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Pair: Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (H. W. Curtis, A.B., H.M.S. Sybille); British War Medal 1914-20 (165479 H. W. Curtis, P.O., R.N.)

Henry William Curtis was born in Winchester in October 1875 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in January 1892. He subsequently served off South Africa aboard H.M.S. Sybille, which ship was wrecked in Lambert’s Bay on 16 January 1901, thereby becoming the Royal Navy’s only ship to be lost during the Boer War. There were 187 no-clasp QSAs issued. By the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was serving in the light cruiser Southampton and he was consequently present in the battle of Heligoland Bight on the 28th. He subsequently transferred to another light cruiser, the Birmingham, that December, and remained similarly employed - as a Petty Officer - until coming ashore to Vernon in November 1916. He was consequently present at Dogger Bank in January 1915 and at the battle of Jutland, at which the Birmingham sustained splinter damage. Curtis was demobbed ashore in February 1919. He is entitled to the 1914-15 Star and Victory Medal, but he was not entitled to a L.S. & G.C. Medal on account of offenses committed in 1901 and 1914. If anyone knows the location of his '15 Star & Victory, please contact me as I would like to reunite the group.

Good luck with the reunite.