Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Ordinary Signalman F. Higgins, Royal Navy, who was killed in action when H.M.S. Monmouth sank with the loss of all hands at the Battle of Coronel on 1 November 1914

1914-15 Star (J.13370, F. Higgins, O. Sig., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J.13370, F. Higgins, O. Sig. R.N.) good very fine (3) £140-£180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The James Fox Collection of Naval Awards.

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Frederick Higgins, a native of Sheffield, served during the early stages of the Great War in the armoured cruiser H.M.S. Monmouth and was killed in action serving in her at the Battle of Coronel on 1 November 1914.

Early in August 1914 a force, consisting of the old armoured cruisers Good Hope and Monmouth, the light cruiser Glasgow and the armed merchant cruiser Otranto, all under the command of Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock, R.N., was sent to protect the southern trade routes and to intercept German cruisers operating on the high seas. In October 1914 the squadron was reinforced by the addition of the old battleship Canopus but reports of the ship’s lack of speed led the admiral to leave her behind as he searched for the German East Asiatic Squadron. The German squadron, commanded by Admiral Graf von Spee consisted of the armoured cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the light cruisers Leipzig, Nurnberg and Dresden. Both admirals became aware of the proximity of the other on 31 October. At 6.40 p.m. on 1 November the squadrons made contact off Coronel, Chile and at 7.04 p.m. the battle opened at a range of 11,500 yards. As the German ships had a greater number of heavier guns, Cradock’s tactics were to close the range to allow his ships’ more numerous smaller calibre guns to come into play; this however was partly negated by the rough seas and high speeds which prevented many of the British armoured cruisers’ casement guns being brought into action. The British armoured cruisers were repeatedly hit as the range was reduced. As the range reduced to 5,500 yards, the Good Hope was on fire in several places and in a bad way. Endeavouring to reduce the range even further, so as to be able to fire torpedoes in a last ditch attempt to do damage to his adversary, the ship was repeatedly hit by heavy calibre shells and at 7.53 Good Hope blew up, taking the Admiral and all hands with her. At about 9.30 the Monmouth too was hunted down and sunk with the loss of her entire complement of 678; the Glasgow and Otranto were able to make their escape under the cover of darkness.

Higgins is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.