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Auction: 18001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 312

Three: Carpenter T. R. Luke, Royal Navy

1914-15 Star (Carp. T. R. Luke, R. N.), in its card box of issue; British War and Victory Medals (Carpr. T. R. Luke, R. N.), together with the recipient's Memorial Plaque (Thomas Ralph Luke), in its original card sleeve and registered envelope, nearly extremely fine (4)

Thomas Ralph Luke was born on 20 December 1885, the son of Thomas and Ann Luke of 48, St. George's Terrace, Stoke, Devonport. Having entered the Royal Navy as Boy Shipwright on 2 July 1901, he was serving as a Shipwright 1st Class aboard H.M.S. Caesar on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914.

Commissioned as Carpenter, R.N. at the year's end, Luke joined the cruiser H.M.S. Ariadne in November 1915 but, as revealed by his service record, he began to struggle with his health. He was admitted to Plymouth hospital with pleurisy for 3 weeks In July 1915, followed by a further 6 weeks in February 1916. He came ashore for a third - and final - time in April 1917, his records noting 'condition grave', and he died aged 31 on 2 September 1917. His shipmates in the Ariadne also perished in the same period, the cruiser being torpedoed and sunk with all hands off Beachy Head on 26 July 1917.

Luke is buried at Weston Mill Cemetery, Plymouth. His brother, William Norman Stanley Luke was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal on 8 March 1918; sold with copied service records and research.


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Sold for
£120