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Auction: 22133 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 161

The 1914-15 Star awarded to Boy Signaller F. McCormick, Royal Navy who was killed in action during the loss of the Submarine H.3. on 15 July 1916

1914-15 Star (J.30178. F. McCormick. Sig. Boy., R.N.), polished, very fine

Frederick McCormick was born at Southampton on 4 December 1898, the son of John and Mary Anne McCormick of 102 Bevois Valley, Southampton. Enlisting on 16 March 1914 with H.M.S. Impregnable McCormick received the rank of Boy Class II, advancing to Boy Class I on 29 October 1914. Posted to H.M.S. Dolphin, the Royal Navy submarine base, on 25 March 1915 with the rank of Boy Signaller he served here until 1 July when he was posted to Adamant, a submarine depot ship.

These ships were often holding stations for members of submarine crews who hadn't been assigned a boat yet and so it was with McCormick. Sent to H.3. on 1 April 1916 when the vessel was operating in the Adriatic Sea. It was in this role that she attempted to penetrate the Austrian anchorage at Cattaro in July 1916. Early in the afternoon on 15 July the bay was rocked by an explosion as H.3. struck one of the mines in the outer perimeter.

McCormick was killed in the sinking along with the rest of the crew, he is listed on the casualty roll as an Ordinary Signalman but is noted elsewhere as Boy Signaller, including his service records. At the time of his death he was not yet eighteen; sold together with cap tallies, buttons and an H.M.S. Dolphin cap badge along with copied service records, Commonwealth War Graves details and letters from the Submarine Museum as well as other letters pertaining to the recipient and copies of intercepted Austrian communications reporting the sinking and information on H.3.

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Sold for
£50

Starting price
£20