Five: Shipwright 1st Class F. A. W. Bennett, Royal Navy, who died in the accidental sinking of H.M.S. Seagull, 30 September 1918

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (Car. Crew, H.M.S. Pearl) large impressed naming; 1914-15 Star (344302 Shpt.1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (344302 Shpt. 1, R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (344302 Shpt. 1Cl., H.M.S. Seagull) very fine and better (5) £260-300

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Boer War Medals to the Royal Navy.

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Frederick Albert William Bennett was born in Plymouth on 11 February 1878. A Carpenter by occupation, he entered the Royal Navy as Carpenters Crew based at Vivid II on 3 July 1901. Posted then to the cruiser Pearl, he served aboard her from December 1901 to November 1904, qualifying for the Q.S.A. Medal without clasp (189 awarded) and being advanced to Shipwright in April 1903. He was promoted to Leading Shipwright in October 1905 when on the Blake and Shipwright 1st Class in August 1914 when on the Warrior. Serving aboard the minesweeper Seagull from October 1915, he was accidently killed on 30 September 1918 when the Seagull was sunk in a collision with the steamship Corrib in the Clyde. His name is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial. Sold with copied service paper and copied newspaper extract with obituary.