Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Able Seaman W. J. Sims, Royal Australian Navy, late Royal Navy

1914-15 Star (J. 27643 W. J. Sims, Boy 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J. 27643 W. J. Sims, A.B., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue (10804 W. J. Sims, A.B., R.N.), mounted as worn, polished overall, thus good fine or better (4) £120-150

William John Sims was born in Whitstable, Kent, in June 1898 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in September 1913. First going to sea in the armed merchant cruiser Edinburgh Castle in September-December 1914, he removed to the cruiser Berwick in the latter month, and remained similarly employed until coming ashore to Pembroke I in November 1915. Then from February 1916 until August 1917, in which period he was advanced to Able Seaman, Sims served in the sloop Gentian, following which he joined the battleship Emperor of India, his final wartime appointment. In May 1924, Sims was loaned to the Royal Australian Navy, his service record noting ‘approved retention in R.A.N. until 29 June 1928 and discharge to shore Australia’, while later still, according to the same source, he re-entered the service on 4 September 1939 as No. C/JX. 164421’; sold with copied service record.