Description

A  WW1 trio of medals to Chief Stoker Henry Edward Davies, who survived the sinking of H.M.S. Bedford in 1910, serving from 1917 aboard H.M.A.S. Australia, Brisbane, Sydney & Platypus

1914, 15 Star, impressed named 301708. H.E. DAVIES. S.P.O. R.N., British War and Victory Medals (1914 1918), impressed named 301708 H.E. DAVIES. S.P.O. R.N., Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (G.V.), impressed named 301708. H.E. DAVIES. S.P.O. H.M.S. DOMINION. Court mounted for display, comes with copies R.N and R.A.N. service papers, medal roll and newspaper articles.

Chief Stoker Henry Edward Davies was born on the 12/3/1884 in Liverpool. A butcher’s lad by trade, he enlisted into the Royal Navy 31/10/1902 as a stoker. He served on a variety of H.M ship and shore stations including: Vivid II, Royal Oak, Benbow, Russell, Edgar, Warrior.

H.M.S. Bedford (Monmouth-class armoured cruisers) 2/2/1909 29/10/1910. On the 20/8/1910, she was one of four armoured cruisers of the China Station, which departed Wei-Hai-Wei, bound for Nagasaki, Japan. As the ships rounded the tip of the Shandong Peninsula and entered the Yellow Sea heading southeast, Bedford was leading the cruisers by at least 5 nautical miles and each ship was navigating independently. The weather was misty and rainy with Force 3 5 head winds; there was a full moon with a spring tide. Heavy cloud cover had prevented all four ships from using celestial navigation to fix their position with any certainty. Bedford ran aground on Samarang Reef, some 24.7 miles north and 8 miles west of her estimated position.

The impact sprung seams between plates on the starboard side of the bow, ripped a hole some 30 by 20 feet that flooded the forward boiler room, killing 18 of the 19 crewmen on duty there, and tore another 6 by 4 feet hole in the side of the boiler room. Davies was acting leading stoker at the time.

Bedford’s captain, Captain Edward Fitzherbert and the navigator, Lieutenant Dixie, were subsequently court-martialled. He further served on the Actaen & Tyne.

During WW1 he served aboard H.M.S. Dominion (King Edward VII-class battleship) 5/10/1912 – 17/11/17, part of the 3rd Battle Squadron. Loaned to the Royal Australian Navy, he served 18/11/1917-10/11/1920, including H.M.A.S. Australia 21/11/191- 19/4/1919, Brisbane, Sydney, Platypus.

Post war R.N service: Pembroke II, Hawkins (China station), Stork, Danae. Promoted Chief Stoker 22/4/1919. Discharged to shore pension 12/11/1924 and to the R.F.R