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Auction: 23112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 602

A family collection attributed to brothers both lost with the same ship

Four: Ordinary Seaman G. N. Totterdell, Royal Navy, who was killed with the sinking of H.M.S. Firedrake

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, all privately engraved 'C/JX.374499 Ord. Smn. G. N. Totterdell, R.N., H.M.S. Firedrake', very fine (4)

Four: Leading Telegraphist R. G. Totterdell, Royal Navy, who died alongside his brother in the loss of Firedrake

939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, unnamed as issued, very fine (4)

Provenance:
D.N.W. June, 2005.

D.N.W. September 1994 (when sold with named condolence slips and boxes of issue).

Gerald Norman Totterdell was the son of Lucy and Detective Superintendent George Totterdell of Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex. Following his father into the police upon leaving Trinity Road School he worked as a boy clerk before joining the C.I.D. at Clacton as part of the Essex Constabulary aged 19. He left this role after the outbreak of the Second World War to join the Royal Navy, being posted to the destroyer Firedrake.

Despite the odds he found himself serving alongside his brother Ronald as the vessel joined convoy ON153. Firedrake was part of convoy ON153 in late December 1942. Picking up an ASDIC signal Firedrake on the night of 16-17 December and sailed towards it, until about 5 miles from the convoy she was suddenly struck by a torpedo fired by U211. The ship split in two with the bow section sinking immediately while some 35 men of the rear section managed to get aboard boats.

The Totterdell brothers were likely aboard the bow section as they were both killed in the sinking. They are remembered upon the Chatham Memorial.

Ronald Gordon Totterdell was the son of Lucy and Detective Superintendent George Totterdell of Springfield, Chelmsford, Essex. He was also educated at Trinity Road School, Chelmsford but joined the Royal Navy directly upon leaving school. He was stationed with H.M.S. Cornwall prior to the outbreak of war, leaving her just prior to her sinking at the hands of the Japanese.

Stationed upon the West Africa Station as a Telegraph Operator he contracted blackwater fever and returned to Britain to recover. Having been certified fit, Totterdell was posted back to active service as Leading Telegraphist and remarkably found himself upon the Firedrake, the very same vessel as his brother Gerald.

Firedrake was part of convoy ON153 in late December 1942. Picking up an ASDIC signal Firedrake on the night of 16-17 December and sailed towards it, until about 5 miles from the convoy she was suddenly struck by a torpedo fired by U211. The ship split in two with the bow section sinking immediately while some 35 men of the rear section managed to get aboard boats.

The Totterdell brothers were likely aboard the bow section as they were both killed in the sinking. They are remembered upon the Chatham Memorial; sold together with former auction listings, copied extracts from The Essex Weekly News and Defeat of the Wolf Packs.

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Estimate
£160 to £200

Starting price
£110