Long Service Medals & Miscellaneous

Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Volunteer Force EVII

1498 SJT TPTR H S Purvis 3/Durham RGAV

Henry Scott Purvis was born in St Stephens, South Shields, Durham in 1876, the 1891 census records he is a 15 year old Apprentice Iron Moulder residing with his father Jonathan an Iron Moulder mother Sarah, two brothers and two sisters at 5 Layette Place, West, South Shields. Henry must have joined the 3rd Durham RGA Volunteers aged 13 years as his Medal was awarded in Army Order dated 1st January 1909 after 20 years service. The Shields Daily Gazette 12th April 1902 page 1 records Trumpeter H S Purvis 3/Durham RGAV appointed Honorary Sergeant. The 1911 census records Henry is an Iron Founder residing with his wife Mary Agnes at 22 Dacre Street, South Shields. Attesting for the newly formed Territorial Army 14th April 1908 (Number 765072) he joined the 4th Durham Battery Royal Field Artillery TF. Promoted Battery Sergeant Major 27th July 1909, posted to the 4th Battery Ammunition Column 12th June 1909 and promoted Sergeant Major 29th January 1915. Posted to 2/4th Battery Northumbrian Howitzer Brigade 24th September 1914, to HQ Staff 10th April 1915, he reverted to Battery Sergeant Major 2nd April 1915. Posted to the Artillery Training School 1st July 1916, he reverted to Sergeant 7th August 1916 and was discharged physically unfit for further service 18th July 1917, awarded a Silver War Badge but no Medals for the Great War as home service only. The 1921 census records he is a 45 year old out of work Iron Moulder previously employed by C W Taylor of South Shields residing with his wife Mary at 46 Dacre Street, South Shields, he died suddenly at his home 17 The Crescent, Cleadon Estate, South Shields in July 1931 age 57 years, an article titled ‘Death of ex Sergeant Major Henry Scott Purvis’ appears with a photo of him in The Shields Daily Gazette dated 23rd July 1931 page 5 (copy with Medal) the article erroneously records he served in France and Belgium in the Great War. This is his only Medal entitlement.

With a group photograph (here, copy supplied with the Medal) of the 3rd Durham Royal Garrison Artillery (Volunteers) shooting team in service dress with Martini-Henry Carbines. Winners of the Northern Counties Volunteer Artillery Sergeants Amalgamated Mess Challenge Cup Competition at South Shields in 1907. Sergeant Trumpeter Purvis front row second from the right.

NEF £150 Available

Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Navy Victoria Wide Suspender

Jn Castle Chf Yeon of Signls HMS Rl Adelaide 20 YRS

With copy service record TNA ADM139/266

John Castle was born in Ramsgate, Kent 12th November 1834 and entered the Royal Navy aboard HMS Waterloo as Boy 2nd Class 4th November 1851and remained aboard this ship until 1st March 1859. Rated Ordinary Seaman 2nd Class 2nd June 1853, Ordinary Seaman 1st July 1853 , Yeoman of Signals 4th March 1854, Ordinary Seaman 29th July 1855 and Yeoman of Signals 29th December 1855 (unusual jump from Ordinary Seaman to Yeoman of Signals which is Petty Officer rank). Joining HMS Princess Charlotte 1st March 1859, HMS Monarch 1st November 1859, HMS Formidable 3rd July 1860 as Signalman (Able rate), he remained aboard this ship until 1st January 1870. Advanced to Yeoman of Signals 10th October 1860 and to Chief Yeoman of Signals 1st August 1863, he joined HMS Agincourt 1st January 1869, Pembroke 12th June 1869, HMS Agincourt 15th August 1869, HMS Narcissus 3rd December 1870, HMS Royal Adelaide 1st October 1872 and discharged to pension 30th November 1873. John’s reduction in rank does not appear to be disciplinary and appear to be ‘as required’ positions on board his ship at the time. The 1881 census records he is a Naval Pensioner residing with his wife Sarah, three sons and one daughter at 54 Clarence Street, Stoke Damerel, Devonport, Plymouth. The 1901 census records he is a Pensioner residing with his wife at 28 Craven Avenue, Plymouth, he died there on 1st August 1905.

NEF £795 SOLD

Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Navy GV 1st type

345130 A W Allen ELEC ART 1 CL HMS Tiger

With details here extracted from his online service record.

