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Auction: 24113 - Orders, Decorations and Medals - e-Auction
Lot: 452

Four: Able Seaman W. Orchard, Royal Navy, who served on H.M.S. Morris at the Battle of Jutland, he later transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy serving on H.M.S. Dunedin

1914-15 Star (208394, W. Orchard, A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (208394 W. Orchard. A.B. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (208394 W. Orchard. A.B. H.M.S. Victory.), mounted court-style for display, pitting, contact marks, lightly polished, about very fine and better (4)

William Orchard was born at Carisbrooke, Isle of Wight on 7 November 1883 and was a Seaman in the Merchant Service prior to joining the Royal Navy in November 1901. He was shore discharged on 7 November 1913, joining the Royal Fleet Reserve on 8 November 1913. Called up at the beginning of the Great War, Orchard was posted to Morris on 1 January 1915 and served with her until 31 March 1917.

At the Battle of Jutland Morris, under the command of Lieutenant Commander Edward S. Graham, was attached to the Thirteenth Destroyer Flotilla, along with sister ship Moorsom, under the light cruiser Champion. The destroyer was transferred from the Harwich Force to supplement the Grand Fleet, which had insufficient destroyers to shield both the First and Second Battlecruiser Squadrons.

The Flotilla attacked the battlecruisers of the German High Seas Fleet after the destruction of the Indefatigable and Queen Mary. The vessel became separated and, instead joined in a melee with German torpedo boats, led by V27. After engaging with guns and driving away the smaller warships, the destroyer attempted to attack the German capital ships but could not get a clear torpedo shot.

Orchard was shore pensioned on 10 June 1919 but re-joined the service in June 1921, subsequently serving on Malaya before transferring to the New Zealand Navy in May 1924 until August 1926 aboard H.M.S. Dunedin, whereupon he joined the Royal Fleet Reserve in July 1927; sold together with copied service papers.


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Sold for
£120

Starting price
£70