Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Victory Medal awarded to Musician H. Sutcliffe, Royal Marine Artillery, who was wounded in action whilst serving in H.M.S. Lion at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916

Victory Medal 1914-19 (R.M.B. 2388 Mus. H. Sutcliffe.) good very fine £60-£80

Harold Sutcliffe, a wool warehouseman, was born in Bradford on 5 September 1885 and enlisted at Eastney for the Royal Marine Artillery on 16 August 1915. Posted to the Royal Naval School of Music as Musician, he passed for qualification in fire control on 1 October 1915 and transferred to Lion on 15 November 1915. 

Serving as flagship of Admiral Beatty's Battlecruiser Fleet, Lion was struck 14 times during the battle, including suffering near-catastrophic damage to Q-turret, suffering 99 dead and 51 wounded. Although mortally wounded, Major Francis Harvey, Royal Marine Artillery, the Q-turret gun commander with primary fire control, ordered the magazine and turret to be flooded. This saved the munitions and cordite charges from exploding which undoubtedly would have sunk the ship; for his bravery and self-sacrifice Harvey was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross.

Granted a hurt certificate, Sutcliffe was returned to the books of the Royal Naval School of Music but likely never resumed active service. Invalided on 21 March 1917, he returned home to 34 Geach Street, Brompton Road, Bradford.