Six: Chief Engine Room Artificer T. Dyer, Royal Navy, killed in action on H.M.S. Black Prince at the Battle of Jutland, 1 June 1916

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (E.R.A. 4 Cl., H.M.S. Terrible) large impressed naming; China 1900, no clasp (E.R.A. 3 Cl., H.M.S. Terrible), these both slightly later issues; 1914-15 Star (269017 C.E.R.A.1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (269017 C.E.R.A.1, R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (269017 Thomas Dyer, C.E.R.A. 1Cl., H.M.S. Topaze) very fine and better (6) £350-400

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

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Thomas Dyer was born in Alverstoke, Hampshire on 2 September 1874. A Fitter and Turner by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as an Acting Engine Room Artificer 4th Class on Victory II on 27 April 1897. He served on the 1st class cruiser Terrible, March 1898-October 1902, being confirmed in his rank in July 1898 and promoted to E.R.A. 3rd Class in April 1900. Awarded both the Q.S.A. and China 1900 Medals without clasp - the published roll states that duplicates of both were issued to the recipient. He was advanced to Acting Chief Engine Room Artificer 2nd Class when on Drake in October 1903 and confirmed in that rank in October 1904 when based at Firequeen; he attained the rank of C.E.R.A. 1st Class based at Victory II in 1909. In April 1914 Dyer was posted to the armoured cruiser Black Prince. He was killed in action serving on the ship at the battle of Jutland, 1 June 1916. During the late afternoon and night of 31 May the Black Prince had lost touch with the main fleet. At about 00.15 on 1 June she found herself 1,600 yards from ships of the German 1st Battle Squadron. Illuminated by searchlights, several German battleships then swept her with fire at point blank range. Unable to respond, she burst into flames and four minutes later after a terrific explosion she sank with all hands - 37 officers, 815 ratings and 5 civilians being killed. Dyer being one of the dead was the husband of Isabel Dyer of 244 Chichester Road, North End, Portsmouth. His name was commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Sold with copied service paper.