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Auction: 22003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 259

Three: Chief Petty Officer A. Barkwill, Royal Navy, commended for Meritorious Service with the Royal Marine Artillery near Vermelles, France on 30 December 1915

Later he was to see action at Jutland aboard H.M.S. Duke of Edinburgh, and was lucky to be with her as the only vessel of 1st Cruiser Squadron to survive the fighting, playing witness to the tragic demise of both Defence and Warrior

1914-15 Star (220788, A. Barkwill, P.O. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (220788 A. Barkwill. P.O. R.N.), contact marks, minor pitting and edge bruising, nearly very fine (3)

Albert Barkwell was born at Oakhampton, Devon on 16 August 1886 and worked as an agricultural labourer prior to enlisting on 29 April 1902 as a Boy. Reaching his majority at the shore establishment Defiance on 16 August 1904 he saw service as aboard such vessels as Spartiate, King Alfred and Hawke.

Posted to the cruiser Duke of Edinburgh on 18 February 1914, he was still with this ship upon the outbreak of war. Posted to France with the Royal Marine Artillery under Major Troup in December 1914, Barkwell was part of the action near Vermelles on 30 December 1915 which won Ship's Corporal Class I W. C. Hatherley and Petty Officer W. Bright the Distinguished Service Medal. The report submitted on the incident by Major-General C. Barker takes up the story, stating:

‘The party of the Royal Navy under Major Troup, Royal Marine Artillery, arrived here yesterday morning, and went up to the trenches in “C” sector, half with each of my two Battalions in the front line.

About 4.15 p.m. the enemy exploded several mines in front of C2 near the HAIRPIN and immediately covered the area near it with a mass of shell. The position was for a short time very critical, but the Royal Marines Party rose to the occasion splendidly. Two of them, on seeing a Vickers gun team knocked out, manned the gun at once and kept it in action most usefully for some time; many took rifles and fired away hard, the remainder helped to recover and assist the wounded.

I do not know the names of the individuals, but I should be glad to know that their prompt and plucky action can be recognised.’

Returning to the Duke of Edinburgh after his tour of France, Barkwill was with the vessel when Admiral Scheer set the High Seas Fleet on a collision course with the Grand Fleet culminating in the Battle of Jutland.

Part of the 1st Cruiser Squadron commanded by Captain Sir Robert Arbuthnot, the Duke of Edinburgh was with of Jellicoe's Fleet joining the action after Beatty's battlecruisers. As the British Fleet re-deployed for battle Arbuthnot spied the 2nd Scouting Group, a formation of German Light Cruisers, and attempted to strike them before the rest of Scheer's fleet came up.

The move was a disaster with Defence and Warrior charging into the attack but Duke of Edinburgh and Black Prince blocked by the manoeuvring ships of the Grand Fleet. The two isolated cruisers came under the fire of the German battlecruisers with Defence destroyed with all hands and Warrior fatally damaged. She sank the next day; after the confused engagement Black Prince was to be sunk having lost her position and run into the German fleet in the dark.

Leaving Duke of Edinburgh on 14 September 1917 Barkwell was posted ashore where he remained for the bulk of the conflict. Remaining in the rank of Petty Officer he was to retire on 12 June 1926.

This was not the end of Barkwell's career however, and he was recalled to duty on 28 September 1938 as a Chief Petty Officer. He saw shore duty in this time but was invalided on 24 February 1940 with 'Chronic Bronchitis, Emphyseum'; sold together with copied service papers, medal roll and a typed summary.

For the medals of a comrade, Duke of Edinburgh's Chaplain G. Harcourt, see Lot 282.

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Sold for
£90

Starting price
£70