Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Seaman J. T. Edwards, Royal Naval Reserve, who served in H.M.S. Jupiter during the icebreaking mission to Archangel in February 1915

1914-15 Star (C.3303, J. T. Edwards. Smn. R.N.R.); British War and Victory Medals (3303C. J. T. Edwards. Smn. R.N.R.); Royal Naval Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (C.3303. J. T. Edwards. Sea. R.N.R.); Russia, Empire, Medal for Zeal, silver (C.3303. J. T. Edwards, Sea. R.N.R. H.M.S. Jupiter.) impressed naming, fitted with adapted silver bar suspension attached to original integral loop, good very fine (5) £600-£800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of David Lloyd.

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James Thomas Edwards was born at Trefechan, Aberystwyth, Cardigan, on 12 April 1878. After training in H.M.S. Spartan in October-December 1903, Edwards enrolled in the Aberystwith District Royal Naval Reserve on 1 January 1904. He re-enrolled on 19 January 1914, and was called up for service in H.M.S. Jupiter on 2 August 1914.

In January 1915 the Admiralty received a request for assistance from the Russian Government, the latter’s icebreaker used to keep open the passage to Archangel in the White Sea having broken down. In response the Royal Navy sent out the Tyne Guard Ship H.M.S. Jupiter, an old Majestic-class battleship. She departed for Archangel in February 1915, freeing en-route a number of vessels stuck in the ice, occasionally by using explosive charges. She, too, sometimes became icebound, but still managed to make a major impression on the problem, improving the safe passage of numerous vessels, many of them laden with highly important war materials, among them the S.S. Thracia. The latter was taken in tow after the use of explosive charges to free her. Throughout these operations it was not unusual for the temperature to fall as low as minus 20 degrees, a hard test indeed on the morale and well being of the Jupiter’s crew. Her mission completed by May 1915, the Tzar expressed his gratitude by the presentation of a variety of Russian Honours and Awards to her crew.

Edwards transferred to Vivid on 20 May 1915, and saw further service at sea in Endymion from June 1915 to December 1917, when he returned to Vivid for the remainder of the war. He was demobilised on 22 May 1919. Sold with copied record of service which confirms Russian Medal for Zeal, and other research including a copied page from The Cambrian News with photographs of ‘Aberystwyth Patriots’ including Seaman James T. Edwards, ‘who has received the Russian Medal for service in the White Sea on H.M.S. Jupiter in 1914 (sic).’