Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

A scarce Naval Good Shooting and Second Award Bar group of five awarded to Able Seaman J. Sullivan, Royal Navy, who served in H.M.S. Ajax at the Battle of Jutland, and was killed whilst serving in H.M.S. Orcadia on 6 May 1918

East and West Africa 1887-1900, 1 clasp, Benin 1897 (J. Sullivan, A.B., H.M.S. Philomel.); 1914-15 Star, naming erased; British War and Victory Medals (168291 J. Sullivan. A.B. R.N.); Naval Good Shooting Medal, G.V.R. (168291. J. Sullivan. A.B., H.M.S. Cossack. 1912. 12. PR. Q.F.), with Second Award Bar ‘H.M.S. “Cossack” 1913. 12. PR. Q.F.’; Memorial Plaque (James Sullivan), in card envelope of issue, contact marks, nearly very fine (6) £1,400-£1,800

Of 974 Good Shooting Medals issued 1903-14, just 62 were issued with Second Award Bars, eleven of these in 1913.

James Sullivan was born on 2 May 1876 in Castletown, co. Cork. He joined the Royal Navy on 8 August 1892 as a Boy Second Class, serving aboard H.M.S. Impregnable until 13 November 1893. He joined H.M.S. Philomel on 1 December 1894, serving with this ship until 17 May 1897 and taking part in the Benin expedition (medal and clasp). Having been rated Able Seaman, Sullivan served on another 11 ships between May 1897 and November 1913.

On 21 November 1913 Sullivan joined the newly commissioned King George V Class Battleship H.M.S. Ajax, serving in her during the Great War up until 27 August 1917, and saw service at the battle of Jutland. Joining the a ‘M’ Class destroyer H.M.S. Orcadia on 28 August 1917 Sullivan was killed, along with another sailor, following a collision between H.M.S. Orcadia and Torpedo Boat 16 on 6 May 1918. He is buried at Haslar Royal Naval Cemetery, Hampshire.

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