Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Stoker First Class T. C. Ashcroft, Royal Navy, who was killed in action when H.M.S. Warrior was struck by concentrated German shellfire at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916

1914-15 Star (K.22511. T. Ashcroft. Sto.1. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (K.22511 T. C. Ashcroft. Sto.1. R.N.) nearly extremely fine (3) £240-£280

Thomas Chalinor Ashcroft was born in Sheffield on 19 March 1895 and joined the Royal Navy as Stoker 2nd Class on 19 May 1914. Posted to the armoured cruiser Warrior on 9 October 1914, he initially served as part of the 1st Cruiser Squadron under Rear-Admiral Sir Robert Keith-Arbuthnot. Placed in front of the Grand Fleet at Jutland, Defence and Warrior spotted the German 2nd Scouting Group and opened fire with their 9.2-inch armament; their shells fell short and the two ships turned to port in pursuit, narrowly avoiding a collision with the battlecruiser Lion. Heavily engaged by the SMS Derfflinger, the Defence blew up with the loss of all hands at 6.20 p.m. The Germans then concentrated their attentions on Warrior which was struck by at least 15 11-inch shells and six 5.9-inch shells. With fires raging and heavy flooding of the bulkheads, Warrior was forced to withdraw to the west, later being taken in tow by the seaplane tender Engadine who took off the surviving crew of 743 men.

Warrior was subsequently abandoned in a rising sea the following morning, her upper deck at that time just 1.2 metres above the waves. She foundered not long thereafter. Ashcroft is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.