Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Warrant Electrician E. G. Goad, Royal Navy, one of six officers killed in action in H.M.S. Lion at Jutland, on which occasion he was employed in ‘Q’ Turret Switchboard - Major Harvey, R.M.L.I., also of ‘Q’ Turret, was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for ordering the magazine to be flooded after a direct hit, thereby saving the ship

1914-15 Star (Wt. Elec. E. Goad, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Wt. Elec. E. G. Goad, R.N.), together with an original portrait photograph in uniform, good very fine (3) £450-550

Edwin George Goad was born in Plymouth, Devon in May 1881 and entered the Royal Navy as an Acting Electrician 4th Class in July 1902. Gaining rapid advancement in the intervening period, he was appointed an acting Warrant Electrician in November 1912, shortly before joining the Lion and, one year later, on receiving the following favourable report, was confirmed in his new rate:

‘Zealous and capable, takes charge well with considerable initiative. Appreciation expressed to him for zeal and ingenuity displayed during his service in evolving certain electrical devices, his talent and originality of thought has invented several devices of value for which he has received Admiralty Commendation.’

Having then seen action at Heligoland Bight in 1914 and Dogger Bank in 1915, Goad was killed at Jutland, when the Lion, Admiral Beatty’s flagship, suffered severe damage and casualties. Fleet Surgeon MacClean recorded in his Medical Officers’ Journal:

‘The list of killed includes 6 officers and 84 men. The majority were killed outright but some lived for a short time and received some first aid treatment. Most of those killed were in ‘Q’ Turret and magazine, etc., in the switchboard compartment under ‘Q’ Turret, and on the mess deck aft on the starboard side, where a shell burst among a group of men in the repair, fire and stretcher parties. Many of the killed were blown to pieces, some were killed by concussion and general burns (especially those in ‘Q’ Turret and switchboard room), and some had limbs blown off and other desperate wounds to which they soon succumbed. ‘Q’ Turret was struck by a shell which burnt and killed most of the men in the gunhouse but three escaped. Shortly afterwards an explosion and fire occurred in the turret killing the survivors and the men in the magazine, etc., and the switchboard room below. One man only remained alive (S.B.S. Tennant), this S.B.S. had entered the turret to render first aid after the shell had burst and was burned and severely shocked by the explosion. All the killed were buried at sea on the evening of June 1st.’

Officers killed in Lion during the action were Reverend Cecil W. Lydall (Chaplain, Royal Navy), Francis I. W. Harvey (Major, R.M.L.I.), George Bassett Moon (Temporary Surgeon), The Hon. Cecil R. Molyneux (Midshipman), Edwin G. Goad (Warrant Electrician) and John H. Goss (Gunner, Royal Marines); sold with copied rating’s and Warrant Officer’s service records and a report from the Medical Officers’ Journal by Fleet Surgeon Alexander MacClean.