Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Boy First Class R. F. J. Spalding, Royal Navy, who aged 16 was killed in action whilst serving in H.M.S. Royal Oak when she was sunk in Scapa Flow by the German submarine U-47, this being the largest loss of Boy Seamen in a single action in the history of the Royal Navy

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45, with named Admiralty enclosure, in card box of issue, addressed to ‘Mr. R. Spalding, 64 Dunbar Rd, Hilton, Southsea, Hants’, extremely fine (3) £100-£140

Robert Frederick James Spalding was born in Southsea, Hampshire. In the early stages of the Second World War, he was serving as a Boy First Class aboard the battleship H.M.S. Royal Oak. On 14 October 1939 the Royal Oak was moored in Scapa Flow, Orkney Islands when the German Submarine U-47, commanded by Günther Prien, hit her with a series of torpedoes. She sank within 13 minutes, causing the loss of 834 seamen, including Rear-Admiral Henry Blagrove, commander of the Second Battle Squadron. Over 100 of those lost were boy sailors under the age of 18; this tragic event being the largest loss of life of Boy Seaman in a single action. Many questions were raised in parliament about the use of boy sailors in the Royal Navy after the sinking of the Royal Oak. Spalding was one of the boys who went down with the ship and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.