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Auction: 17002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 162

Six: Chief Painter A. E. Vinson, Royal Navy

Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1908-10 (346969 A. E. Vinson, Ptr. 2nd Cl., H.M.S. Philomel); Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-1914 (346969 A. E. Vinson, Ptr. 1st Cl., H.M.S. Fox); 1914-15 Star (346969 A. E. Vinson, Ptr. 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (346969 Ptr. 1, R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (346969 A. E. Vinson, Ptr. 1st Cl., H.M.S. Sandhurst), official correction to surname on the first and the Victory Medal with officially re-impressed naming and edge cut, otherwise nearly very fine or better (6)

Albert Edward Vinson was born at Falmouth, Cornwall in April 1885 and entered the Royal Navy as a Painter 2nd Class in August 1904. He subsequently witnessed active service off Somaliland in H.M.S. Philomel in the period February 1908-July 1909 (Medal & clasp), and in the Persian Gulf in H.M.S. Fox in the period leading up to the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914 (Medal & clasp).

V.C. action off East Africa

Vinson remained actively employed in the Fox until October 1915, so was present at her capture of two German merchantmen off Colombo in August 1914 and in the attack on Tanga in German East Africa in November of the same year; so, too, in Fox's pursuit of the Königsberg and in the raid on Dar-es-Salaam.

The objective of the latter raid - which took place on 28 November 1914 - was to destroy or put out of action all shipping inside the harbour, as it was thought that the Königsberg was being supplied with fuel and provisions by vessels operating from the port. The attack was carried out by the steam pinnace from Goliath, the steam cutter from Fox and the steam tug Helmuth. Fox's steam cutter, which was under by Captain F. W. Caulfield, S.N.O. East Coast of Africa.

Having ascertained the state of a German floating dock, Fox's cutter moved into the harbour proper and was suddenly subjected to heavy rifle fire from all sides: it was the commencement of a memorable action, marked by gallantry of a high order and the subsequent award of the V.C. to Commander H. P. Ritchie, R.N., who finally escaped the port 'smothered in blood and barely conscious'.

As the attack developed, Fox and her consort Goliath responded with a heavy barrage, demolishing several streets in the port and the Governor's Palace. Two days later, they returned to finish the job, and reduced the seafront to rubble.

Vinson ended the war with an appointment in the depot ship Sandhurst. He was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in September 1919, advanced to Chief Painter in July 1924, and finally came ashore in August 1926; sold with copied service record and medal roll verification.


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Sold for
£480