Five: Chief Blacksmith A. Cole, Royal Navy

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (Blksth., H.M.S. Monarch); 1914-15 Star (341893 Blk., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (341893 Ch. Blk., R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (341893 Blacksmith, H.M.S. Inflexible), contact marks, otherwise generally very fine (5) £140-180

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Medals for Services at Sea from the Collection of the Late Oliver Stirling Lee.

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Armine Cole was born at Happisburgh, Norfolk in May 1879 and entered the Royal Navy as a Blacksmith’s Mate in January 1898. First witnessing active service off South Africa aboard H.M.S. Monarch during the Anglo-Boer War, he was still serving as a Blacksmith on the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, aboard the battle cruiser Inflexible. In the latter ship he was present at the Battle of the Falklands in 1914, the Dardanelles campaign in 1915 and the Battle of Jutland in 1916. Cole, who was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal in March 1913, was pensioned ashore in February 1920.