Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Lieutenant-Commander G. Whitfield, Royal Navy

1914-15 Star (Mid., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (S. Lt., R.N.); 1939-45 Star; Africa Star; War Medal 1939-45, these unnamed, mounted court style for wear, some scratch marks, good very fine and better (6) £120-160

George Whitfield was born on 16 December 1899 and entered the Royal Navy as a Cadet in September 1912. In July 1915 he was appointed a Midshipman and posted to the battleship H.M.S. Canada. He served on board the ship for most of the war and was present on her at the battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916. In September 1917 he was appointed an Acting Sub-Lieutenant; he was confirmed in that rank in May 1918. In October 1917 he volunteered for the submarine service and in September 1918 he was posted to the submarine depot H.M.S. Dolphin. He was promoted to Acting Lieutenant in May 1920 and was later confirmed in that rank, serving on a number of submarines, including one of the infamous ‘K’ Class - K.6, November 1920-May 1922. He was placed on the Retired List in November 1922 and promoted to Lieutenant-Commander in October 1927. Whitfield was recalled to active service with the onset of the Second World War. Initially he was posted to Gibraltar and commanded the yacht Lorna. In October 1941 he was posted to the battleship H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth which formed part of the Mediterranean Fleet. The Queen Elizabeth and her sister ship Valiant were both attacked and badly damaged by Italian ‘human torpedoes’ whilst they were at anchor in Alexandria harbour, 19 December 1941. In February 1943 Whitfield was posted to the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Argus and remained with her until the end of the war. He retired for a second time in 1945 and died on 19 October 1950.

With copied service paper and other research.