Medals for Services at Sea from the Collection of the Late Oliver Stirling Lee

Five: Officer’s Steward 1st Class J. Hennessey, Royal Navy

1914-15 Star (L. 4291 O. Std. 2, R.N.), surname spelt ‘Hennessy’; British War and Victory Medals (L. 4291 O.S. 1, R.N.); Royal Victorian Medal, G.V.R., silver, privately inscribed ‘L. 4291 J. Hennessy, O.S. 1, R.N., Royal Tours 1919-22’; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (L. 4291 O.S. 1, H.M.S. Victory), very fine and better (5) £180-220

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals for Services at Sea from the Collection of the Late Oliver Stirling Lee.

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John Hennessey (or Hennessy) was born at Frimley, Surrey in July 1889 and entered the Royal Navy as an Officer’s Servant 2nd Class in March 1913. On the outbreak of hostilities in the following year, he joined H.M.S. Lookout, and, after being present at Heligoland Bight, removed to another destroyer, the Meteor, in late January 1915, which ship was just back from her memorable encounter at Dogger Bank. Another commission in a destroyer, the Botha, followed in April 1915 but one year on he was transferred to the cruiser Bellona, and, following her presence at the Battle of Jutland, transferred, that September, to the destroyer Parker; his final wartime posting was in another cruiser the Champion from November 1917 until the end of the War.

Hennessey was subsequently awarded his R.V.M. in June 1922 for services as an Officer’s Steward 1st Class aboard the Renown during the Prince of Wales’ tour of India and Japan, and his L.S. & G.C. Medal in January 1928.