The James Fox Collection of Naval Awards

A Naval Good Shooting Medal and pre-War Sea Gallantry Medal group of seven awarded to Petty Officer H. Penfold, Royal Navy, who having received the Board of Trade Medal for Gallantry in 1911, was killed in action when H.M.S. Bayano was torpedoed by U-27 off Scotland on 11 March 1915

Sea Gallantry Medal, G.V.R., bronze (Harry Penfold “Delhi” 13. Dec. 1911) this unofficially gilded; Africa General Service 1902-56, 1 clasp, Somaliland 1902-4 (H. Penfold, P.O. 2Cl., H.M.S. Fox.); 1914-15 Star (181556, H. Penfold, P.O., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (181556, H. Penfold. P.O. R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R. (181556, Harry Penfold, P.O., H.M.S. Excellent); Naval Good Shooting Medal, E.VII.R.(181556 H. Penfold, P.O. 1Cl, H.M.S. Hindustan 1905. 6 In. B.L.) together with Memorial Plaque (Harry Penfold) in card envelope of issue, with forwarding slip; Memorial Scroll (P.O. 1cl. Harry Penfold H.M.S. Bayano) contact marks to the pre-Great War awards, these nearly very fine or better, the Great War awards extremely fine (8) £1,800-£2,200

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The James Fox Collection of Naval Awards.

View
Collection

Harry Penfold was born in West Chiltington, Sussex, on 20 May 1879. He joined the Royal Navy in 1894, serving with H.M.S. St Vincent as a Boy Second Class from 26 September 1894. Between then and 1901, Penfold served on a number of different ships, joining H.M.S. Fox on 10 September 1901. With Fox, Penfold saw service in Somaliland, and by 1903 had been advanced to Leading Seaman. Leaving H.M.S. Fox on 25 November 1904, he subsequently served in H.M. Ships Hermione, Excellent, Hidustan (shooting medal), Nelson, Roxburgh and from 15 March 1910 H.M.S. Duke of Edinburgh. On the latter ship, the now Petty Officer First Class Penfold received the Board of Trade Sea Gallantry Medal for ‘meritorious service at wreck of S.S. Delhi in December 1911’. The S.S. Delhi was wrecked on the reef at Strait Island, Sumner Strait, Alaska on 13 December 1911.

Leaving H.M.S. Duke of Edinburgh on 18 March 1912, Penfold further served in H.M. Ships Excellent, Victory, and Racer, before joining H.M.S. Bayano on 30 November 1914.

H.M.S. Bayano was a 1913 Clyde-built ocean liner which was requisitioned and armed for the Royal Navy in November 1914. On 11 March 1915, the vessel, under command of Commander H. C. Carr, was on her way to Liverpool when she was intercepted ten miles North West of Corsewall Point, Scotland, by the German submarine U-27. The attack, which took place at 5.15 a.m., happened whilst much of the crew were asleep and most would have been unaware what was happening until it was too late. Indeed the Bayano sank very rapidly and in the event only 4 officers and 22 ratings were saved. 14 Officers, including Commander Carr, and 181 ratings were killed.

Residents of the Isle of Man were greatly affected by the sinking as a number of bodies washed up on her shores. The funeral procession for the Bayano victims numbered in the thousands.

Penfold was amongst those killed in action, and he is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.

Sold with three original photos of Penfold in uniform, one wearing his four pre-War medals; and copied research.