Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Five: Chief Stoker W. Curtice, Royal Navy, who drowned on active duty on 4 April 1918

China 1900, no clasp (W. Courtice [sic], Sto., H.M.S. Barfleur.); 1914-15 Star (278853, W. Curtice, Ch. Sto., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (278853 W. Curtice. Ch. Sto. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., E.VII.R. (278853 William Curtice, Sto. P.O., H.M.S. Defiance.) contact marks to first and last, these very fine; the Great War awards better (5) £400-£500

William Curtice was born at Stamford, Cornwall, on 22 December 1869 and joined the Royal Navy as a stoker second class on 19 December 1894, having previously been employed as a police constable. He was promoted Stoker on 3 November 1895 and served in that rate from 1 July 1900 to 8 November 1901. He was advanced stoker petty officer on 1 July 1906, and was awarded his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal on 20 December 1909. Promoted chief stoker on 3 December 1912, he served during the Great War in a variety of ships and shore based establishments, and drowned on active duty on 4 April 1918, when serving in H.M.S. Bittern. He is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.