Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Chief Stoker J. E. Davis, Royal Navy, who as a crewman in H.M.S. Camperdown witnessed the tragic collision with and sinking of H.M.S. Victoria in 1893, and later served in H.M.S. Southampton at the Battle of Jutland

19 1914-15 Star (151466, J. E. Davis Ch. Sto., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (151466 J. E. Davis. Ch. Sto. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (J. E. Davis. Ch. Sto., H.M.S. Firequeen.) good very fine (4) £120-£160

John Edward Davis was born on 9 February 1869, at Gosport, Hampshire, and commenced naval service as Stoker Second Class in H.M.S. Asia on 15 October 1889. He joined H.M.S. Camperdown on 22 May 1890, being appointed Stoker, on 1 October 1890. After a short spell in H.M.S. Pembroke II, in 1892 he returned to H.M.S. Camperdown and was present on board when H.M.S. Camperdown collided with and sank H.M.S. Victoria on 22 July 1893, near Tripoli, Lebanon, killing 358 crew members, including the commander of the British Mediterranean Fleet, Vice-Admiral Sir George Tryon. He subsequently served in many ships during the late 1890’s and was finally rated Chief Stoker in 1901. He was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in 1904, when serving in the yacht H.M.S. Firequeen.

Davis transferred to the Royal Fleet Reserve in 1911, and was recalled for service in the Great War. Nearly all of his Great War service was in H.M.S. Southampton, seeing action at Heligoland Bight, the Battle of Dogger Bank, and at the Battle of Jutland. At Jutland, H.M.S. Southampton was heavily engaged with 75% of her upper deck crew becoming casualties. Despite heavy damage H.M.S. Southampton managed to let loose a torpedo and sank the German light cruiser, Frauenlob. Davis was demobilized in March 1919.