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Auction: 24112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 729

The important Royal Naval Reserve L.S. & G.C. Medal awarded to Master-at-Arms W. Williams who survived the sinking of the S.S. Lusitania when she was sunk by a German submarine in May 1915, he helped the ship's Captain, W. T. Turner, stay afloat after they had been in the water for several hours before being rescued, most likely saving his life

Royal Naval Reserve L.S. & G.C., E.V.II.R. (D.1133 W. Williams, Sean, R.N.R.), very fine

William Williams was born at Tremadoc, Wales on 20 May 1868 and joined the Royal Naval Reserve on 19 April 1894. His first appointment was with RMS Lusitania on 16 June 1909 as Master at Arms, an appointment he held until the Lusitania was sunk on 7 May 1915.

He engaged as Master at Arms, in the Deck Department on board the Lusitania at Liverpool on 12 April. He joined the vessel at Liverpool Pierhead on the morning of 17 April, before she left the river Mersey, for the last ever time, bound for New York. It was not the first time that he had sailed on the Lusitania. There were two master's at arms engaged for this voyage, the other one being 59 year old Peter Smith.
Having docked at New York on 24 April, the Lusitania began her return journey to Liverpool on 1 May 1915 and on the morning of 7 May 1915, when she was within sight of the coast of Ireland, Master at Arms Williams was put in charge of the unloading of the baggage hold and he was still at this station just after 2 p.m., when a single torpedo fired by the German submarine U-20 struck the liner.

Third class passenger survivor Michael Doyle, gave evidence at an inquest held at Kinsale, County Cork, on Monday, 10 May 1915 on five bodies landed there on the evening of 7 May and stated that he was talking to the Master at Arms, when the torpedo was seen approaching and that he, (although he did not name him) had exclaimed: 'Here comes the submarine - as sure as hell she'll get us'.

It is not clear, however whether he was referring to William Williams or Peter Smith.

After the ship had gone down, William Williams was in the sea for some time and eventually came across Captain Turner clinging to some wreckage. He was able to help the captain to stay afloat until they were both rescued by one of the ship's boats, after which they were picked up by a small steamer, the Bluebell and eventually landed at Queenstown.

On his eventual return to Liverpool, William Williams was officially discharged from the last voyage of the Lusitania and was paid the balance of wages; sold together with copied medal roll, service papers and a printout from the Lusitania Resource.

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Sold for
£520

Starting price
£170