Special Collections

Sold between 19 May & 14 April 2021

2 parts

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A Collection of Medals for the Battle of Jutland

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Lot

№ 249

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14 April 2021

Hammer Price:
£200

Three: Able Seaman D. Driscoll, H.M.S. Barham, Royal Navy

1914-15 Star (197713. D. Driscoll. A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (197713 D. Driscoll. A.B. R.N.) nearly very fine (3) £100-£140

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals for the Battle of Jutland.

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The dreadnought battleship H.M.S. Barham was launched on 31 December 1914 and was flagship of the 5th Battle Squadron at the Battle of Jutland, where she fired a total of 337 twelve-inch shells and 25 six-inch shells during the battle. She was hit six times during the battle, suffering casualties of 26 killed and 46 wounded. It is believed that Barham and H.M.S. Variant made 24 hits between them, making them the two most accurate warships in the British fleet during the battle.

Denis Driscoll was born in Skibbereen, co. Cork, on 3 March 1882 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 28 January 1898. Advanced Able Seaman on 11 July 1901, he joined the Royal Fleet Reserve on 7 July 1912, but was recalled following the outbreak of the Great War and served in H.M.S. Barham from 19 August 1915 to 25 July 1916. At Jutland, Barham acted as flagship of the 5th Battle Squadron and was heavily engaged with Hipper’s battle cruisers, scoring hits on the Lutzow, Derfflinger and Seydlitz, but also getting badly mauled in the process, several hits causing her serious casualties, among them four officers and 22 ratings killed. Driscoll was finally shore pensioned on 12 June 1922.