Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A fine ‘Officer Casualty’ 1914-15 Star awarded to Lieutenant H. W. T. R. Seymour, Royal Navy, who was commended by the Australian Authorities in 1909, but was killed in action in 1916 when H.M.S. Russell struck two mines near the entrance to the Grand Harbour, Valletta, Malta

1914-15 Star (Lieut. H. W. T. R. Seymour. R.N.) nearly extremely fine £80-£100

Hobart William Theodore Rudolph Seymour was born in Florence on 7 February 1887, the son of Edward Roe Seymour, Canon of Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin. He spent his childhood at Osborne House, Tunbridge Wells, and joined the Royal Navy on 15 January 1902; posted to the training ship Britannia, Seymour was later awarded the Ryder Memorial Prize and graduated from the Royal Naval College at Greenwich in 1906, his professors repeatedly noting a talent for French and German.

Appointed Sub Lieutenant on 15 September 1906 and Lieutenant on 1 April 1909, his Service Record subsequently notes ‘appreciation expressed’ by the Government of Victoria for his advice at the time of the search for the S.S. Waratah which disappeared in July 1909 with 211 passengers and crew en route from Durban to Cape Town; no trace of her was ever found and her fate remains unconfirmed. Promoted Captain of Torpedo Boat 38, Seymour spent the next three years on the China Station (Hong Kong) from 23 December 1911 to 9 May 1914, but was recalled to England and transferred to the pre-dreadnought battleship Russell on 6 March 1915. Sent to the Mediterranean to support the Dardanelles campaign, Russell joined the Cape Helles evacuation from 7 to 9 January 1916 and was the last battleship of the British Dardanelles Squadron to leave the area.

Steaming off Malta on the morning of 27 April 1916, Russell soon foundered after striking two mines in quick succession laid by German submarine U-73. The devastating explosions and subsequent fire led to the loss of 27 officers and 98 ratings, a notable survivor being Lieutenant-Commander John H. D. Cunningham, later First Sea Lord from May 1946. Aged 29 years, Seymour is commemorated upon the Memorial Tablet in the Church of St. James, Royal Tunbridge Wells.