Orders, Decorations and Medals

Four: Stoker Petty Officer H. Diplock, Royal Navy, who served aboard the ‘Q’ Ship Arbutus when she was torpedoed on 16 December 1917

1914-15 Star (311859 S.P.O., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (311859 S.P.O., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (311859 S.P.O., H.M.S. Revenge), mounted as worn; together with two R.A.O.B. Jewels, complete with top bars and ribbon, both named and dated ‘1922’, good very fine (6) £200-250

Harry Diplock was born in Eastbourne, Sussex on 16 August 1887. A Chauffeur by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class on 11 July 1907. Promoted to Stoker 1st Class on the Vivid II Devonport shorebase in April 1908, he was advanced to Leading Stoker on the Indus in February 1912. With the onset of war he was serving on the scout cruiser Bellona which was on attachment to the Grand Fleet. Promoted to Stoker Petty Officer in February 1915, he served on the ship at the battle of Jutland. After a brief return to Vivid II, September/October 1917, he was posted to the sloop Arbutus. The ship, acting as a special service vessel, was torpedoed by a German submarine in the St. George’s Channel on 16 December 1917. The Arbutus, with a complement of 93, foundered in the rough seas. Her captain, one other officer and seven ratings being lost with the ship. Fortunate to survive, Diplock served on Vivid II from January to May 1918, before being posted to the battleship London, on which ship he served out the remainder of the war. Posted to the battleship Revenge in October 1920, he was awarded the Long Service Medal in July 1922 and appointed Supply Petty Officer on board the ship in June 1923. He died of Phthisis aboard the Revenge on 27 December 1923. Sold with original Pensions Appeal Tribunal Form and accompanying Ministry of Pensions letter to Mrs Diplock; also with copied service details. In the former Mrs Diplock gives the statement, ‘I am the widow of the late No.311859 Supply Petty Officer Harry Diplock, H.M.S. “Revenge”. He was torpedoed on a “Q” boat in December 1917, from which date he suffered from a cough which subsequently developed into tuberculosis. I married him in April 1918, before the illness had developed. My husband returned home on fourteen days leave in December 1923, and died on the eighth day. I am left with one child and I have not applied for a Pension before this letter ...’