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Auction: 25113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 470

The Great War and Second World War campaign and long service group of seven awarded to Chief Mechanician E. Lawes, Royal Navy, who was present at the battle of Jutland in the destroyer H.M.S. Moresby

Having earlier closed enemy capital ships to deliver two valiant torpedo attacks under heavy fire, Moresby finally gained a hit on the enemy destroyer V4, blowing her opponent's bow clean off

British War and Victory Medals (K. 28093 E. Lawes, Sto. 1, R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; War Medal 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. 2nd issue (K. 28093 E. Lawes, Mech., H.M.S. Nelson), the Great War and long service awards heavily polished, fair, the remainder extremely fine (7)

Ernest Lawes was born at Bishop's Waltham, Hampshire on 1 September 1895 and entered the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in September 1915. His first - and only - seagoing appointment in the Great War was the destroyer H.M.S. Moresby, in which he served from April 1916 to until September 1919.

He thus shared in Moresby's honours at Jutland, where, as cited, she carried out a number of valiant torpedo attacks. In the first of them, delivered against the Markgraf at 7,000 yards range, she was repeatedly straddled by heavy calibre shellfire. Having then had the misfortune to be straddled by friendly fire, Moresby delivered another torpedo attack against four enemy battleships she sighted in the early morning hours. It turned out to be the final exchange of fire of the battle and, moreover, her torpedo struck the V4, blowing the enemy destroyer's bow clean off.

Between the wars, Lawes gained advancement to Stoker Petty Officer in November 1922, changed his trade to that of Mechanician and was awarded the L.S. & G.C. Medal in November 1930.

Pensioned ashore in September 1937, he was recalled as a Chief Mechanic on the renewal of hostilities and joined the aircraft carrier Formidable in October 1940. His service record reveals that he was still borne on the carrier's books in March 1941, so he surely shared in her honours at the battle of Cape Matapan at the end of the same month. Moreover, he was likely present when she was badly damaged by enemy aircraft off Crete in May 1941, with casualties of 12 killed and 10 wounded. No further details of his wartime career are known and he was released 'Class A' in August 1945; sold with copied research.

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Estimate

Starting price
£100