For sale is a set of medals comprising Africa General Service Medal (E.VII.R.) with clasp SOMALILAND 1902- 04, impressed named J. JEFFERS CH. YEO. SIGS. H.M.S. HYACINTH.; 1914 – 15 Star.; British war and Victory Medals, all impressed named 1382376 R. JEFFERS. C.Y.S. R.N.; Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (G.V.R.) impressed named 138327 (DEV A.3218) R. JEFFERS. C.Y.S. R.F.R. Mounted on a display board, they come with copies of service record and medal roll.
Chief Yeoman of Signals Richard Jeffers was born on 26/7/1871 in Shandrum, Cork, Ireland, his father being a Coast Guard man stationed there.
He enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 16/8/1886. He had an unblemished career being promoted to Yeoman of Signals in 1896 and Chief Yeoman of Signals in 1902. He was serving on HMS Hyacinth (Highflyer class cruiser) from 21/7/1903 – 20/4/1906.
During the Somaliland Campaign in April 1904 supplying men for the landing party that stormed and captured the forts at Illig, whilst the ship's guns supporting the attack. Being the Chief Yeoman of Signals, he would have played a key part in sending and receiving fire control orders for the guns ashore of shipboard.
He continued to serve until being pensioned to shore on 7/8/199 and joining the Royal Fleet Reserve.
During the Great War he was mobilised on 2/8/1914 and posted to HMS Majestic (battleship) as the Chief Yeoman of Signals serving on her from 22/8/1914 until she was sunk at Gallipoli on 27/5/1915.
On the outbreak of the Great War, Majestic and the rest of the 7th Battle Squadron were assigned to the Channel Fleet. She covered the passage of the British Expeditionary Force to France in September 1914 and escorted the first Canadian troop convoy. At the end of October 1914.
In December 1914 she and H.M.S. Revenge bombarded the German coastal artillery positions from off of Nieuwpoort, Belgium, on 15/12/1914. In February 1915, Majestic was assigned to participate in the upcoming Dardanelles Campaign to open the Turkish Straits, and she departed early that month to join the Mediterranean Fleet. Upon arriving at Malta, she was fitted with what was termed "mine-catching" gear so that she could serve as a "mine-bumper".
She joined the Dardanelles force and on 26/2/1915, Majestic and battleships Albion and Triumph became the first Allied heavy ships to enter the Turkish Straits during the campaign, firing on the inner forts. In return Majestic took a hit below the waterline but was able to continue operations. She supported the early landings, shelling the forts on 1/3/1915 and again while patrolling on 3/3/1915.
On 9/3/1915, Majestic bombarded Ottoman Turkish positions again. She participated in the final
attempt to force the straits by the navy on 18/3/1915. She shelled Fort 9 and also some Turkish field guns hidden in woods. Majestic was hit four times, twice in her lower tops and twice on her forecastle, and returned to Tenedos with one dead and some wounded crew members. Jeffers would have been in position on the bridge under the lower tops.
Majestic shelled Turkish positions on 28 March and again on 14 April. On 18 April, she fired on the abandoned British submarine E15 aground near Fort Dardanos and in danger of being captured; two picket boats, one from Majestic and one from Triumph, destroyed E15 with torpedoes, although the boat from Majestic was itself sunk by Turkish shore batteries while retiring.
On 25 April 1915, Majestic covered the landings at Gallipoli with coastal bombardments and brought 99 wounded troops aboard, on recovering all her boats she anchored off Gallipoli for the night. Back in action again the next day and on the 27th exchanged fire with Turkish guns, with several Turkish shells achieving very near misses.
On 27th May while stationed off W Beach at Cape Helles, at about 0645 hours, the German submarine U-21 (Commander Otto Hersing) fired a single torpedo through the defensive screen of destroyers and anti-torpedo nets, hitting Majestic and causing a huge explosion. The ship began to list to port and in nine minutes had capsized in 54 feet of water, killing 49 men. Her masts hit the mud of the sea bottom, and her upturned hull remained visible for many months until it was finally submerged when her foremast collapsed during a storm.
Surviving this, he was posted to the accounts base H.M.S. Vivid 1 (Able Seaman, Signalman & Telegraphists) and Vivid II ('Accounting Section' Devonport). Large ships had their own accounting section whilst smaller ones were administered by the various HMS Vivid’ s. Bearing this in mind, he may have been serving on any one of the small ships in the R.N.
HMS Hecla (Depot ship for the Second Destroyer Flotilla, Belfast) from 29/8/1917 – 28/2/1919.
HMS Prince George (Depot ship, Scapa Flow) from 1/3/1919 – 29/4/1919 discharging to shore and pension again. He retired to New Zealand at an unknown date and died on 6/7/1954 in Devonport, Waitakere, Auckland, New Zealand.
