Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Petty Officer First Class G. T. Sells, Royal Navy, who served in the Royal Yacht Osborne from 1891 to 1908

1914-15 Star (130244, G. T. Sells, P.O.1., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (130244 G. T. Sells. P.O.1. R.N.); Coronation 1902, bronze, the reverse contemporarily engraved in the usual style for Osborne ‘G. Sells. H.M.Y. Osborne.’; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension, impressed naming (G. T. Sells, A.B. Rigger., H.M.Y. Osborne.) the obverse of the Coronation Medal slightly polished and worn, otherwise good very fine and better (5) £300-£400

George Thomas Sells was born at Biggleswade, Bedfordshire, on 9 August 1869 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class on 15 January 1885. Advanced Able Seaman on 1 July 1888, he joined the Royal Yacht Osborne for six weeks on 1 August 1890 (presumably as extra temporary crew during Cowes Week when the Royal party was aboard), and then transferred permanently to Osborne on 15 July 1891. He served in her until 6 May 1908, being awarded his Long Service Medal in October 1902, and was advanced Petty Officer First Class on 29 July 1903. Shore demobilised on 22 December 1909, he joined the Royal Fleet Reserve at Portsmouth on 10 September 1910, and was recalled for service in the Great War, serving in the armed merchant cruiser H.M.S. Avoca until his discharge on 22 February 1919.

Sold with copied record of service.