Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, no clasp (G. L. Booker, Sto. H.M.S. Gibraltar) large impressed naming, nearly extremely fine £200-240

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Boer War Medals to the Royal Navy.

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George Lewis Booker was born in Haslemere, Surrey on 13 September 1877. A Servant by occupation, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in August 1900. He served on the 1st class cruiser Gibraltar, March 1901-June 1904, being promoted to Stoker in June 1901. For his services aboard the ship during the Boer War he was awarded the Queen’s medal without clasp (617 awarded). Whilst serving on the Forth he was promoted to Acting Stoker Petty Officer in June 1906 and Stoker Petty Officer in October 1907. Further advancement followed, being promoted to Acting Chief Stoker at Egmont I in February 1914 and Chief Stoker at Blenheim in February 1915. Transferring then to the submarine service, he was based at Adamant and then during January-August 1916 served on submarine B.11. After a period of service at Dolphin and Titania, in June 1917 he was posted for service with the 12th Submarine Flotilla attached to the Grand Fleet. With the scout cruiser Fearless as flotilla leader, he served on the submarine K.5. Service on the infamous ‘K. Class’ submarines was a particularly hazardous occupation and Booker was fortunate that his submarine was not present at the ‘battle of May Isle’ debacle. However danger was ever present and on 31 July 1918 Chief Stoker Booker accidentally died when he was washed overboard and drowned. He was the son of James Booker of Sunny Side, Shepherd’s Hill, Haslemere and the husband of Agnes Maria Booker of 5 Klondyke Villas, Grayswood, Haslemere. His name is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial. Sold with copied service paper.