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Auction: 24111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 541

(x) Ten: Stoker Petty Officer W. Farmer, Royal Navy, later Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, who was aboard Manxman when she was torpedoed in the Mediterranean

1914-15 Star (LZ. 2213. W. Farmer, A.B., R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals (LZ. 2213 W. Farmer. A.B. R.N.V.R.); Naval General Service 1915-62, 3 clasps, Palestine 1936-1939, Palestine 1945-48, Malaya (K. 58391 W. Farmer. S.P.O. R.N.), the second and third clasps both tailor’s copies to which the recipient is not entitled; 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Italy Star; War Medal 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 3rd issue, coinage head (K. 58391 W. Farmer. Sto. P.O. H.M.S. Pembroke.), good very fine (10)

Walter Farmer was born at Maidstone, Kent, on 10 September 1896, and served during the Great War in both the Royal Naval Reserve and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Transferring to the Royal Navy on 8 September 1919 as a Stoker Second Class and was with H.M.S. Dunedin in October 1920 when she visited Danzig to protect a munitions shipment to the nascent country of Poland.

Advanced Stoker Petty Officer on 23 February 1934 with the Battleship Renown. Farmer served in Palestine at some stage during the Arab Revolt, during which time he was stationed with Valient, Lilac and Cardiff. He was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 25 June 1937.

Shore pensioned on 2 December 1937; Farmer was returned for service in the Second World War. Posted to the destroyer H.M.S. Bath on 12 September 1940 for minesweeping operations before being sent ashore as the vessel was transferred to the Royal Norwegian Navy in April 1941.

Joining Manxman in July 1941 he saw service with this ship in Operation Mincemeat before being posted to the East in 1942. Taking part in Operations around Madagascar Manxman returned to the Mediterranean in late 1942 and was torpedoed near Gibraltar by U-375. She didn’t sink but instead underwent emergency repairs at Oran and later Gibraltar, the need to repair and refit kept her out of the war until Spring 1945. Farmer was discharged on 16 September 1945.

Note: There is no evidence to suggest that the recipient was entitled to either of the post-War clasps to his Naval General Service Medal.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£270

Starting price
£170