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Auction: 23112 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 677

(x) Royal Naval Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R. (107732. A. E. Wallis, P.O. "Cinceria" [For Orkney Defences]), good very fine

M.S.M. London Gazette 12 July 1919.

Albert Edward Wallis was born at Bermondsey, Surrey on 5 November 1863, working as a Plumber's Boy, he later enlisted on 25 February 1879 as Boy Class II. Reaching his maturity on 17 July 1880 with the cruiser Bacchante, his Victorian service saw him spend a good deal of time in Egypt, being posted to Alexandra in 1883 and Invincible the next year. Posted to H.M.S. Monarch on 1 October 1884 Wallis served with her as part of the Nile Flotilla.

Going ashore for much of the next decade Wallis was posted to Royal Arthur in February 1893, becoming Petty Officer on 28 February. He was shore pensioned on 12 September 1902 and joined the Royal Fleet Reserve the next year on 3 February 1903. With the outbreak of the Great War he returned to service at Victory I as a Petty Officer being posted to pre-dreadnaught battleship Magnificent on 3 December 1914.

This vessel began the war as part of the Humber Patrol and Wallis served with her for that period before being transferred to Imperieuse- the renamed ironclad Audacious- only a fortnight after her collision off Orkney with the minesweeper Rodean. He was to serve with this warship on station off Orkney as part of her defences for the rest of the war. Finally joining the captured German Armed-Trawler Cinceria on 1 July 1918, still being with her when he was awarded his Meritorious Service Medal. Wallis was finally demobilised on 1 April 1919; sold together with service papers and a London Gazette extract.


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Sold for
£350

Starting price
£110