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Auction: 22002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 71

'I was in 'A' turret and watched most of the action through one of the trainers' telescopes, as we were firing by Director, when the turret is trained in the working chamber and not in the gun house. At the commencement I was sitting on the top of 'A' turret and had a very good view of the proceedings. I was up there during a lull, when a German ship started firing at us, and one salvo "straddled" us. We at once returned the fire. I was distinctly startled and jumped down the hole in the top of the turret like a shot rabbit!! I didn't try the experience again … '

Sub. Lieutenant H.R.H. Prince Albert - later King George VI - who served as second officer in H.M.S. Collingwood's 'A' turret; he was mentioned in despatches.

A Great War campaign group of three awarded to Leading Seaman E. Dutton, Royal Navy, who served alongside H.R.H. Prince Albert in H.M.S. Collingwood at the battle of Jutland - and afterwards in Q-ships

1914-15 Star (228749 E. Dutton, A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (228749 E. Dutton, L.S., R.N.) generally very fine (3)

Edwin Dutton was born in Northwich, Cheshire on 13 February 1886 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in November 1903.

Having joined H.M.S. Collingwood in March 1912, he remained similarly employed until January 1918, and was present at the battle of Jutland. In the battle Collingwood fired 84 rounds of 12-inch ammunition and obtained hits on the cruiser Wiesbaden, the battlecruiser Derfflinger and a destroyer.

Famously, one of her young officers was none other than H.R.H. Prince Albert, afterwards King George VI. He had joined the Collingwood as a Midshipman direct from his studies at Osborne House in September 1913 and remains the only British Sovereign to have seen action in battle since William IV.

He later wrote a colourful account of his experiences during the battle, from which the following extracts have been taken:

'We went to "Action Stations" at 4.30 p.m. and saw the Battle Cruisers in action ahead of us on the starboard bow. Some of the other cruisers were firing on the port bow. As we came up the Lion leading our Battle Cruisers, appeared to be on fire the port side of the forecastle, but it was not serious.

…As far as one could see only 2 German Battle Squadrons and all their Battle Cruisers were out. The Colossus leading the 6th division with the Collingwood her next astern were nearest the enemy. The whole Fleet deployed at 5.00 and opened out. We opened fire at 5.37 p.m. on some German light cruisers. The Collingwood's second salvo hit one of them which set her on fire, and sank after two more salvoes were fired into her …

I was in 'A' turret and watched most of the action through one of the trainers telescopes, as we were firing by Director, when the turret is trained in the working chamber and not in the gun house. At the commencement I was sitting on the top of 'A' turret and had a very good view of the proceedings. I was up there during a lull, when a German ship started firing at us, and one salvo "straddled" us. We at once returned the fire. I was distinctly startled and jumped down the hole in the top of the turret like a shot rabbit!! I didn't try the experience again … '

In another letter, he added:

'We had no breakdowns of any sort. Everything worked very well; as for the men, they were quite marvellous, just as cheery as usual and worked like demons. The worst part of it was the night afterwards, we ceased firing at 9 p.m. and went to night defence until 2 a.m. when we closed up in the turrets again. We were sick at not seeing the enemy again that morning … '

Down in Collingwood's shell room, Ordinary Seaman William Macey was among those charged with delivering heavy calibre shells to her gun turrets:

'My mates were chalking the shells as they were sent up. 'Hit old Kaiser Bill' and 'Hit the Bastards', etc. The morale was good. I cannot explain to you our feelings in battle. The guns were firing away, shaking the ship. I must say I felt very scared. I could not see anything that was happening on deck. We were shut down in the shell room, watertight doors.'

Postscript

Dutton came ashore from the Collingwood in January 1918 but he returned to sea in the Q-ship Fresh Hope in April and served in that capacity until the war's end. Fresh Hope was an ex-American three-masted schooner, one of a number of wooden vessels fitted out for clandestine work in the previous year; a splendid photograph of her crew is held in the Imperial War Museum's photographic archive.

He was finally pensioned ashore as a Leading Seaman in February 1926 and, although recalled in March 1940, he was quickly discharged as medically unfit; his service record confirms that he was not entitled to the L.S. & G.C. Medal.

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Sold for
£150

Starting price
£80