Five: Stoker 1st Class A. E. Wilkins, Royal Navy, who died in an accident when serving on H.M.S. Seagull, 30 September 1918

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith (287819 Sto., H.M.S. Terrible) engraved naming; China 1900, no clasp (Sto., H.M.S. Terrible); 1914-15 Star (287819 Sto. 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (287819 Sto. 1, R.N.) first two with some contact marks, very fine and better (5) £450-500

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

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Arthur Edward Wilkins was born in Emsworth, Hampshire on 25 August 1878. A Labourer by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class on Victory II in March 1898. His next posting was on the 1st class cruiser Terrible, December 1898-July 1902. On her, he saw service in the Boer War, being part of Lieutenant Drummond’s 6 inch gun crew and seeing action in the relief of Ladysmith. With the ship he then served in the Third China War. He was promoted to Stoker whilst on the Terrible in December 1898 and to Stoker 1st Class when based at Sapphire II in July 1906. In April 1914 he was transferred to the Coastguard and was based at Elby Bay, Ireland. However with the onset of war he was returned to seagoing duties and in August 1914 was posted as Stoker 1st Class to the minesweeper Seagull. He was accidently killed on 30 September 1918 when the Seagull was sunk in a collision with the steamship Corrib in the Clyde. Stoker Wilkins was the husband of Florence Wilkins of 22 Victoria Road, Emsworth, Hampshire; his name is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. Sold with copied service paper and other research.