Orders, Decorations and Medals

Pair: Ship’s Steward W. G. McLean, Royal Navy, killed in action at the battle of Jutland

China 1900, 1 clasp, Relief of Pekin (Sh. Std., H.M.S. Centurion); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (350336 Sh. Stewd., H.M.S. Vivid) slight contact marks, very fine (2) £360-400

Walter George McLean was born in St. Andrew’s, Devon on 29 June 1880. He entered the Royal Navy from school as a Ship’s Steward Boy on 2 July 1895. He served on the Centurion from 22 April 1898 until 19 September 1901, during which time he was advanced to Ship’s Steward Assistant on 1 July 1898 and then specially promoted to Acting Ship’s Steward for his services in N. China on 29 June 1901; he was thereafter confirmed in that rank. With the outbreak of war in 1914 he was serving as Ship’s Steward on the armoured cruiser Defence. Still on the Defence, he was killed in action at Jutland on 31 May 1916 when the ship came under heavy fire from German battlecruisers, blew up and sank with the loss of all hands. The son of Walter and Ellen N. McLean of Duncannon House, Dartmouth and a native of Plymouth; his name is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial. Sold with copied service paper.