Pair: Chief Stoker H. A. Sparks, Royal Navy

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (Ch. Sto., H.M.S. Sybille); Naval L.S.& G.C., V.R. (Ldg. Stoker, H.M.S. Collingwood), both with an officially corrected surname, good very fine (2) £150-180

H.M.S. Sybille was the only Royal Navy ship to be lost during the Boer War when she ran aground in bad weather off Lambert’s Bay on 16.1.1901. The Captain was ashore at the time and some reports stated that he and some other officers were attending a party! The crew abandoned the ship after she struck a reef during the night and were taken off in five boats, aided by the supply ship City of Cambridge. Resulting from the loss, four officers were found guilty at a Court Martial.

272 medals were awarded to the ship.