Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

One: Leading Seaman R. G. Halfyard, H.M.S. Warspite, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, who saw previous service with Hawke Battalion in 1914

Victory Medal 1914-19 (L.3-3619 R. G. Halfyard. L.S. R.N.V.R.) good very fine £30-£40

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Medals for the Battle of Jutland.

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The battleship H.M.S. Warspite was launched on 26 November 1913 and was part of the 5th Battle Squadron at the Battle of Jutland, where she was hit 13 times during the Battle, suffering 14 men killed and 16 wounded.

Reginald Gill Halfyard was born in the City of London on 18 February 1891 and joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve on 10 June 1909. He joined Hawke Battalion on 22 August 1914 (entitled to a 1914 Star), and served during the Great War in H.M.S. Warspite from 1 April 1915 to 14 October 1918, being advanced Leading Seaman on 1 April 1918. At Jutland Warspite was hit by no fewer than 13 ‘large projectiles’, several of them when her helm jammed and forced her out of line. Making an involuntary circle at ‘Windy Corner’, she became the prime target of the ‘big guns’ of the High Seas Fleet. He was shore demobilised on 20 February 1919.