Six: Warrant Telegraphist F. T. Swain, Royal Navy

China 1900, no clasp (2 Yeo. Sigls., H.M.S. Goliath), second initial given as ‘F.’; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-1914 (167387 Ch. P.O. Tel., H.M.S. Swiftsure); 1914-15 Star (167387 C.P.O. 2, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Wt. Tel., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (167387 C.P.O. (Tel.), H.M.S. Boadicea), one or two edge bruises, otherwise very fine and better (6) £250-300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals for Services at Sea from the Collection of the Late Oliver Stirling Lee.

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Francis Thomas Swain was born at Prestwich, Lancashire in September 1876 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in June 1892. He subsequently witnessed stints of active service aboard H.M.S. Goliath off China during the Boxer Rebellion in 1900, and aboard the Swiftsure in the Persian Gulf, his commission in the latter ship lasting from March 1913 until March 1916, with the exception of brief attachment to the crew of the Euryalus between February and July 1915. As a result, he also served in the Dardanelles campaign and was present at the landings and evacuation. Promoted to the rank of Warrant Telegraphist in March 1916 - one of the first men to be so honoured - he afterwards served in the cruiser Europa. Swain, who had been awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal back in January 1913, was demobilised in July 1919.