Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Able Seaman J. W. Callaghan, Royal Navy
1914-15 Star (216615, J. W. Callaghan, A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (216615 J. W. Callaghan. A.B. R.N.) good very fine

Three: Joiner F. E. Coltherup, Royal Navy, who died at sea when H.M.S. Valerian was sunk in the ‘Havana-Bermuda Hurricane’ of October 1926, one of the worst peacetime disasters in the history of the Royal Navy
1914-15 Star (M.8132 F. E. Coltherup. Car. Cr. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (M.8132 F. E. Coltherup. Jr. R.N.) medals impressed in later style and therefore likely to be his duplicate set (see footnote), nearly extremely fine (6) £80-£100

James William Callaghan was born at Battersea, London, on 15 November 1884 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class in H.M.S. Impregnable, on 2 August 1901. He was advanced to Ordinary Seaman, H.M.S. Euryalus, on 2 May 1904, and Able Seaman on 1 April 1905. He served in H.M.S. Zealandia, from 14 May 1912 to 30 September 1917, being further advanced to Leading Seaman in July 1916. He subsequently served in H.M.S. Victory I and H.M.S. Excellent. He was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in April 1919, and was advanced to Petty Officer, H.M.S. Antrim, on 1 August 1920. He was discharged to pension in October 1922.

Frederick Ernest Coltherup was born at Portsmouth on 11 July 1894 and was by trade a carpenter. He joined the Royal Navy as a Carpenters Crewman, H.M.S. Victory, on 25 August 1914, and was advanced to Leading Carpenters Crewman, H.M.S. Canada, on 1 September 1917, and Joiner Third Class on 1 October 1918. He was further advanced to Joiner Second Class, H.M.S. Canterbury, on 1 September 1920, and Joiner First Class, H.M.S. Victory II, on 1 September 1923. He was serving in the Sloop H.M.S. Valerian, in October 1926, which sank in a hurricane off Bermuda, after helping in hurricane relief operations, with the loss of four officers and eighty four men, including the recipient, one of the worst peacetime disasters in the history of the Royal Navy. It is likely that his original medals were lost at sea at the same time, and a duplicate set was applied for and issued to the administrators of his estate.