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Auction: 24003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 153

(x) The Great War Minesweeping D.S.M. group of five awarded to Chief Petty Officer W. F. Harris, Royal Navy

Distinguished Service Medal, G.V.R. (119424. W. F.Harris, P.O.1CL.-Minesweeping-); 1914-15 Star (119424 W. F. Harris. Act. C.P.O., R.N.); British War Medal 1914-20 (119424 W. F. Harris. C.P.O. R.N.); Victory Medal 1914-19, erased; Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (119424 W. F. Harris, P.O.1CL., H.M.S. Defiance.), mounted court-style, minor contact marks, very fine (5)

D.S.M. London Gazette 1 January 1916.

William Frederick Harris was born on 20 December 1865 in Plympton, Devon. Harris began what would be a decade-spanning career in the Royal Navy as a Boy Class II aboard the H.M.S. Ganges on 23 May 1882, and was advanced Boy Class I aboard her exactly one year later. He went on to serve on over a dozen ships and eventually attained the rank of Petty Officer First Class in 1899. Harris was shore pensioned at Devonport on 8 October 1908 after having spent the past 26 years of his life aboard various ships in service of the Royal Navy.

The Great War brought Harris back to the Navy at the comparatively advanced age of 49, and saw his involvement in minesweeping missions. He retained his rank of Petty Officer First Class and was first posted aboard the H.M.S. Vivid II on 2 August 1914. Harris was gazetted for his D.S.M. on 1 January 1916 for '...bravery and devotion to duty during minesweeping and mine-laying operations, earned while serving aboard the H.M.S. Halcyon. Harris was later advanced Chief Petty Officer on 1 December 1916 aboard his next posting, the H.M.S. Colleen II, serving with her from 1 November 1916 until April of the next year when he joined H.M.S. Defiance, with whom he had seen service before the War. He was next appointed to H.M.S. Bonaventure from 21 May 1917 until his final posting, once again upon Defiance, from whom he finally retired on 11 July 1919 with a war gratuity; sold together with copied research.


Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Estimate
£600 to £800

Starting price
£480