Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 25112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 386

Three: Chief Gunner A. Harrold, Royal Navy, who served as Gunner of the Naval Monitor Terror during the Zeebrugge raid of April 1918

1914-15 Star (Gnr. A. Harrold, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Ch. Gnr. A. Harrold. R.N.), all mounted as worn, the star mounted separately, good very fine (3)

Aaron Harrold was born at Melksham, Wiltshire on 23 July 1872 and attested for the Royal Navy as Boy Class II on 29 October 1887. Reaching his majority on 23 July 1890 with the Shannon he served through the peacetime Navy, earning the rank of Petty Officer Class I in 1897.

Harrold was commissioned Gunner on 2 April 1901 and posted to Hannibal for service with the Channel Squadron. On the outbreak of the Great War, he was posted to TB20, which served in the North Sea Patrol Flotillas.

Transferred from there to the Monitor Marshal Ney off the Belgian Coast on 5 August 1915 he was with her as she provided fire support to Allied forces until she was scrapped in January 1916. Returning ashore the following month he was posted to the monitor Terror on 7 February, being advance Chief Gunner with her on 2 April 1916.

This vessel had largely the same role as Marshal Ney, bombarding German land positions from the sea with its oversized guns. She mainly targeted the ports of Zeebrugge and Ostend, the two main bases for German U-Boats in the area. It may be for this reason that she was targeted by German Coastal Patrol vessels in October 1917 and hit by three torpedoes which crippled her and required extensive repair work.

Returning to sea she took part in the Zeebrugge Raid on 23 April 1918 as part of the Long Range Bombardment Force. Harrold left the ship not long later on 2 May and was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant (retired) on 13 August 1919, he died on 7 April 1939; sold together with copied service papers.

Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£65

Starting price
£45