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Auction: 18003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 433

Seven: Able Seaman L. J. Calton, Royal Fleet Reserve, late Royal Navy, a veteran of Jutland who later joined the Submarine Branch

British War and Victory Medals (J. 45171 L. J. Calton. A.B. R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; War Medal 1939-45; Royal Fleet Reserve L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (J. 45171 (CH. B. 20810) L. J. Calton. A.B. R.F.R.), mounted as worn, very fine (7)

Leonard James Calton was born at Attleborough, Norfolk, on 6 May 1899. He worked as a farm boy before joining the Royal Navy on 5 October 1915 and training at the shore establishments Ganges and Vivid I. His first posting was aboard the Indefatigable-class battlecruiser H.M.S. New Zealand, and it was aboard this ship that Calton served as Boy 1st Class during the Battle of Jutland.

The New Zealand saw considerable action during the Battle, first targeting the S.M.S. Moltke and then using her 12-inch guns against the Von Der Tann in accordance with Beatty's standing instructions following the loss of Indefatigable. At 4.26 p.m. the ship was hit in reply by an 11-inch shell from the German battlecruiser on 'X' barbette; it detonated on contact and knocked loose a piece of armour which briefly jammed 'X' turret and blew a hole in the upper deck. As Scheer's battleships entered the fray, the New Zealand, the last ship in the line, turned prematurely in an attempt to keep out of range. She was straddled several times by the battleship S.M.S. Prinzregent Luitpold, but escaped any direct hits.


In total, New Zealand fired 420 12-inch shells during the battle, more than any other ship on either side. Despite this, only four successful hits were credited to the battlecruiser; three on Seydlitz and one on the pre-dreadnought S.M.S. Schleswig-Holstein. She was however hit only once during the battle, confirming for the crew that the Maori piupiu and tiki worn by her new Captain, Admiral Sir John F. E. Green, brought good luck.

Calton returned home and saw out the rest of the war at various shore bases and depots. In the early 1920s, he served aboard the Tiger and the Lion, and returned to the New Zealand before transferring to submarines; in between spells at the Gosport shore establishment Dolphin, he served in the submarines K14 and L18. The former had been part of the Battle of May Island exercise on 31 January 1918, in which her steering jammed and she was rammed by K22 behind the forward torpedo compartment. Two men died and the submarine was fortunate not to have sunk. During this period, Calton served as a diver and was promoted Diver 1st Class on 7 August 1921.

On 6 May 1929, his original 12-year period of engagement having expired, Calton enrolled into the Royal Fleet Reserve. He continued to serve until demobilised at Pembroke on 5 October 1938.

Recalled on the outbreak of the Second World War, he served as an Able Seaman aboard the destroyer H.M.S. Velox and sloop H.M.S. Cormorant. He continued to serve aboard the Edinburgh Castle until late 1941, before concluding his career back at Pembroke; sold with copied service records.


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Sold for
£240