Arthur William Allen was born in Ponder’s End, Middlesex 13th December 1878, a Telegraph Instrument Maker, he entered the Royal Navy at Defiance as Acting Electrician 4th Class 14th May 1902. Confirmed in that rating aboard HMS Vengeance 18th July 1903, he was subsequently advanced to Electrician 3rd Class aboard HMS Hogue 14th May 1905, Electrician 2nd Class aboard HMS Inflexible, Electrical Artificer 2nd Class 25th July 1913 and Electrical Artificer 1st Class 14th May 1914 aboard HMS Implacable. Joining Pembroke II 1st September 1914 and HMS Tiger 10th October 1914 he served aboard this ship which was part of Beatty’s 1st Battle Cruiser Squadron at the Battle of the Dogger Bank 23rd January 1915, her first major commitment, taking six hits, blowing off her Y rear turret, but only suffered 11 dead and 11 wounded. She also took part in the Second Battle of Dogger Bank 10th February 1916 and participated in the battle of Jutland 31st May 1916, firing no less than 303 rounds, but only scored 3 hits, for conceding 15 heavy impacts. Q turret was blown off, as a barbette, but the ammunition stores were spared a flash and she returning to Rosyth, listing to port with 24 dead and 46 wounded.. After the treaty of Washington was signed she started a second life as a gunnery training ship after two years of conversion (1924 to 1929), retired in 1931. Arthur joined Pembroke II 7th January 1921 and was discharged to pension 10th June 1922 on the reduction of the Royal Navy. Long Service and Good Conduct Medal awarded 28th May 1917.

VF & better £125 Available includes postage UK address

Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Navy GVI 1st type

KX.75367 F J Merrall SPO HMS Liverpool

With copy service records.

Frank John Merrall was born in Ramsgate, Kent 31st May 1907 a Porter, he entered the Royal Navy at Pembroke II as Stoker 2nd Class 18th December 1925. Rated Stoker 1st Class aboard HMS Benbow 1st December 1926, he continued to serve ashore and afloat being advanced to Acting Leading Stoker 26th October 1936 and to Acting Stoker Petty Officer 27th October 1936 at Pembroke II. Confirmed in the rate of Stoker Petty Officer aboard HMS Cairo 27th October 1937, he subsequently joined Pembroke II 26th November 1937, HMS Liverpool 2nd November 1938, HMS Resolution 20th July 1941, Pembroke II 13th October 1941, Calpe 29th November 1941, Pembroke 19th February 1942, HMS Fencer 10th August 1942, HMS Tracker 1st October 1942, Pembroke 10th November 1945. Advanced to Chief Stoker 1st May 1946 whilst serving at Eskimo (Q Pier), he was rated Chief Stoker Mechanic 2nd May 1947, he was released 5th March 1948. Long Service and Good Conduct Medal awarded 5th March 1941, he died in Scotland in 1975.

The Mediterranean Fleet including HMS Liverpool followed MA.3 with Operation MA.5 in early July 1940. During the course of the deployment, Admiral Cunningham received reports of a large formation of Italian warships and changed course towards Taranto to intercept.  On 9 July, the fleets encountered each other off Calabria, in the first major battle between the Allied and Italian navies in the Mediterranean theatre. Liverpool and fellow cruiser Neptune commenced firing at 15:22, eight minutes after Italian cruisers started their barrage at a range of 23,600 yards (13.4 mi). After a continuous exchange of fire, the battleship Warspite struck the Italian Battleship Giulio Cesare at 16:00, inducing the Italian Fleet to disengage from the battle. Italian aircraft attacked Liverpool with bombs on 12th July while she was returning to Alexandria, Egypt, causing fatalities and wounding three, including the cruiser’s commander.  Later in July, Liverpool escorted convoy AN.2 from Egypt on its way to Greek ports in the Aegean and the southward-convoy AS.2 from the Aegean. The latter convoy came under substantial attack by Italian aircraft on the 29th; Liverpool was the only vessel hit when an unexploded bomb penetrated two decks, killing a rating. The casualty was Stoker First Class Patrick Leslie Harney, aged 32, from Stalybridge, Cheshire.

GVF £85 SOLD

Long Service and Good Conduct Medal Royal Navy GVI 1st type

RMB.X.88 S McLearie MUS HMS Ceylon

Long Service and Good Conduct Medal awarded 12th April 1944 TNA ADM171/152 page 286 refers.

Samuel McLearie was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire 2nd July 1910 and died in Scarborough, 30th June 1988.

Unusual to see the ship on a Royal Marines Band Long Service and Good Conduct Medal.

The Fiji Class Light Cruiser HMS Ceylon was built by Stephens at Govan and launched on 30 July 1942, she was completed on 13 July 1943. After two months in the Home Fleet she was transferred to the 4th Cruiser Squadron, with the Eastern Fleet and took part in many carrier raids, bombardments and patrols against Japanese-held territory, including Operations Cockpit, Meridian and Diplomat. In November 1944 she joined the British Pacific Fleet and sailed from Trincomalee on 16th January, taking part in a raid on Pankalan Bradan en route. By May 1945, however, she was back in the Indian Ocean, shelling the Nicobar Islands, and remained in that theatre until the end of the war. In October 1945 she returned to England for refit and lay-up.

GVF £135 Available includes postage UK address