Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Driver S. J. Baldwin, Royal Field Artillery, who was killed in action on 23 October 1915 when his troopship the Marquette was torpedoed and sunk en route to Salonika, laden with fellow artillerymen and members of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service and New Zealand Medical Corps

1914-15 Star (8842 Dvr: S. J. Baldwin. R.F.A.); British War and Victory Medals (8842 Dvr. S. J. Baldwin R.A.) good very fine (3) £70-£90

Sidney James Baldwin served with the 29th Division Ammunition Column and died in the eastern Mediterranean when the H.T. Marquette was torpedoed and sunk by an enemy submarine on 23 October 1915. The Navy Museum of New Zealand adds a little more detail:

‘At 9 a.m. the Marquette was hit by a torpedo from the new heavyweight German submarine No. 35 (U-35) and rapidly listed to port. Those not killed in the explosion moved quickly to put on lifebelts and moved to lifeboat stations to abandon ship. One lifeboat on the port side fell onto another killing and injuring many. Many being lowered in boats on the starboard side were tipped out into the sea. Only one boat left the Marquette with nurses aboard. The ship sank within ten minutes with still several men and four nurses on deck. Two of those nurses survived despite being sucked under the water by the sinking ship.’

Driver Baldwin is commemorated upon the Mikra Memorial in Greece; sold with original letter of transmittal for 1914-15 Star addressed to ‘Mr. W. Baldwin, Clay Hill, Wigginton, Tring, Herts.’