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Auction: 22002 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 83

'At around 23.30 [on 31 May 1916], riddled with uncertainty, Wintour [captain of H.M.S. Tipperary] felt he had to challenge the approaching ships as the range inexorably closed below 1,000 yards. It was to be his first and last mistake. The moment the British recognition signals were hoisted, the blinding German searchlights flicked on and the deadly shadows opened up with a searing barrage of fire from a point-blank range of about 600 yards. The fire of the light cruisers was supplemented to deadly effect by the secondary 5.9-inch batteries of the Westfalen and Nassau in the van of the long column of German battleships ..'

The terrible fate of H.M.S. Tipperary unfolds; see Jutland 1916 - Death in Grey Waters, by Nigel Steel and Peter Hart.

A notable Great War battle of Jutland pair awarded to Able Seaman J. Johnson, Royal Navy, one of a handful of survivors from H.M.S. Tipperary

As Leader of the 4th Destroyer Flotilla, Tipperary was singled out by the searchlights of several enemy battleships and cruisers and - in under five minutes - was pulverised by an estimated torrent of 160 heavy calibre shells

British War and Victory Medals (J. 14603 J. Johnson, A.B., R.N.), very fine (2)

Jonathan Johnson was born at Sunderland, Co. Durham on 2 November 1895 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in October 1911, via the Wellesley Nautical School on the Tyne.

An Able Seaman serving in the battleship H.M.S. Neptune on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he removed to the destroyer Tipperary in June 1915 and was likewise employed at the time of her loss at the battle of Jutland; entitled to the 1914-15 Star.

Jutland

As referred to above, Tipperary was singled out in the searchlights of several German battleships and cruisers and took shocking punishment before sinking. A glimpse of events aboard her at that moment may be found in the words of Sub. Lieutenant Newton William-Powlett, R.N.:

'They were so close that I remember the guns seemed to be firing from some appreciable height above us. At almost the same instant the Tipperary shook violently from the impact of being hit by shells. I was told afterwards that the first salvo hit the bridge and it must have killed the Captain and nearly everyone there … I yelled at the guns to fire. I don't think they heard me, but they opened fore all right. During this time both our torpedo tubes were fired, but the enemy was so close that I think that the initial dive which torpedoes usually take as they enter the water made them go under the enemy ships. The enemy's second salvo hit and burst one of our main steam pipes, and the after part of the ship was enveloped in a cloud of steam through which I could see nothing.'

In H.M.S. Broke, Lieutenant Irvine Glennie, R.N., recalled:

'We found ourselves astern the Tipperary and the latter was suddenly attacked from starboard by two Hun light cruisers. They put their lights on and fairly peppered the 'Tipp' - we saw her fall out and burst into flame, how we avoided their lights I can't imagine - however we did and hauled out to port, firing a 'mouldy' at the after of the two cruisers as she came bearing down.'

Tipperary became a blazing mass, her coal bunkers engulfed by an uncontrollable conflagration. The Spitfire tried to come to her assistance but fell-in with the enemy battleship Nassau. At length, passing enemy destroyers didn't even bother engaging Tipperary - she was left for dead, a waste of ammunition.

Newton William-Powlett, continues:

'For about two hours the ship floated in this condition, during which time we employed ourselves getting the wounded aft on to the quarterdeck … We could not cope with the fire forward, it being impossible to get along the upper deck, as the ready supply of ammunition for the forward gun was exploding box by box at short intervals. All the boats were completely smashed, but two life-saving floats which were undamaged were got into the water and kept alongside ready. We threw everything that could possibly catch fire overboard, in the hopes of stopping the fire spreading aft, and I think we got rid of far more things that was necessary, even throwing overboard the upper deck supply of ammunition and the two port torpedoes. Perhaps we did it more to keep ourselves employed and our minds from thinking of the forward magazine, than with any idea of being useful.'

Shortly before 02.00 hours, it was apparent Tipperary could not be saved. Newton William-Powlett - and his surviving shipmates, including Johnson - took to the water:

'The cold of the water had sort of numbed my brain and I now had only one idea left - to the reach the raft - and I eventually reached it. It was overcrowded, but they pulled me up on it, an Engine Room Artificer on one side of me and a red-haired Marine on the other side, and I had room to sit on the edge. The raft, supporting about 30 men [and surely including Johnson], was about a foot under water - a hollow, copper, oval shaped affair, with lifelines and thing to hang on - and as the night drew on a swell got up and the sea washed up and down over our middles, like waves when one first wades out bathing, only much colder. We sang various popular songs … When at last daylight gradually appeared we made out the shape of a small ship, apparently steaming round and round in circles. We were now all in a dull, comatose condition, in which one didn't care whether one lived or died; so much so that, although the destroyer was only 100 yards from us, it was very difficult to get anyone to use the paddles and get there.'

It was the severely damaged destroyer Sparrowhawk. Jutland 1916 - Death in Grey Waters, takes up the story:

'It took about ninety long minutes for the Carley float to get alongside. By that time, of the original twenty-three survivors, three were already dead, five died after being pulled up on to Sparrowhawk's quarterdeck and a further eight lapsed into deep unconsciousness.'

Johnson was indeed fortunate to be among these survivors.

He returned to sea in the destroyer Attack in late July 1916 and his final wartime appointment was in the light cruiser Birmingham. He was discharged ashore in September 1919.

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Sold for
£210

Starting price
£100