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Auction: 23113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 370

Three: Able Seaman W. T. Nike, Royal Navy, who served on H.M.S. Comus at the Battle of Jutland

1914-15 Star (J.32422. W. Nike. Boy.1., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J 32422 W. T. Nike. A.B. R.N.), very fine (3)

Wallace Thomas Nike was born at Exeter on 13 October 1898 and was a wood carver when he joined the Royal Navy on 31 July 1914 as a Boy Second Class.

Comus was Commissioned into service in the Royal Navy on 15 May 1915 and was assigned to the 4th Light Cruiser Squadron in the Grand Fleet. She and the destroyer Munster sank the Imperial German Navy merchant raider Greif in the North Sea on 29 February 1916, and she fought in the Battle of Jutland on 31 May-1 June 1916 under the command of Captain Alan Geoffrey Hotham. During the Battle, at about 2040hrs on 31 May, Comus sent information to the Grand Fleet Commander, Admiral John Jellicoe, about the location of the German fleet. This information coupled with additional information from Falmouth, Southampton and Lion gave Jellicoe the information he needed to decide on his nighttime fleet movements on the night of 31 May-1 June 1916.

Having been discharged and paid a war gratuity, he was admitted to Yarmouth hospital on 29 March 1920 as a dangerous lunatic. He died at Great Yarmouth in 1969; sold together with copied service papers.


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Sold for
£75

Starting price
£40