The James Fox Collection of Naval Awards

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Benin 1897 (S. Meads [sic], Boy 1 Cl., H.M.S. Forte.) pawn-broker’s graffiti to obverse field, crudely spelling ‘Meades’, otherwise good very fine £240-£280

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The James Fox Collection of Naval Awards.

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Stanley Meades was born in Portsea, Hampshire, on 4 March 1879 and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy Second Class on 15 August 1894. He was posted to H.M.S. Forte on 24 June 1896, ands was advanced Able Seaman on 4 August 1898. He served in a variety of ships and shore-based establishments over a period in excess of twenty years, his last posting being to the minelayer H.M.S. Princess Irene on 9 March 1915. He was killed when Princess Irene exploded off Sheerness on 27 May 1915, with the loss of 300 lives; the explosion occurred when mines were being loaded and primed onboard, and was believed to be due to a faulty primer; although the official enquiry found that the work of priming the mines was being done both in a hurry and by untrained personnel. Meades’ body was never recovered, and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

Sold with copied record of service and medal roll extracts.