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Auction: 25111 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 496

Three: Ordinary Seaman R. P. Lempriere, Royal Navy, who was killed in action when H.M.S. Wren was sunk on 27 July 1940

British and Victory Medals (J.44845. R. P. Lempriere. Ord. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (J.44845 R. P. Lempriere. A.B. H.M.S. Resource.), heavy contact wear, nearly very fine (3)

Raymond Percival Lempriere was born at Pimlico on 2 November 1899 and enlisted with the Royal Navy as Boy Class II on 5 October 1915. Largely serving ashore for the early years of the war his first service afloat was with the monitor Marshall Ney from 16 June1916 before transferring to the Cruiser Centaur in August. Removing to her sister ship from the C-class, H.M.S. Curacoa Lempriere saw service with her in the Baltic during Operation Red Trek.

He saw many postings between the Great War and the Second World War including Leander, Vimy and Westminster. Pensioned in November 1939 he remained in service with H.M.S. Wren on the Western Approaches Command.

After the invasion of Norway Wren was ordered to support British convoys travelling to the new front and whilst there, she undertook fire support for the landings at Bjerkvik. She later returned to convoy duties and was serving with the 16th Destroyer Flotilla in July 1940. Alongside the Destroyer Montrose she was undertaking an anti-aircraft role for minesweepers off Sussex on 27 July.

There Wren came under attacked by a massed formation of 15 Junkers JU87, the speed and scale of the attack giving them no chance to escape. While she took no direct hits, they were damaged by several near misses which saw them hole below the waterline. The result was heavy flooding which collapsed the bulkheads and caused the destroyer to sink quickly with some 37 casualties.

One of those was Lempriere who is commemorated upon the Portsmouth Naval Memorial; sold together with copied service papers.

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Sold for
£95

Starting price
£80