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Auction: 25113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 362

Four: Stoker Petty Officer W. Chessell, Royal Navy, who saw heavy action with Llewellyn on the Dover Barrage

1914-15 Star (295042, W. Chessell. S.P.O. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (295042. W. Chessell. Act. Ch. Sto. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (295042 William Chessell Sto. Po. H.M.S. Agincourt), contact marks, very fine (4)

Three: Able Seaman A. Holloway, Royal Navy

1914-15 Star (J.26861. A. Holloway, Boy.1., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J26861 A. Holloway. A.B. R.N.), very fine (3)

William Chessell was born at Ryde, Isle of Wight on 24 November 1881 and was a butcher's slaughterer when he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd class on 27 March 1900. He served at a number of shore and sea-based appointments and at the onset of the Great War was serving on H.M.S. Agincourt with whom he served until 6 August 1915. Shore based until 14 November 1915 he was posted to the ill-fated H.M.S. Zulu until 28 November 1916 when he was shore based until 17 January 1917.

His next appointment was to H.M.S. Llewellyn on 18 January 1917. On 17 March 1917, Llewellyn formed part of a flotilla including H.M.S. Laertes, Laforey and Paragon patrolling the Dover Barrage. German torpedo boats attacked and sank Paragon. Llewellyn, seeing gun flashes, went to attend and switched on a searchlight to assist in picking up survivors. Attracted by the light, the torpedo boats S49 and G87 attacked and launched two torpedoes, one of which struck the destroyer in the bow. By steaming backwards, the ship was able to return to port without suffering casualties. Llewellyn was subsequently redeployed to the Methil Convoy Flotilla based on the Firth of Forth.
From 31 March 1917 until 17 April 1918, Chessell was shore based. Appointed Chief Stoker he was next posted to Torch serving aboard her until the end of the war. He was shore discharged on 26 March 1922.

Arthur Holloway was born at Hampstead, London on 18 August 1898. A labourer, he enlisted in the Royal Navy as a Boy first class on 6 September 1913 having provided a forged document to enlist under age. He was shore based on the outbreak of the Great War and posted to Highflyer on 30 September 1914 serving aboard her until 15 April 1917. A short shore-based appointment followed by service on Centaur, 18 August 1917 to 8 January 1918, Curacao, 9 January 1918 to 11 June 1919. He was invalided out of the service on 13 September 1919 with a hernia.

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Estimate

Starting price
£130