Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Four: Able Seaman F. W. Cottrell, H.M.S. Revenge, Royal Navy, who served in H.M.S. Fox during the Persian Gulf operations and the East Africa Campaign

Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-1914 (J. 8529 F. W. Cottrell, A.B. H.M.S. Fox.); 1914-15 Star (J. 8529, F. W. Cottrell, A.B. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J. 8529 F. W. Cottrell. A.B. R.N.) contact marks, very fine (4) £160-£200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals for the Battle of Jutland.

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The dreadnought battleship H.M.S. Revenge was launched on 29 May 1915 and was part of the 1st Battle Squadron at the Battle of Jutland, where she fired a total of 102 fifteen-inch shells, and 87 six-inch shells.

Francis William Cottrell was born in Swindon in June 1894. He enlisted into the Royal Navy in May 1910 and was assigned to the school ship H.M.S. Impregnable as a Boy Second Class (Bugler). He joined the cruiser H.M.S. Fox in January 1914 and was involved in the Persian Gulf operations. In August, whilst off Colombo, Ceylon, Fox captured two German merchant ships, the Australia and the Holtenfels. Between 3 and 4 November 1914, H.M.S. Fox supported the unsuccessful attack on the port of Tanga in German East Africa and then participated in the hunt for the German cruiser S.M.S. Königsberg. She was also involved in the raid on Dar-es-Salaam where she bombarded the city. Cottrell was later posted to the super-dreadnought battleship H.M.S. Revenge and was present at the Battle of Jutland. He continued to serve in the navy until June 1924.