Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Leading Seaman W. J. Keogh, Royal Navy

China 1900, no clasp (W. J. Keogh, A.B., H.M.S. Undaunted.); 1914-15 Star (191370. W. J. Keogh. A.B. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (191370 W. J. Keogh. L.S. R.N.); Naval Good Shooting Medal, E.VII.R. (191370 W. J. Keogh, Lg. Sea., H.M.S. Pioneer 1908 4in Q.F.) edge bruise to the last and light contact marks, otherwise very fine or better (5) £600-£800

William James Keogh was born in Dublin on 26 March 1880, and joined the Navy on 1 November 1896, as a Boy 2nd Class, aged 16 years 6 months. He was advanced to Able Seaman in April 1899 and joined Undaunted in September 1900, seeing service in China during the Boxer rebellion. He joined Pioneer in August 1907 and was advanced to Leading Seaman in December 1907. In 1908 he was awarded the Naval Good Shooting Medal whilst the ship was on the Australian station. Eight men in the ship competed with her 4-inch Quick Firing guns, Keogh being the best shot amongst them, having 6 hits out of a total of 13 hits from 47 rounds fired by the ship. He was disrated to Able Seaman and lost one Good Conduct Badge in November 1908 (G.C.B. restored in May the following year) and he left Pioneer on 31 August 1909, but remained an Able Seaman until his engagement expired on 25 May 1910. He joined the Royal Fleet Reserve at Chatham on the following day and, on 2 August 1914, was mobilised as an Able Seaman into the battleship Magnificent, transferring to the cruiser Royal Arthur in February 1915, in which he was advanced to Leading Seaman in June 1916. He remained in Royal Arthur until 20 March 1918, when he came ashore to Pembroke at Chatham, and was demobilised on 20 February 1919. Sold with copied record of service and the full Naval Gunnery report for 1908.