Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Leading Seaman H. Garrett, Royal Navy, who served in H.M.S. Fox in the Sierra Leone Expedition in 1898-99, in H.M.S. Beagle in the South African War and who was Mentioned in Despatches during the Great War
East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Sierra Leone 1898-99 (174856 H. Garrett, A.B. H.M.S. Fox.) naming officially impressed in a slightly later style; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (174856 H. Garrett, A.B. H.M.S. Beagle.) naming officially impressed in a slightly later style;; 1914-15 Star (174586, H. Garrett, A.B. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (174865 H. Garrett. L.S. R.N.) nearly extremely fine (5) £300-£400

M.I.D. London Gazette 8 March 1918: ‘for services in Destroyer and Torpedo Boat Flotillas during the period ending 31st December, 1917.’

Hugh Garrett was born in 1877 or 1878, at Colchester, Essex. He commenced naval service as Boy 2 Class, H.M.S. Impregnable, on 28 July 1893, and advanced to Boy 1 Class, on 27 September 1894. On 24 February 1896, he was advanced to Ordinary Seaman, H.M.S. Excellent. He advanced to Able Seaman, H.M.S. Fox on 4 July 1897. He joined H.M.S. Beagle as A.B. on 21 May 1901 and left her on 29 July 1904. He also served in H.M.S. Hecla from 29 January 1907 to 2 June 1909. It was not until 1 April 1918 that he advanced to Leading Seaman, having joined the Royal Fleet Reserve on 19 February 1918. He was serving in H.M.S. Falcon, on 1 April 1918, on convoy duty in the North Sea, when she was accidentally rammed and sunk by the armed trawler H.M.S. John Fitzgerald. His name appears in the London Gazette of 8 March 1918 (repeated in Admiralty Weekly Orders No 866 of 14 March) amongst those “Mentioned” for War Service. He continued to serve until demobilized on 20 April 1920. His Good Conduct Badges were deprived and restored at regular intervals and although he had achieved three by 22 August 1909, some were again deprived and were not fully restored until 8 January 1914. There is no record to show that he was considered for an L.S. & G.C. medal. In the Sierra Leone Expedition the men of H.M.S. Fox were “Employed in the expedition up Bumpé River in Countess of Derby on the 11-14 May 1898.” The Countess of Derby was a Colonial Steamer which probably acted as the transport for the Naval Brigade up the river. Garrett was amongst 77 men from H.M.S. Fox who took part in this expedition led by Lieutenant Fred. K. C. Gibbons.

Note: The medal rolls note that a duplicate East and West Africa Medal, and duplicate Q.S.A. were sent to Garrett at H.M.S. Victory in June 1918, most probably in replacement of the originals lost during the Great War in the sinking of H.M.S. Falcon.

Sold with copied record of service and other research.