WW1 & WW2 ROYAL NAVY BRESLAU CHASE & JUTLAND MEDAL GROUP PAYMASTER CAPTAIN TYERS

Offered is a group of medals to Paymaster Captain Seymour Francis Colin Tyers Tyers, who witnessed the chase for the German battlecruiser Goeben & Breslau, whilst also being present at the Battle of Jutland in 1916, both actions whilst aboard H.M.S. Gloucester, and had the distinction of serving in both World Wars during his near 40 year career with the Royal Navy.

1914 – 15 Star, impressed named ASST.PAYR, S.F.C.T. TYERS, R.N.; British War and Victory Medals, impressed named PAY. L.T. C.R. S.F.C.T. TYERS. R.N.; KG V Silver Jubilee 1935 Medal, unnamed as issued, swing mounted as worn. Comes with copy service records, medal rolls and copy portrait of the recipient wearing his medals (see top of listing).

Paymaster Captain Seymour Francis Colin Tyers Tyers was born on the 31/1/1887 at Ealing, London, he entered the Royal Navy as a Midshipman in January 1906. Advancing to Paymaster Sub-Lieutenant 1908, Paymaster Lieutenant 1910, Paymaster Lieutenant-Commander 1918, and retired as Paymaster Captain in 1937.

Tyers was a competent cheerful officer who was well respected as his service records reflect. Pre-war he served on the following H.M ships: Irresistible, Egmont, Duncan (Collided with the battleship HMS Albion at Lerwick, suffering hull damage including a hole in her side below the waterline, rudder damage, and the loss of her sternwalk), Illustrious, Superb, King Alfred (Collided with the collier Cheapside off Start Point, Devon, sinking Cheapside, although King Alfred received little damage. She also sank the steam ship "Umbre" while on convoy with HMS Drake out of the river Humber into the North Sea, the Umbre sank quickly and there were no casualties).

WW1: H.M.S. Gloucester (Town class light cruiser) 30/1/1913 – 23/2/1915. At the start of the war, she was deployed at the mouth of the Adriatic Sea as part of the Mediterranean Fleet, their task was to prevent the German battlecruiser Goeben and the light cruiser Breslau from linking up with the Austro-Hungarian Fleet. The Germans sortied from Messina on 6 August and headed east, towards Constantinople, trailed by Gloucester which was radioing the German movements. She attacked the German ship in an effort to force Goeben to turn around to support her consort as the British ship was more heavily armed than Breslau. Gloucester opened fire at a range of 11,500 yards with his forward six-inch gun at 13:35 on the 7th and then increased speed when the German ship replied with her 105-millimetre (4.1 in) guns. When Gloucesterhad closed the range to 10,000 yards, he turned to unmask her broadside. This caused Souchon to turn and open fire on the British cruiser and Gloucester disengaged, having accomplished her goal. Gloucester fired 18 six- and 14 four-inch shells during the brief engagement, but only hit Breslau once to little effect. She was not hit in return. Gloucester was forced to break off the pursuit. After the German ships safely reached Turkey, Gloucester was assigned to the squadron blockading the Dardanelles, the strait between the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea for the next several months. In November the ship was ordered into the Indian Ocean to search for German commerce raiders, although she was recalled shortly afterwards to rejoin the 2nd L.C.S. of the Grand Fleet in home waters.

H.M.S. Defence (Minotaur-class armoured cruiser) 30/3/1915 – 3/2/1916, 1st Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet as its flagship. She was sunk at Jutland 31/5/1916 loss of all hands.

H.M.S. Gloucester 29/3/1916 – 24/11/1917. Was part of the 3rd light Cruiser Squadron during the Battle of Jutland on 31 May–1 June 1916. The cruiser briefly engaged the disabled light cruiser SMS Wiesbaden. The cruiser fired a total of 37 shells and was not damaged during the battle.

Tyers served the remained of the Great War in a shore posting. Post war he served Canada 1921 -1924, shore postings and on the following H.M. ships: Hood, Conquest, Marshal Soult, Cleopatra. He was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal in 1935. He was placed on the retired list 31/1/37. He was recalled to serve again on shore during WW2 and retired 6/4/1946 and died 28/10/1963 at Aldershot, Hampshire.