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Auction: 23001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 97

Six: Stoker 1st Class W. White, Royal Navy, who saw Jutland service with the destroyer Marksman

China 1900, no clasp (W. White, Sto., H.M.S. Bonaventure.); Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-1914 (280998. W. White. Sto. 1Cl. H.M.S. Perseus.); 1914-15 Star (280998. W. White. Sto. 1. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (280998 W. White. Sto.1. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (280998 William White, Actg. Ldg. Sto, H.M.S. Defiance.), good very fine (6)

William White was born at St Austell, Cornwall on 4 May 1875 and was a clay digger by trade upon his joining the Royal Navy on 15 November 1895. Having seen service off China and in the Persian Gulf, he further served during the Great War aboard Marksman from 9 December 1915-31 March 1918. Marksman was part of the 12th Destroyer Flotilla at the Battle of Jutland, operating in support of the Grand Fleet. During the night of the Battle Faulknor was leading the flotilla with eight destroyers and Marksman followed with a further four. At about 0143hrs, Faulknor spotted a group of German battleships and manoeuvred to set up a torpedo attack. While doing so, Faulknor carried out a 180 degree turn which resulting in steering towards Marksman and her destroyers. In avoiding collision, Marksman lost touch both with the enemy and her four destroyers, and so did not take place in the torpedo attack, which resulted in the German pre-dreadnought battleship Pommern being sunk. Marksman joined up with the cruiser Champion and some destroyers of the 13th Flotilla and at about 0325hrs got into a brief exchange of fire with four German destroyers, during which several torpedoes fired at the British ships missed, while one of the German destroyers, G40, was damaged by Champion's fire. Marksman picked up a single survivor, the ship's Captain, from the sunken destroyer Ardent, with two more picked up by the destroyer Obdurate. At 0600hrs the badly damaged destroyer Sparrowhawk was encountered and Marksman attempted to take her under tow, but this failed. After taking off Sparrowhawk's crew, Marksman scuttled Sparrowhawk with gunfire.

White was demobilised on 17 March 1919.

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Sold for
£420

Starting price
£210