*SMS KONIGSBERG & NORTH RUSSIA* WW1 ROYAL NAVY MEDALS 347620 ERA1 R JAMES & WW2

Offered is a medal group of 4 to E.R.A.1 Reginald James, who served during the Great War in East Africa and was on one of the ships bottling up the Königsberg. He further served in North Russia April 1917 – Jan 1919, later being recalled from pension to serve during WW2

1914/15 Star, impressed named 347620 R.A. JAMES, E.A.2. R.N.; British War and Victory Medals (1914 – 18) impressed named 347620 R.A. JAMES E.A.2. R.N.; Royal navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (G.V.) impressed named 347620 R.A. JAMES. E.A.1. H.M.S. BLENHEIM. Court mounted for display and comes with copy’s of service records and medal roll.

Electrical Artificer 1^st Class Reginald Albert James was born on the 24/9/1885, at Portsea, Hampshire. A fitter and turner by trade, he enlisted into the Royal Navy on the 21/1/1907 as a Acting Electrical Artificer 4^th Class. He served on a variety of H.M. ship and shore bases including Vernon, Victory, Pembroke II, Tyne, Black Prince, Africa (pre dreadnought battleship) 1/3/1912 – 13/6/1912

Aircraft launching trials

In January 1912, Africa took part in aircraft experiments at Sheerness. She was fitted for flying off aircraft with a 100-foot downward-sloping runway which was installed on her foredeck. At the conclusion of the successful experiments, Africa transferred her flight equipment to her sister ship Hibernia in May. He further served on the Albion and Cressy.

His WW1 service included time aboard Astraea (Astraea-class second class cruiser) 22/4/1913 – 19/7/1916. She was serving off East Africa at Zanzibar when the war started, she was initially assigned to protect British Empire shipping travelling on the trade routes around the African coast. On 8 August 1914 Astraea bombarded Dar-es-Salaam (German East Africa) and destroyed a radio station. Fearing an imminent landing, the German authorities scuttled their floating dock to block the harbour. Astraea was later one of the ships assigned to hunt and blockade Königsberg in the Rufiji Delta. In May 1915 Astraea became the ship of the senior naval officer assigned to support the invasion of Kamerun (Cameroon).

His file has the notation 1916: 'Reports the good work carried out and ingenuity displayed by this man in connection with the salving operations on H.M.P.V. Lone, in the Cameroons'. Served aboard Pembroke II 20/7/1916 – 1/4/1917.

Russia service

Intrepid (Depot ship, North Russia. 1917 a depot ship in the White Sea as part of the British North Russia Squadron) 2/4/1917 – 7/1/1918. Note: the Intrepid was sunk as a blockship Zeebrugge Raid 23/4/1918. Pembroke II 8/1/1918 – 5/3/1918. Alexander ‘HMS Alexander’ was a former Imperial Russian icebreaker, previously named Saint Alexander Nevsky. She was seized after the October Revolution in 1917 and commissioned as HMS Alexander. She was returned to the White Russians in 1919, in which he served on her between 6/3/1918 – 24/1/1919.

Post war service included Pembroke II, Ganges, Blake, Blenheim, Vernon (torpedo school) and MB3. To shore pension 29/1/1929. Mobilised 28/9/1938 – 1/10/38. Recalled for WW2 18/9/1939 posted to Ganges 18/11/1939, however his WW2 records cease providing further details until he was invalided out from the R.N. Hospital Haslar 27/9/1944.

Promoted to E.A. 1 21/1/1919. Awarded L.S. & G.C. Medal January 1922.