Orders, Decorations and Medals

Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-04 (W. White, P.O. 2 Cl., H.M.S. Hyacinth) good very fine £160-200

Sold with copied extract from roll which states the medal was delivered to the recipient on H.M.S. Hyacinth in May 1915. 162487 Petty Officer William White, Royal Navy, was killed in action at the battle of Jutland on 31 May 1916 when serving on the armoured cruiser H.M.S. Defence. Aged 40 years, he was the son of Charles and Mary Ann White and husband of Florence L. White of 13 Adelaide Street, Stonehouse, Plymouth. His name is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.

At Jutland, the Defence was the flagship of Rear-Admiral Sir R. Arbuthnot, commanding the 1st Cruiser Squadron. Steaming in advance of the British battle fleet, the Defence, followed by the Warrior made towards the crippled German light cruiser Wiesbaden intending to finish her off with gunfire. But in closing they suddenly became the target of the approaching German battlecruisers. Hit in quick succession by salvos from the Lützow, the Defence blew up and sank with the loss of all 903 officers and men.