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Auction: 23001 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 157

Eight: Shipwright E. W. Polten, Royal Navy

British War Medal 1914-20 (M.33846 E. W. Polten. B. Shpt. R.N.); Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Palestine 1936-39 (.33846 E. W. Polten. Shpt. 1. R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star, clasp, North Africa 1942-43; Burma Star; War Medal 1939-45; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., (M.33846. E. W. Polten.Shpt. 2. H.M.S. Pembroke.), mounted as worn, some contact marks and edge wear, particularly to the last, very fine (8)

Ethelbert William Polten was born at Strood, Kent on 24 September 1902 and enlisted with the Royal Navy as a Boy Shipwright on 1 August 1918. Appointed Shipwright Class V on 3 August 1923, Polten was posted to H.M.S. Benbow on 8 September of that year.

He saw further service with the heavy cruiser Hawkins, the monitor Marshal Soult and County Class Shropshire.

Posted to H.M.S. Emerald as Shipwright Class I on 22 April 1937 he was further transferred to the heavy cruiser Cumberland, prior to the outbreak of Second World War, on 2 March 1939. At the time Cumberland was stationed with 2nd Cruiser Squadron as part of the South American Division. Forced to refit at the Falkland Islands she was unable to participate in the Battle of the River Plate but nevertheless played a role in blockading the Admiral Graf Spee in Montevideo harbour.

Transferring to South Africa, Cumberland joined the hunt for Raider E - the merchant auxillery Thor - before being charged with a role in Operation Menace. Here an Allied fleet attempted a landing at Dakar, Senegal, backed by a powerful fleet. The action proved to be a disaster with the Allied hope that Charles De Gaulle could persuade the Vichy garrison to change sides proving to be false. Cumberland was heavily damaged during the fighting by the powerful naval guns mounted in batteries on shore.

Cumberland joined the 1st Cruiser Squadron in escorting Arctic Convoys before being transferred to the Far East. Here she took part in a number of raids in Sumatra earning the battle honours 'Sabang 1944' and 'Burma 1945'. Polten was demobilised on 3 November 1945 at H.M.S. Pembroke; sold together with an original line-book named to 'E. W. Polten Boy Shipwt.' and copied service papers.

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Sold for
£230

Starting price
£140