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Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (0) Natal (193987. Ord: A. B. Thomson. H.M.S. Forte.), unofficially engraved naming

"Unofficially engraved naming" - correct me if I'm wrong but isn't this plain old "renamed"?

Indeed!

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (0) (T. B. Ireland, Boy 1 Cl., H.M.S. Forte) large impressed naming;
[ 1914-15 Star Trio ]

Thomas Barry Ireland was born in St. Mary’s, Scilly Isles on 2 May 1885. He entered the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class on 11 October 1900 and was advanced to Boy First Class in June 1901. Serving in the 2nd class cruiser H.M.S. Forte, April 1902-February 1905, he was promoted to Ordinary Seaman in May 1903 and Able Seaman in April 1904. Whilst on the ship he qualified for the Queen’s medal without clasp for his service during the Boer War. Further advancement followed, becoming a Leading Seaman when based at Victory I in February 1909 and Petty Officer when in HMS Blake in May 1911. He was posted to the armoured cruiser H.M.S. Monmouth in August 1914 and on 9 September 1914 was ranked as Acting Boatswain.

Ireland was killed in action at the battle of Coronel, 1 November 1914, when the armoured cruisers H.M.S. Good Hope and H.M.S. Monmouth were sunk with all hands by the ships of Von Spee’s East Asiatic Squadron. His name is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.

Sold with copied service papers and with a copied extract from The Ilfracombe Chronicle, 21 November 1914 which reprinted his last letter to his mother,

‘My dear Mother, Just a line to let you know I am safe and well. We have been at sea ever since we left England, only just going to harbour to coal and out again. We are having a very rough time of it, and the food we are having is just enough to keep us alive. There are five men-of-war around here somewhere, and we’ve got to try and finish them off. I hope we meet them shortly, as it is sickening away at sea all the time. Have not time to say any more, hoping all at home is well. From your loving son, Tom’.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (1) Natal (148384 P-O: E. A. Clifford, H:M:S Forte) large impressed naming, number officially corrected;
NGS (1) Persian Gulf 1909-1914 (148384 E. A. Clifford. C.P.O. H.M.S. Highflyer.);
1914 Star (148384 E. A. Clifford, C.P.O. Howe Battn. R.N.D.);
British War and Victory Medals (S. Lt. E. A. Clifford. R.N.V.R.;
Delhi Durbar 1911, silver, unnamed as issued;
Royal Navy LS&GC EdVII (148384 E. A. Clifford, C.P.O. H.M.S. Juno.)

Together with an officially issued 1914-15 Star officially named as a Sub Lieutenant in the RNVR.

Ernest Alfred Clifford was born in Farnham, Buckinghamshire, on 17 October 1873. Prior to joining the Royal Navy aboard H.M.S. Boscawen as a Boy 2nd Class on 3 April 1889, he had worked as a gardener. Following advancement to Boy 1st Class on 8 March he joined H.M.S. Vernon in March 1891, Duke of Wellington in May 1891, and H.M.S. Active in June 1891. During service in the latter vessel he was advanced to Ordinary Seaman on 17 October 1891.

He next joined H.M.S. Victory 1 in October 1891 and then H.M.S. Amphion in January 1902 where on 11 August 1892, he was advanced to Able Seaman. In this rate he joined H.M.S. Pembroke 1 in March 1892 and H.M.S. Wildfire in April 1895, where he was advanced to Leading Seaman on 24 April 1895, and somewhat unusually straight to Petty Officer 1st Class on 18 November 1896, having achieved this status after only five years adult service at the very young age of 23 years.

As a Petty Officer during the next three years he served aboard H.M. Ships Mersey, Jupiter, Pembroke and Forte. During service in the latter vessel he was landed as part of the ship’s Naval Brigade for service in the Boer War. He served with the Natal Field Force from October 1899 to May 1900 and was awarded the Queen’s South Africa Medal with clasp ‘Natal’. Whilst serving in Forte he was advanced to Acting Chief Petty Officer in February 1901 and confirmed in the rank on 6 February 1902, after only ten years adult service. In this senior rate he served aboard H.M. Ships Pembroke, Wildfire, Argonaut and Juno. Whilst serving in Juno he was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 24 October 1906.
During the following five years he served in H.M. Ships Wildfire, Pembroke, and Highflyer. During service in the latter vessel, Flag Ship of the East Indies Squadron (Rear Admiral Sir E. J. W. Slade, K.C.I.E., M.V.O.) he was loaned to a number of the smaller vessels conducting inshore patrols to stop the trafficking of arms and thus became entitled to the Naval General Service Medal (1915-62) with clasp ‘Persian Gulf 1909-1914’.
He was landed in December 1911 at Bombay, India, in connection with the visit of King George V, and the Delhi Durbar Coronation celebrations, and as the senior non-commissioned officer landed from H.M.S. Highflyer he became entitled to the 1911 Delhi Durbar Medal. A total of 173 Royal Navy officers and men were awarded the medal.

He next joined H.M.S. Pembroke in June 1913 and H.M.S. President in August 1913 from which ship he was seconded to the Sussex Division of the R.N.V.R. on 6 August 1914. Shortly after the declaration of war with Germany in August 1914, he was posted as one of the senior non-commissioned officers of the Royal Navy to the Howe Battalion of the newly formed Royal Naval Division. He took port in various operations in Belgium, including the Defence of Antwerp in October 1914 and thus became entitled to the 1914 Star.

On returning to England he remained with the Howe Battalion and saw service as part of the Royal Naval Division during the Gallipoli landings in April 1915. He was present during the heavy fighting on shore in April and May 1915, when the Howe Battalion suffered considerable officer casualties. On 11 May 1915 he was promoted to Temporary Sub Lieutenant R.N.V.R. for service with ‘A’ Company, Howe Battalion, R.N.D. The Third Battle of Krithia was launched on 4 June 1915, and was the last in a series of Allied attacks aimed at capturing the original objectives of 25 April. Sub Lieutenant Clifford was killed on the opening day of the battle. He was 41 years of age and is commemorated by name on the Cape Helles Memorial, which is situated on the extreme south western point of the Gallipoli Peninsula and contains the names of 1,373 officers and men of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines who fell during the fighting and have no known grave.

His group of medals contains both a 1914 Star and a 1914-15 Star, the first issued to him as a Royal Navy rating and the second issued to him as a RNVR officer. This is a rare oversight by the Admiralty Medal Office where the records of officers and men of the Royal Navy and its various reserves are each filed separately and his dual service was not connected.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (0) (T. Hanley, Ch. Sto. H.M.S. Forte.);
Royal Navy LS&GC VR narrow suspension (Thos Hanley, Ch. Sto., H M S Forte.)