Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Trooper J. Leddra, Natal Carbineers, later Royal Naval Reserve, who was an original crew member aboard the Q-ship Penshurst, one of the most famous and highly decorated Q-ships of the Great War, with which ship he remained until he was injured and medically discharged shortly before her fatal encounter with U-111 in December 1917

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Natal, Transvaal (783 Tpr: J. Leddra. Natal Carbnrs:); Royal Naval Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (C. 2912. J. Leddra, Sea. R.N.R.) good very fine (2) £200-£240

John Leddra was born in 1875 in St. Ives, Cornwall. He served with the Natal Carbineers during the Boer War and received the Queen’s South Africa Medal with Natal and Transvaal clasps. He then transferred to the 1st Natal Volunteer Composite Regiment on 1 October 1900, with which unit he additionally qualified for the South Africa 1901 clasp.

Returning to St. Ives after the war Leddra joined the Royal Naval Reserve in late 1902 and completed his first period of seagoing training aboard H.M.S. Revenge between 2 January 1903 and 31 March 1903, followed by annual training including a brief assignment in H.M.S. Prince George in early 1912. His regular employment working for the Town Council in St. Ives came to an end when he was called up on 1 August 1914, just prior to the outbreak of the Great War. He immediately joined the ship’s company of H.M.S. Albion, aboard which battleship he remained until 28 May 1916. During this period Albion served in the Channel Fleet and was sent to support the operations against German West Africa. Sailing to the Mediterranean in January 1915, she participated in the Dardanelles Campaign, including major attacks on the Ottoman coastal fortifications. He finally joined the Q-ship H.M.S. Penshurst (a.k.a. Q.7) on 28 July 1916, serving in her up until he left the vessel, injured, shortly before her demise at the hands of U-111 in December 1917.

During his time aboard Penshurst, this legendary Q-Ship had accounted for two enemy submarines and seriously damaged three others. He was present at actions with enemy U-boats on ten occasions over a 13 month period. Having been medically discharged ashore to H.M.S. Vivid from Penshurst in November 1917, Leddra served briefly in H.M.S. Macedonia during 1918 and was demobilised on 18 January 1919. He was presented with his Naval L.S. & G.C. Medal on 6 November 1919. He was unfortunate to receive no decoration. Had he avoided injury and remained aboard the Penshurst for her final month afloat he would have certainly received the D.S.M. along with all other original crew members; nonetheless, he was later awarded £12 10s, his share of Penshurst’s prize money. He died in Cornwall in 1963.