Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Signalman W. H. Mortley, Royal Navy and H.M. Coast Guard

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (W. H. Mortley, Siglmn: H.M.S. Sybille); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (170314 W. H. Mortley, Boatman, H.M. Coast Guard.) light contact marks, otherwise good very fine (2) £180-£220

William Henry Mortley was born in the Dover area on 11 May 1877. He joined the Royal Navy as a Boy in October 1892 and soon transferred to the Signal Branch, becoming a Qualified Signaller in July 1899. In October 1900 he joined the Sybille for what was to be an interesting deployment when Sybille ran aground on the rocks south of Lamberts Bay on the Cape west coast, early on the morning of 16 January 1901. Fortunately the two hundred and fifty odd members of the crew aboard were rescued without mishap. Mortley saw out the rest of the war in Monarch, Forte and Rattler. In April 1905, he joined the Coastguard serving at Fowey before a transfer to Llantwil in 1906, then Amlwch in 1910. He served here until being moved to Scotland in 1915. However, in August 1917 he was back in Anglesey, being based at Holyhead until his discharge in June 1919. He was awarded his L.S. & G.C. medal on 24 June 1910.

Sold with copied record of service.