Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Pair: Stoker Second Class G. Brooks, Royal Navy, who died on 12 January 1919

British War and Victory Medals (K.48680 G. Brooks. Sto.2 R.N.); Memorial Plaque (George Brooks), nearly extremely fine (3) £80-£100

George Brooks was born in Warrington, Lancashire, on 16 October 1899, and joined the Royal Navy as Stoker 2nd Class on 18 January 1918. Posted to the depot ship H.M.S. Vigorous 26 March 1918, he spent the remainder of the Great War at Larne in Northern Ireland, supporting the operations of the Auxiliary Patrol in the North Atlantic and Irish Sea. Transferred briefly to H.M.S. Albatross, Brooks died in January 1919, his story catching the attention of the Larne Times on 18 January 1919:

‘Naval Stoker’s Sudden Death.
The rather mysterious illness and death of a young naval stoker at Larne Harbour, formed the subject of an inquiry by the Coroner for the District (Dr. J. J. Adams, J.P.), at Larne Workhouse, on Monday afternoon last. George Brooks, a trimmer on the drifter Albatross, was taken ill with vomiting on board at mid-day on Saturday, and was removed to the “sick bay” on shore. He was semi-unconscious until seen and examined by the naval surgeon nearly two hours later, when he lapsed into heavy unconsciousness. He was removed to the Fever Hospital, where he died early on Sunday morning without regaining consciousness, and with the cause of death more or less a mystery.’

Described as a sober and ‘very healthy’ man, Brooks was later found to have suffered a slow bleed to the brain which ultimately killed him. He is buried in Warrington Cemetery.