WW1 POW MERCHANT NAVY & RN LIEUTENANT GEORGE WIGGLESWORTH BRITISH WAR MEDAL

British War Medal 1914-20 (S. Lt. S. Wigglesworth. R.N.V.R.), contact marks, light wear.

Sydney Wigglesworth?was born at Bradford, Yorkshire on 10 August 1895, the son of Abraham and Elizabeth Wigglesworth. Having qualified as a Second Mate with the Board of Trade on 11 November 1915 he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on 10 July 1916 as Sub Lieutenant (Temporary). Based at H.M.S. Pekin, a shore base for Auxiliary Patrols at Grimsby he completed courses in mine sweeping in July 1916. At this time his brother Harry Wiggleworth died in action on 3 September 1916 in Flanders while serving with the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment. Wigglesworth completed another mine sweeping course on 2 October 1916 but was 'reported for using bad language to a signalman as being unsuitable as an Officer' on 5 February 1917. Soon afterwards he was discharged as 'unsuitable' on 21 February. Engaged to serve as a civilian aboard the S.S. Calliope as Second Mate he suffered yet more bad luck. While carrying coal from Cardiff to Malta the Calliope was torpedoed by U-65 under the command of Hermann von Fischel and sank with 6 of its 27 hands lost on 5 April 1917. Wigglesworth was one of the 21 survivors, being rescued and taken prisoner of war he was held at Karlsruhe; sold together with copied service papers, medal rolls and P.O.W. lists.