Description

Offered is a British War and Victory Medal, impressed named J.9658 F.R. LAWES. L. SIG. R.N.; Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (G.V.), impressed named J.9658. F.R. LAWES. Y.S. H.M.S. IMPREGNABLE. Court mounted for display, comes with copy service papers, medal rolls and 1939 census.

Chief Yeoman of Signals Francis Reginald Lawes was born on 6/9/1893 at Stokenham, Devon. An errand boy by trade, he enlisted into the Royal Navy on 21/9/1910 as a Boy 2nd Class Service No J.9658.

He served for over 28 years on a variety of H.M. ship and shore bases including: Ganges, Vivid 1 (Seamanship, Signalling and Telegraphy School in Devonport), Talbot (Eclipse-class protected cruiser), King Alfred (Drake-class armoured cruiser)n Egmont (Fort St Angelo in Malta).

WW1 service: Endymion (flag ship in Cork Harbour in 1914) 17/2/1914 – 27/11/1914. Vivid 1 28/11/1914 – 5/12/1914. Unreadable name 6/12/1914 – 24/11/1915. Vivid 1 25/11/15 – 28/12/1915. Blake (destroyer depot ship for 11th Destroyer Flotilla, Grand Fleet) for the Musketeer 29/12/1915 – 28/1/1916.

Vivid, Egmont and Blenheim all served as depot ships to the Larne (Acorn class (later H-class) destroyer) 29/1/1916 – 31/12/1918, On 29/4/1916, while returning to Devonport from escorting ships, the ship shot at the submarine U-20 at long range, but no hits were reported. On 9/9/1916, the destroyer rescued the crew of the merchant ship Pronto, sunk by submarine the night before. During 1917, the destroyer was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet based at Brindisi. Larne was serving with the Aegean Squadron on 20/1/1918, as an escort protecting shipping against submarines. Northesk (M class destroyer) 1/1/1919 – 30/6/1919, to Sevastopol, arriving on 23/11/1918. The destroyer subsequently returned on 28/4/1919 and helped with the evacuation of the Crimea.

Post war he served on: Britania (RN College), Vivid, Wren (Destroyer), Volunteer (Destroyer), Hood, Valiant , Defiance, Queen Elizabeth (Battleship). Pensioned to shore 5/9/1933.  Recalled for the Munich crisis 28/9/1938 – 3/10/1938. Recalled for WW2 26/8/1939 and immediately discharged permanently unsuitable for naval service (P.U.N.S.) and released immediately.

The 1939 census records him employed as Office Staff Boom Defence Plymouth (and his wife as a licensee).

Promoted to Chief Yeoman of Signals 30/3/1927. Awarded LS and GC Medal 8/11/1926 and paid gratuity.

Also entitled to 1914 – 15 Star.