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Auction: 24003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 159

(x) A Great War Naval M.S.M. group of six awarded to Petty Officer W. Hill, Royal Navy, a qualified diver who survived the loss of H.M.S. Irresistible in the Dardanelles in March 1915

Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (196058 W. Hill, A.B., H.M.S. Porpoise); 1914-15 Star (196058 W. Hill, P.O., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (196058 W. Hill, P.O., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (196058 Walter Hill, P.O., H.M.S. Research); Royal Navy Meritorious Service Medal, G.V.R. (196058 W. Hill, P.O., "Royal Sovereign" Service During War), generally very fine or better (6)

M.S.M. London Gazette 17 July 1919.

Walter Hill was born in Birmingham, Warwickshire on 17 December 1881 and entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in October 1897. Having then been advanced to Able Seaman and qualified as a diver, he witnessed active service in H.M.S. Porpoise in the Somaliland operations of 1902-04.

A Petty Officer in the battleship Irresistible by the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, he saw extensive action in the Dardanelles, up until her loss in mid-March 1915.

Participating in the opening bombardment of the Ottoman forts guarding the entrance to the Dardanelles on 1 February 1915, Irresistible went on to play a major role in the subsequent attack on the forts in the same month. On the 25th her guns silenced two enemy positions before she landed a 75-strong party of Bluejackets to destroy a Turkish battery at Kumkale. The latter came under attack but nonetheless completed their task.

In fact, Irresistible's Bluejackets were landed on two further occasions in February, destroying half a dozen Krupps mortars at Sed del Bahr on 27th and eight heavy guns, six 12-pounder field guns and four Nordenfelt guns near Kumkale on the 28th. Likewise, in March, her Bluejackets came ashore on two occasions, often meeting strong Turkish resistance. Hill may well have been among them.

On 18 March 1915, in yet another foray against the Ottoman forts, Irresistible came under heavy fire from the Hamidieh Battery and was rocked by an explosion around 1514 hours. Taking on a list, she was ordered to withdraw but, about an hour later, she struck a mine with fatal consequences, for one of her bulkheads collapsed under the weight of incoming water. Unable to manoeuvre with a list seven degrees to starboard, and down by the stern, Irresistible became an easy target for the Ottoman gunners, who laid down a heavy fire on her.

Notwithstanding that fire - but partly obscured by smoke and spray - the destroyer Wear closed to take off her survivors, namely 28 officers and 582 ratings, including Hill. Nonetheless, around 150 of his shipmates died.

Hill was subsequently borne on the books of Europa at Imbros, prior to returning home to an appointment in the battleship Royal Sovereign in mid-April 1916. And he was to remain similarly employed until May 1918, in consequence of which services he was awarded his M.S.M. in July 1919. Having then added the L.S. & G.C. Medal to his accolades in January 1920, Hill was pensioned ashore in December 1921; sold with copied research.

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

Sold for
£580

Starting price
£240