A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars

Three: Captain C. B. Partridge, Royal Marine Light Infantry, commanding the Royal Marines detachment and killed aboard H.M.S. Good Hope at the Battle of The Coronel, 1 November 1914

1914-15 Star (Capt., R.M.L.I.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt., R.M.L.I.); together with memorial plaque (Charles Burnett Partridge) mounted in a contemporary glazed frame, this in need of some attention, extremely fine (4) £600-800

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Fine Collection of Medals to Officers Who Died During The Two World Wars.

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Charles Burnett Partridge was born at Anchor Gate Lodge, Portsmouth on 29 May 1880; educated at Bath College; gazetted 2nd Lieutenant, R.M.L.I. on 1 January 1899; promoted Lieutenant, 1 January 1900; and Captain, 1 January 1910. He was Instructor of Musketry at Malta 1906-08; and later Swimming Instructor at Deal Depot. Served in H.M. Ships Mars, Gladiator, Egmont, Melpomene, Hermione, Drake and finally Good Hope. He won many prizes for shooting, sailing and golf; and made top score when the Marines won the United Service cup at Bisley, he also held the Marine Jewel. His eldest brother, Lieutenant Edward Louis Lort Partridge died of enteric at Jullunder, aged 20; and another brother Lieutenant Geoffrey Dorman Partridge was killed in action at Ypres on 3 November 1914, just two days after Charles Burnett Partridge was lost aboard H.M.S. Good Hope. See Lot 1139 for medals to his brother.

The following is extracted from Dictionary of Disasters at Sea During The Age of Steam 1824-1962. ‘Both Admirals [Rear Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock aboard H.M.S. Good Hope and Admiral Graf Von Spee aboard the Scharnhorst] became aware of the proximity of each other about 31 October, and at 6:40p.m. on 1 November the squadrons made contact off Coronel, Chile.

An attempt on the part of Admiral Cradock to engage while the light was good and targets were clear was frustrated by the superior speed of the German squadron, which kept out of range until the setting sun reflected the British ships in sharp silhouette against the horizon. The German ships being in the evening haze were almost invisible.

The sea was rough and the 6 in. guns on the lower decks of the two British armoured cruisers could not be brought into action. Another handicap was that the crews had only joined the ships in August of 1914, and since that time had been afforded but scant opportunity of gunnery practice.

At 7:04p.m., after an hour of manoeuvring the first shot was fired at a range of 11,500 yards. This was extreme for the British but easy for the sixteen 8.2 in. guns of the big German cruisers. At her third salvo the Scharnhorst struck Good Hope on the fore deck and destroyed the 9.2 in. guns. Admiral Cradock knowing that his only hope was to close the range to enable his 6 in. guns to have full play, steamed towards the enemy. By 7:23p.m. the range was down to 6,600 yards, with Good Hope firing with all guns she could bring to bear. Darkness was now coming on and the range again decreased to 5,500 yards. Good Hope was now on fire in several places and afforded a clear target to her enemies. In desperation Cradock endeavoured to approach to within torpedo range, being met with salvo after salvo from the two enemy cruisers. At 7:53p.m. Good Hope blew up with her Admiral and all hands.’

Captain Charles Burnett Partridge was killed in action on 1 November 1914, whilst serving aboard H.M.S. Good Hope. He is commemorated on the Plymouth Memorial.