Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Family Group:
Six: Chief Stoker W. E. Seale, Royal Navy
1914-15 Star (364379, W. E. Seale, S.P.O., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (364379 W. E. Seale. S.P.O. R.N.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (364379 W. E. Seale. Ch. Sto. H.M.S. Hood.) minor edge bruising and contact marks, nearly very fine

Six: Petty Officer Stoker Mechanic W. E. Seale, Royal Navy
1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45; Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1945-48 (D/KX. 97702 W. E. Seale. L.S.M. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.II.R., 1st issue (KX 97702 W. E. Seale. P.O.S.M. H.M.S. Dalrymple.) edge wear, contact marks, some verdigris spotting to stars, otherwise nearly very fine (12) £300-£400

William Edward Seale was born on 13 September 1887, at Devonport. He commenced naval service as a Domestic 3 Class, H.M.S. Vivid I on 2 February 1906. He transferred to become Stoker 2nd Class, H.M.S. Cornwallis, on 8 June 1906. He advanced to Stoker 1 Class, H.M.S. Cambrian, on 29 April 1908, and Acting Leading Stoker, H.M.S. Vivid II on 17 June 1913, and confirmed in that rate in H.M.S. Indus, on 23 October 1913. He served during the Great War in H.M.S. Exmouth, H.M.S. Vivid II and H.M.S. Apollo, being advanced to Stoker Petty Officer on 1 November 1915. His medals for service in the Great War were sent to him in H.M.S. Tiger. He was pensioned on 1 February 1928, joining the Royal Fleet Reserve the following day, having received his L.S. & G.C. when serving in the Battlecruiser H.M.S. Hood, on 12 March 1927. On 25 August 1939 he rejoined and, until 16 October 1944, served in H.M.S. Forte, the naval base at Falmouth. He was discharged finally on 16 November 1944. Medal Record card shows that he was sent the 1939-45 Defence and War Medals on 22 September 1949, to his home in Liskeard, Cornwall (the vendor advises that these two medals were added to the group as entitlement and issue was confirmed).

William Edgar Seale was born on 5 June 1921 in Callington, Cornwall, and he was a van boy before he joined the Navy on 21 August 1939, as a Stoker 2nd Class. After training he went to H.M.S. Illustrious on 4 May 1940 and on 21 August 1940 was advanced to Stoker 1st Class. On 25 February 1941 he went to H.M.S. Nile, the naval base at Alexandria where he served in KOS 21 (one of some 23 Norwegian whalers hired in 1940); KOS 21 was used for anti-submarine duties (re-named Whippet) and he took part in the Battle of Crete in her in May-June 1941. On 30 July 1941 he returned to H.M.S. Drake and, from 2 June 1942 was in the Hunt Class destroyer, H.M.S. Catterick which, from 1 August 1942 was based on H.M.S. Tana, the base at Kilindini, Kenya. From 7 February 1943 he was in H.M.S. Assegai, the naval base at Durban, before joining the repair ship H.M.S. Resource until mid-April when he returned to H.M.S. Tana in Kenya. He advanced to Acting Leading Stoker (temporary) on 19 July 1944. On 16 January 1945 he was based briefly at H.M.S. Afrikander in Simonstown before returning to H.M.S. Drake on 27 February 1945. He subsequently served in the destroyer H.M.S. Childers operating in the Mediterranean based on Malta (St Angelo) until 1 May 1948. It was during this time that the ship operated off Palestine and he earned the Naval General Service Medal (clasp Palestine 1945-48) which was issued to him on 11 March 1952. He was advanced to Acting Petty Officer (Stoker Mechanic), and was confirmed in the rate a year later. He subsequently served in several ships including, H.M.S. Drake, H.M.S. Defiance, H.M.S. Loch Veyatie, H.M.S. Dalrymple, H.M.S. Sea Eagle, the frigate H.M.S. Orwell and the destroyers H.M.S. Cossack and H.M.S. Cheviot, until February 1960, when he joined his last sea-going ship, the minesweeper H.M.S. Acute, until April 1961. He was finally pensioned ashore on 20 August 1961. His home address was at Bangor, County Down. He was awarded the L.S. & G.C. Medal in July 1954.