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HMS Rattler served between September 1901 and June 1902. Commanded by Lieutenant C Tibbits.


Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (0) (J. Chesney, Car. Cr., HMS Rattler.) large impressed naming

Approximately 76 (0) Queen’s South Africa Medals awarded to HMS Rattler.

John Chesney was born in Kirkcudbright, Scotland, on 21 June 1879 and joined the Royal Navy on 13 October 1900. He joined HMS Rattler on 14 February 1901, and served in her during the Boer War. Advanced Leading Carpenter’s Crew on 14 June 1903, he was shore discharged, time expired, on 21 December 1912.

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (0) (Surgn. P. H. Bannister, R.N., HMS Rattler.);
NGS 1915 (1) Persian Gulf 1909-1914 (St. Surg. P. H. Bannister, M.B., R.N., HMS Fox.);
1914-15 Star (Ft. Surg. P. H. Bannister. R.N.);
BWM and VM (Surg. Commr. P. H. Bannister. R.N.)

Percy Hooper Bannister was born on 31 August 1873 in Havant, Hampshire. He joined the Royal Navy as a Surgeon on 8 September 1898, being appointed to HMS Victory for Haslar Hospital. He was appointed to Benbow on 9 February 1900, and to Rattler on 14 February 1901, serving in this gun boat on the Cape of Good Hope and West Africa station.

From November 1903 he served in H.M. Ships Northampton and Hawke, both employed as sea going training ships for boys. He was promoted to Staff Surgeon in November 1906 and appointed to Vernon, torpedo school at Portsmouth. In October 1908 he was appointed to HMS Skirmisher attached to the Channel Fleet, and in November 1912 to HMS Fox on the East Indies station.

He was promoted to Fleet Surgeon in November 1914 and was still serving in Fox in 1915. In September 1916 he was appointed to HMS Briton, Drill Ship for Newfoundland Royal Naval Reserve where he remained until he was placed on the retired list at his own request on 14 December 1919.

He died at Altrincham, Cheshire on 21 December 1942.

Here is a photograph of HMS Rattler