersey, on 7 June 1894 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class on 29 August 1911. Posted to H.M.S. Queen Mary on 4 September 1913, he served in her during the Great War, and was promoted Able Seaman on 10 September 1914. He was present at the Battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916, when, under the command of Captain C. I. Prowse, Queen Mary engaged the German ships SMS Seydlitz and SMS Derfflinger during the opening phase of the Battle. One of Derfflinger’s shells scored a direct hit on Queen Mary’s ‘Q’ turret detonating the magazines and breaking the ship in two. She was sunk with the loss of 1,266 crew and only 18 survivors.

Johnson was amongst those killed, and is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.