Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Seaman F. Russell, Collingwood Battalion, Royal Naval Division, Royal Naval Reserve, who was interned in Holland after the fall of Antwerp, October 1914

1914 Star (A.3637. F. Russell, Sea. R.N.R. Collingwood Bttn. R.N.D.); British War and Victory Medals (3637A F. Russell. Smn. R.N.R.) lightly polished, very fine (3) £200-£240

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of 1914 Stars to the Royal Naval Division.

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Frederick Russell was born in May 1892, and was the son of Mr and Mrs C. Russell of Toronto Cottage, Stewart Road, Bitterne Manor, Southampton. He joined the Royal Naval Reserve in July 1911, and transferred to the Collingwood Battalion, Royal Naval Division, 17 September 1914.

Russell embarked with the Battalion to defend Antwerp where, in early October, having belatedly received the order to withdraw, he was one of approximately 1,600 men of the Benbow, Collingwood and Hawke Battalions of the 1st Brigade who were forced to take refuge in neutral Holland in order to prevent unnecessary casualties or capture by the enemy. Russell was interned under International Law on 9 October 1914 and housed in barracks in Groningen where, other than periods of leave from Holland from July - August 1917 and from 11 November - 11 December 1918, he was so detained for the duration of the war. He was eventually repatriated, and then demobilised in January 1919.

Sold with copied research.