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Auction: 12002 - Orders, Decorations, Campaign Medals & Militaria
Lot: 108

Three: Stoker 1st Class G.J.A. Russell, Royal Navy, Killed When H.M.S. Gaillardia Was Blown Up by a Mine Off the Orkney Islands, 22.3.1918 1914-15 Star (SS.115054 G.J.A. Russell. Sto.1. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (SS.115054 G.J.A. Russell. Sto.1. R.N.), good very fine, with Great War Bronze Memorial Plaque, ´George James Arthur Russell´, and with campaign medal and plaque enclosure slips (3) Estimate £ 100-140 SS.115054 Stoker 1st Class George James Arthur Russell, served during the Great War in H.M.S. Gaillardia (Flower class Convoy Sloop); the latter, initially intended as a Q Ship, was launched in May 1917; she was involved with the laying of the first part of the Northern Barrage Minefield, stretching from the Orkney Islands to the Norwegian Coast; the laying of over 65,000 mines began on 3.3.1918 with a large force of patrol ships including destroyers, sloops and trawlers taking part; numerous problems were experienced with the new type of long antennae mines, culminating with the Gaillardia blowing up, 22.3.1918, whilst buoying one of the new minefields; Russell was killed in this explosion and is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial.

Sold for
£240