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Auction: 25111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 448

(x) Four: Petty Officer 1st Class J. Doughty, Royal Navy, who served with Ark Royal during the Somaliland Campaign in support of 'Z Force' and later in the evacuation of White Russian forces from the Black Sea

1914-15 Star (J 5178 J Doughty. A.B. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (5178. J. Doughty. P.O. 1. R.N); Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1920 (J.5178. J. Doughty. P.O.1 Cl. H.M.S. Ark Royal), contact marks, good very fine (4)

John Doughty, born on 13 August 1893 at Potton, Bedfordshire, was a machine driller when he enlisted in the Royal Navy on 25 August 1909 as a Boy 2nd Class. Prior to the Great War he served at a variety of shore bases and vessels. At the beginning of the war, he was shore based at Dido from 3 September 1915 until 3 March 1916, and with Gibraltar from 4 April 1916 until 14 November 1917. Posted to Sandhurst on 15 November 1917, the dummy battleship Indomitable until 21 December 1917, before getting an active posting to Ark Royal on 5 November 1918 with whom he served until 22 November 1920.

Ark Royal was withdrawn from the Black Sea in late 1919 and disembarked her seaplanes at Malta to load a dozen Airco DH.9 bombers and 181 personnel of the supporting Z Force for transport to British Somaliland. The ship arrived in Berbera on 30 December and the squadron was unloaded to support the air and land campaign against Diiriye Guure.

Ark Royal served during this campaign solely as a depot and repair ship for the RAF. She was withdrawn before its conclusion and transferred to the Black Sea to support the White Russian forces there as they began to collapse. The ship twice ferried refugees from the Caucasian coast to the Crimea and, after the second voyage, had to be fumigated at Constantinople after an outbreak of typhus among her passengers. During the summer of 1920, Ark Royal ferried RAF aircraft and personnel to Basra. She then returned to Britain for a refit and was put into reserve at Rosyth in November.

Doughty was shore pensioned on 29 June 1922, subsequently joining the R.F.R. on 16 October 1922; sold together with copied service papers.

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

Sold for
£230

Starting price
£100