Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A good Great War M.B.E. group of six awarded to Lieutenant S. H. Jones, Royal Navy, who was present in several notable actions in destroyers of the Harwich Force, including the “Battle of Texel” in October 1914: having been gazetted for his M.B.E. in June 1919, he was court-martialled and dismissed his ship that August for deserting his post while on duty as Officer of the Watch

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, M.B.E. (Military) Member’s 1st type breast badge, hallmarks for London 1919; China 1900, no clasp (Ord., H.M.S. Goliath); 1914-15 Star (Gnr., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Gnr., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., 1st issue (191491 P.O., H.M.S. Vernon), the earlier awards with edge bruising and a little polished, and the reverse of the third with traces of solder (?), otherwise generally very fine (6)
£500-600

M.B.E. London Gazette 27 June 1919:

‘For valuable services in the Harwich Force.’

Sydney Herbert Jones was born at Bow, London in November 1880 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in November 1898. Advanced to Able Seaman aboard H.M.S. Goliath following her commission off China in 1900, he was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in November 1913 and was serving as a Petty Officer at the gunnery establishment Excellent on the outbreak of hostilities in the following year. He had, too, just passed his examination for Gunner (Torpedo).

Originally selected for ‘duty with trawlers at Lowestoft’, Jones did in fact receive orders to join the destroyer Lance in early September 1914, a posting that resulted in him quickly seeing action at the “Battle of Texel” on 17 October, when Captain Cecil Fox’s Harwich force sunk four German destroyers within 90 minutes - for a full account of the action see Lot 1234. For his part in this spectacular victory, Jones was specially mentioned by Lance’s C.O., a suitable endorsement being made on his service record.

In 1917, he removed to another Harwich force destroyer, the Surprise, in which ship he served off the Belgian coast and was again commended by his C.O., on this occasion ‘for services in action on numerous occasions’ and for carrying out his duties ‘with unremitting zeal and devotion’. Jones was mentioned in despatches (London Gazette 14 September 1917 refers), and was still serving in Surprise when she was mined and sunk in the North Sea on the night of 22-23 December 1917, together with her consorts, Tornado and Torrent.

In April 1918, Jones joined the destroyer Winchester, in which ship he served for the remainder of the War, once more winning the approbation of his C.O. - ‘Exceptionally able Torpedo Officer. Every torpedo fired since my command has run perfectly’. He was awarded the M.B.E. As related above, however, his next appointment, aboard the recently launched destroyer Somme, was to end in his immediate retirement, when, in August 1920, he was sentenced by Court-Martial to forfeit one years seniority and to be dismissed his ship - he pleaded guilty to charges of deserting his post while on duty as Officer of the Watch, thereby ‘acting to the prejudice of good order and naval discipline’. Immediately afterwards he ‘was allowed to retire from the Service’ and even won Their Lordships appreciation for offering his services during the national coal strike later that year.

Having been advanced to Lieutenant on the Retired List in June 1928, Jones was recalled on the renewal of hostilities and served in the destroyer Veteran from October 1939 to January 1940, in which latter month he was admitted to the Royal Naval Hospital Plymouth suffering from anxiety. He ‘reverted to the Retired List’ a few days later and died in October 1950.