Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Chief Stoker W. H. Winter, Royal Navy, who was commended for good services on the occasion of the mining of H.M.S. Conquest in July 1918

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (W. H. Winter, Lg. Sto. 1st Cl. H.M.S. Forte); 1914-15 Star (166442, W. H. Winter, Ch. Sto., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (166442, W. H. Winter, Ch. Sto., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (166442. W. H. Winter, Ch. Sto., H.M.S. Pembroke.) light contact marks, nearly extremely fine or better (5) £300-£400

William Henry Winter was born in Folkestone, Kent, in February 1873. He enlisted into the Royal Navy in March 1892 and first served with H.M.S. Pembroke as a Stoker Second Class. In April 1899 he was posted to the cruiser H.M.S. Forte and was aboard during her involvement in the Second Boer War. He transferred to the Royal Fleet Reserve in March 1913, but upon the outbreak of the Great War was recalled for service.

Winter was awarded a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in May 1915 whilst serving in H.M.S. Pembroke, having attained the rate of Chief Stoker. Much of his war service was aboard the light cruiser H.M.S. Conquest. He was present in August 1915 when the ship took part in the pursuit of the German auxiliary cruiser Meteor, which resulted in the enemy ship scuttling herself. In August 1916 Conquest made an unsuccessful attempt to shoot down the Zeppelin L13 and on 5 June 1917, during a Royal Navy raid on Ostend, Belgium, she was involved in sinking of the German torpedo boat S20. On 15 June 1918, the Conquest was hit by a German mine and was badly damaged, for which William Winter was commended for his good work. He was demobilised in April 1919.