Seven: Petty Officer J. A. Sinfield, Royal Navy

Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1936-1939 (J. 108927 L.S., R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.VI.R., 1st issue (J. 108927 P.O., H.M.S. Naiad), generally good very fine (7) £220-250

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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James Andrew Sinfield was mentioned in despatches for his services aboard the cruiser H.M.S. Naiad (Seedie’s and London Gazette 11 June 1942 refer). According to an accompanying letter from a fellow crew member, he was among those to join the Naiad on her commissioning in July 1940, and probably commanded her ‘B’ turret of two 5.25-inch guns, in addition to more general duties as a Captain of the Maintop in charge of the central section of the ship. And he was still serving in her when she was torpedoed and sunk by the U-565 in the Eastern Mediterranean on 11 March 1942, with the loss of two officers and 75 ratings. Sinfield was among the survivors, and, according to the same source, was a qualified diver who was afterwards employed in clearance duties in the harbour at Massawa, Ethiopia. From her commissioning to her demise, the Naiad was frequently in action, not least in the Mediterranean, where she was heavily engaged in the evacuation of Crete, and afterwards on Malta convoys.