Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte

The Great War group of three awarded to Gunner A. J. Milford, Royal Navy, who was present off Imbros in the action that witnessed the mining of the Goeben and Breslau in January 1918

1914-15 Star (223002 A. J. Milford, P.O., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (Gnr. A. J. Milford, R.N.), good very fine and better (3) £200-250

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, Exceptional Naval and Polar Awards from the Collection of RC Witte.

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Albert J. Milford was appointed a Gunner, R.N. in June 1917, joined torpedo boat destroyer 067 in the following month, and removed to the Tigress that November. In the latter ship, on 20 January 1918, with her consort the Lizard, he was present in the defining action fought against the Goeben and Breslau, off Imbros - earlier that day, the enemy ships had surprised and sunk the monitors Lord Raglan and M. 28.

As Tigress and Lizard rounded Cape Kephalo to commence retaliatory action, they observed the Breslau run into a mine, heel over, and sink, shortly after which a force of four enemy destroyers and Goeben appeared on the scene. The Lizard’s captain takes up the story:

‘As we went down to the attack we steamed right over the spot where the Breslau had sunk half an hour before. The sea was strewn with wreckage and hundreds of survivors were clinging to rafts and spars. They must have thought that we were coming to pick them up, and they must have been bitterly disappointed as we dashed on, despite frantic shouts and waves ... Five minutes later, at a range of 6000 yards, we engaged. The fire of both our ships was directed on the leading destroyer. The whole enemy force immediately turned 16 points and bolted for home. The leading destroyer was hit almost at once and put up a smoke screen ... As soon as we opened fire the shore batteries at Cape Helles opened up on us, and maintained a fairly accurate fire - we were both lucky to escape being hit. By this time we were uncomfortably close to our six-foot line of mines. Tigress had perforce to break off the action. We altered course to the westward and, as the shore batteries’ fire died down, reduced speed. It was still a mystery to me why Goeben did not come to the help of the destroyers by engaging us. We had been within comfortable range of her the whole time. We now know that she, too, had struck a mine ... We returned on to the minefield to where Breslau had sunk, and lowered boats. We both saw a mine or two in the clear water, so stationed hands round the side with bearing-out spars to push them off if the ship drifted too close! Looking back, I cannot help feeling that we were being a little optimistic! The rescue work took, I think, about an hour, and by 12.30 p.m. all the living had been collected - 110 by Tigress and 62 by Lizard. Unfortunately many had died of exposure since we had passed them on our way to attack the destroyer division; the corpses far outnumbered those still alive. It is worth noting that all the time were lying stopped with our boats away, we were within easy range of the shore batteries, who had subjected us to such an accurate fire before, but not a shot was fired ... ’

D.S.Os and DSCs were awarded to the officers of both ships; Milford appears to have retired in the late 1920s.