Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Seven: Leading Stoker W. H. Savin, Royal Navy, who was captured and taken Prisoner of War at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916, whilst serving in H.M.S. Nestor as part of the 13th Destroyer Flotilla

1914-15 Star (K.15928 W. H. Savin. Sto. 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (K.15928 W. H. Savin. Sto. 1 R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; War Medal 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 2nd issue, fixed suspension (K.15928 W. H. Savin. L.Sto. H.M.S. Valentine.) mounted as worn, nearly very fine and better (7) £400-£500

William Henry Savin, a moulder’s labourer, was born in Dudley, Staffordshire, on 25 September 1893. He joined the Royal Navy as Stoker 2nd Class on 8 August 1912 and was posted to H.M.S. Nestor on 29 April 1916. Commanded by the Honourable Edward B. S. Bingham, who earned the Victoria Cross for his gallantry during the battle, H.M.S. Nestor took the role of lead ship in an attack of twelve Royal Navy destroyers on a line of German warships. Approaching to within 3000 yards of the enemy, she and her sister ship H.M.S. Nomad were hit and disabled by concentrated 12-inch gunfire from Admiral Hipper’s battlecruisers. A contemporary account by Frederick W. King, Chief Engine Room Artificer aboard H.M.S. Nestor, describes the mayhem:

‘At about 5.59 p.m. another shell entered No. 2 Boiler and difficulty was experienced with the feed water. Speed was now reduced to 17 knots. Owing to the shortage of water, No. 3 Boiler was shut off. At 6.09 p.m. the Engineer Lieutenant Commander gave the order to stand by to leave the department and at about 6.12 p.m. gave the order to leave. At just about the same time another shell entered the starboard end of the engine room, carrying away the starboard main circulating engine.’

Riddled with shrapnel and ablaze, Commander Bingham ordered all charts and confidential books to be destroyed and the ships boats and rafts launched. He then laid out cables, as if in anticipation of a tow, simply as an exercise in distracting his men from the hopelessness of their situation. H.M.S. Nestor sank at approximately 5.30 p.m.

In total, 10 officers and 166 ratings of the Royal Navy were taken prisoner by the Germans during the Battle of Jutland. Repatriated in 1918, Savin continued in the service and was advanced Acting Chief Petty Officer in H.M.S. Valentine 10 November 1928. He later served in H.M.S. Goth and H.M.S. Rothesay during the Second War, and was invalided on 14 January 1942.

Sold with extensive research including the recipient’s Royal Navy service record; two fine articles from Medal News: ‘They Went Down Fighting’ and ‘After Jutland’ by Peter Evans; and a copy of The Review, Battle of Jutland Edition, Spring 2006, Vol. 18.4.