Four: Chief Petty Officer J. Drewett, Royal Navy

Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (J. Drewett. C.P.O. H.M.S. Cossack); 1914-15 Star (115654 J. Drewett. R.N.) rate obliterated; British War and Victory Medals (115654 J. Drewett. C.P.O. R.N.); together with the recipient’s Silver War Badge (R.N. 4368) and riband bar, all contained in an old oak box with brass label inscribed ‘J. E. Drewett’, good very fine and better (4) £140-£180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of Peter and Dee Helmore.

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Dix Noonan Webb, February 1999.

James Henry Drewett was born in Carlidnack, Mawnan, Cornwall on 30 January 1866 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class on 17 February 1881. Serving in numerous ships around the coast of Africa and in the Mediterranean, he was promoted to Chief Petty Officer on 5 November 1898. He embarked in H.M.S. Cossack, an Archer Class Torpedo Cruiser, on 29 March 1900 and was engaged in operations off the Somaliland Coast between January 1902 and June 1903, receiving the medal and clasp. Shore pensioned on 19 June 1906 he joined the Royal Fleet Reserve at Devonport on 14 October 1906. Mobilised from reserve at Devonport as Chief Petty Officer he embarked in H.M.S. Challenger, part of the 9th Cruiser Squadron off West Africa, on 2 August 1914; he next embarked in H.M.S. Hyacinth whilst deployed to German East Africa to blockade the German light cruiser S.M.S. Königsberg during 1915. He was discharged Invalided ‘found to be unserviceable’ on 8 December 1915; a subsequent application for the Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 7 June 1916 was declined as deemed to be ‘Ineligible’ (ref ADM 171/73); he was, however, awarded a Silver War Badge no. RN 4368. In retirement he was a Licensed Victualler in Mutley, Plymouth before moving to his daughter’s home in Chandler’s Ford where he died on 26 April 1948, aged 82.

Sold with copied service records and other research.