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Auction: 24112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 395

Three: Able Seaman W. J. Cragie, Royal Navy

Queen's South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (W. J. Cragie, Ord., H.M.S. Barracouta.); Africa General Service 1902-1962, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1908-10 (196554 W. J. Cragie, A.B. H.M.S. Hyacinth.); Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-1912 (196554. W. J. Cragie, A.B. H.M.S. Hyacinth.), slight edge bruise to second, overall good very fine (3)

William John Cragie was born at Rotherhithe on 19 July 1882 and had worked as a merchant seaman prior to enlisting in the Royal Navy on 10 November 1897 as Boy Class II. His first posting was Lion followed by time with Agincourt and Alecto before being posted to Barracuda. This protected cruiser saw service in South Africa during the Anglo-Boer war, earning Cragie a no-bar Q.S.A., one of 262 to the ship.

Cragie was advanced Ordinary Seaman with her on 19 July 1900 before being posed to Hardy in 1901 and Able Seaman with her on 20 September 1902. Cragie was still serving in that rank when he was posted to Hyacinth for duties in the Persian Gulf, hunting slavers and gun runners who were supplying the rebels in Somaliland. He was still with her on 24 December 1910 during the Hyacinth incident in Dubai. An attempt by the crew and marines of the cruiser to search the houses of certain traders suspected of weapons smuggling ended with them pinned down under fire from the townsfolk. Only a short bombardment by Hyacinth, combined with the calming influence of Sheikh Butti bin Suhail prevented an escalation of the conflict.

Cragie survived the incident and went on to join the Royal Fleet Reserve on 20 July 1912. He was remobilised for service on the outbreak of the Great War and posted to the destroyer Loyal with the Harwich Force on 2 December 1915. Transferring to the destroyer Tempest on 22 April 1917, he was still with her when she steamed out as part of Unit X during the First Ostend Raid.

She formed part of the Inshore Squadron during the momentous action and was the subject of withering fire from the German shore defences. The operation proved to be a failure and Cragie was to remain with Tempest as part of the Tenth Flotilla at Harwich. He was demobilised on 8 March 1919; sold together with copied service papers.


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Sold for
£320

Starting price
£170