Medals from the Collection of the late Eric Smith

Family group:

Pair: Private J. F. Horn, Dorsetshire Regiment

British War and Victory Medals (24177 Pte. J. F. Horn, Dorset R.), very fine

Five: Able Seaman W. H. Horn, Royal Navy, who, having survived the loss of H.M.S. Encounter, died as a prisoner of the Japanese in March 1945

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Pacific Star; War Medal 1939-45, in their original addressed card forwarding box, extremely fine (7) £100-120

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals from the Collection of the late Eric Smith.

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William Henry Horn died as a prisoner of the Japanese on 5 March 1945 and is buried in Ambon Island War Cemetery, Indonesia - his remains were most probably among those moved there from Makassar War Cemetery in 1961. He had earlier served in the destroyer H.M.S. Encounter, the winner of Battle Honours for Atlantic 1939, Norway 1940, Spartivento 1940, Libya 1941, Malta Convoys 1941 and Mediterranean 1941, prior to her transferral to the Far East.

And it was here, in the 2nd battle of Java Sea on 1 March 1942, that the Encounter, in company with the cruiser Exeter and U.S. destroyer Pope, met her end, after a gallant three-hour action against four Japanese heavy cruisers and four destroyers. The following day, the Japanese destroyer Ikazuchi rescued 442 survivors from the Encounter and Pope, all of whom had been adrift for 20 hours in lifejackets and assorted rafts, many of them coated in oil. This humanitarian decision, which placed the Ikazuchi at risk of submarine attack, later became the subject of a book and T.V. programme.

The above described card forwarding box is addressed to ‘Mrs. Ethel R. Horn, 1 Russell Street, Sidmouth, Devon’, who is believed to have been the recipient’s widow.