WW1 & WW2 British Royal Navy submariner’s medal group to Chief Engine Room Artificer G.H.R. Hicks, who served aboard Submarine E19 from 1916 to 1918.1914-15 Star, impressed named 272087. G.H.R.HICKS. ACT.C.E.R.A.2.R.N; British War and Victory Medals, impressed named 272087 G.H.R.HICKS. C.E.R.A.1. R.N.; Long Service & Good Conduct Medal (G.V.), impressed named 272087. G.H.R.HICKS, CERAICE H.M.S. DOLPHINE.; 1939-45 Star & War Medal 1939-45 these last two un named as issued, with WW2 Kings (service) Badge in case of issue. Scarce.
George Henry Reeves Hicks was born on the 2/9/1884, in Pembroke, Wales. He enlisted into the Royal Navy 9/1/1906, with his stated occupation as a boiler maker. Served in the following H.M. ships: Blenheim (depot ship), Blake (depot ship), Hawke, Tamar (depot ship - Hong Kong), Minotaur (China Station), Crescent, Glory, Albion, Bonaventure 14/12/1912 - 3/5/1914 (depot ship for submarines), Dolphin 4/5/1914 2/6/1914 (depot ship for submarines), Maidstone 3/6/1914 - 6/9/1915 (depot ship for submarines), Dolphin 7/9/14 - 26/9/1915, Maidstone 27/9/15 -3/8/1916. Submarine E19 4/8/1916 – 14/1/1918 (Chief Engine Room Artificer), Dolphin 15/1/1918 - 19/3/1918, Fearless 20/3/1918 - 16/10/1918, Pandora (depot ship) & Vulcan (depot ship). During WW2 he was shore based & died 2/2/1946, being commemorated at the Southampton Crematorium.E19 was, in September 1915, the last of five British submarines to manage the passage through the Oresund into the Baltic Sea. She was then able to sink several German ships, most notably on 11 October 1915 when she sank four German freighters just south of Öland within a few hours and without any casualties. On 7 November 1915 she sank the German light cruiser SMS Undine. Scuttled 8 April 1918 at Helsinki to avoid capture. Rarely will you ever see medals to submariners come up for sale.
