Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Chief Yeoman of the Signals W. W. James, Royal Navy

China 1900, 1 clasp, Relief of Pekin (Qd. Sigln., H.M.S. Barfleur); 1914-15 Star (160578 Y.S., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (160578 C.Y.S., R.N.), mounted as worn, the first with contact marks, nearly very fine, the remainder rather better (4) £400-450

William Walter James was born in Wymeswold, Leicestershire in May 1875 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in May 1891. Advanced to Qualified Signalman in H.M.S. Barfleur in June 1898, he remained similarly employed in the Boxer Rebellion, when he was present in the relief of Pekin operations, and by the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was serving as a Yeoman of the Signals in the cruiser H.M.S. Warrior. Removing to another cruiser, the Adventure, in October 1915, he remained similarly employed until taking up appointment as a Chief Yeoman of the Signals at the Queenstown naval base Colleen in November 1917. James, who was not entitled to the L.S. & G.C. Medal on account of earlier offences, was demobilised in July 1919, and enrolled in the New Coast Guard Force in the following month.