Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 8023 - Orders, Decorations, Medals & Militaria
Lot: 162

A Group of Three to Signal Boatswain G.F. Gardner, Royal Navy, Lost At Sea When H.M.S. Hogue Was Sunk Off Holland by a German U Boat, 22.9.1914 1914-15 Star (Sig.Bosn. G.F. Gardner. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Sig.Bosn. G.F. Gardner. R.N.), good very fine or better, with transmission slip to ´Mrs I.M. Gardner, 23rd February 1922´ (3) Estimate £ 70-90 Signal Boatswain George Frederick Gardner, born Lewisham, Kent, November 1881; joined the Royal Navy as Boy 2nd Class, 1897; served during the Great War on H.M.S. Hogue from 2.8.1914. Throughout the early months of the Great War the Royal Navy maintained patrols in the North Sea with a convoy of Cressy class armoured cruisers, later nicknamed the "live bait squadron". In light of the lack of modern light cruisers available, the Admiralty agreed the treacherous weather conditions of the North Sea would be too perilous for Destroyers, and therefore older ships, namely the Cressy class could undertake such operations. In the early hours of 22nd September 1914 the convoy comprising of three ships H.M.S. Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy were sighted about 30 miles west by south from Ymuiden, Holland by an enemy U9 Submarine under the command of Captain Lieutenant Otto Weddigen. At about 6.25am the first torpedo struck H.M.S. Aboukir which sank in just under half an hour. H.M.S. Hogue received two direct hits, and sank in only ten minutes. H.M.S. Cressey also took a hit but was not sunk. 837 survivors were picked up by several merchant ships, but some 60 Officers and 1400 men were lost including Gardner. In the aftermath of the attack, the natural scapegoats were the senior Officers of the convoy, heavily criticised for failing to manoeuvre their ships in a zigzag fashion. The German U-Boat commander received Pour le Merite Order (The Times Diary & Index of the War 1914-18 refer); Gardner is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial.

Sold for
£190