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Auction: 23112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 430

Five: Chief Armourer H. J. Cornford, Royal Navy, who was aboard the Battleship Britannia when she was sunk just two days before the Armistice, in November 1918

Naval General Service 1915-62, 1 clasp, Persian Gulf 1909-1914 (340508. H. J. Cornford, Ch. Armr., H.M.S. Prosperine); 1914-15 Star (340508, H. J. Cornford, Ch. Ar. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (340508 H. J. Cornford. Ch. Amr. R.N.); Royal Naval L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (340508 H. J. Cornford, Actg. Ch. Armr H.M.S. Thetis.), small official correction to rank on the first, otherwise very fine (5)

Horace Joseph Cornford was born at Lewes on 1 September 1873 and prior to joining the Royal Navy he was a Blacksmith. It was likely this specialisation which caused him to enlist with the Royal Navy as Armourers Crew on 20 February 1895. Advanced Armourer's Mate on 18 January 1899 with Terrible- a vessel he left prior to its involvement in the Anglo-Boer War and later Armourer with Firequeen on 14 November 1903.

Cornford served with a number of vessels throughout the 1910's notably Essex, Iphigenia and Thetis, being further promoted Chief Armourer with the latter on 24 July 1910. Posted to the Battleship Brittania on 15 October 1912 he was to serve with her through the Great War.

Brittania began the conflict at Rosyth with the Grand Fleet, later taking part in the Battle of Dogger Bank. Posted to Sheerness in early 1916 and later the Adriatic, short round-trip to Bermuda and a refit brought Britannia to Gibraltar on 9 November 1918, just two days before the Armistice.

Here - just off Cape Trafalgar - she was torpedoed by UB-50. This first blast set off another in the 9.2 inch magazine, which in turn detonated a store of cordite. Poorly-placed flooding valves and even worse visibility made it impossible to properly control the blaze in the magazines. Britannia remained at a 10-degree list for the next two-and-a-half hours but it was clear she was sinking. 50 of her crew were killed in the attack and another 60 injured; fortunately Cornfield was among those rescued. Posted to the shore base Excellent on 8 June 1918, he was discharged on 18 July 1919; sold together with copied service papers.

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Sold for
£300

Starting price
£140