Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 18002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 372

Eight: Able Seaman W. Godfrey, Royal Navy

1914-15 Star (J. 2101 W. Godrey, A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J. 2101 W. Godrey, A.B., R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, the second with slack suspension claw and the Great War awards polished, thus fine or better, otherwise good very fine (8)


Walter Godfrey was born at Brentwood, Essex in August 1892 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in July 1905.

By the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he was serving as an Able Seaman in the battleship H.M.S. Dreadnought and he remained similarly employed until August 1916. Dreadnought became the only battleship ever to be credited with purposefully sinking an enemy submarine when, on 18 March 1915, she rammed - and cut in two - the U-29, skippered by Otto Weddigen; in his previous command - the U-9 - Weddigen had torpedoed the Aboukir, Hogue and Cressy in the North Sea in September 1914. Godfrey's subsequent wartime seagoing appointments were in the battleship Queen Elizabeth (September 1916-September 1917), and the destroyer Ulster (March 1918-September 1919).

Pensioned ashore in August 1932, Godfrey was mobilised in July 1939, and served as an A.B. (Pensioner) in the armed merchant cruiser Montclare from September 1939 to December 1940. He also served in the battleship Revenge from March to September 1941. His subsequent wartime appointments remain unknown and he was invalided from the R.N.H. Sherborne in December 1944; sold with copied service record.


Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£170