A Collection of Boer War Medals to the Royal Navy

Seven: Petty Officer 1st Class S. G. Reed, Royal Navy, killed in action aboard H.M.S. Defence at the battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 1 clasp, Cape Colony (Ord., H.M.S. Monarch) small impressed naming; 1914-15 Star (193627 P.O.1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (193627 P.O.1, R.N.); Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., G.V.R., 1st issue (193627 P.O., H.M.S. Vivid); Royal Humane Society Medal, small, bronze, successful (Sydney G. Reed. R.N. Nov. 10 1900); Royal Life Saving Society Medal, bronze (P.O.1 S. G. Reed, Oct. 1906) slight edge bruising and contact marks, R.H.S. Medal fine; others very fine and better (7) £450-550

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, A Collection of Boer War Medals to the Royal Navy.

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Sydney George Reed was born in Devon on 22 June 1881. An Errand Boy by occupation, he entered into the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class in May 1897, being advanced to Boy 1st Class in March 1898. He was promoted to Ordinary Seaman and Gym Instructor 2nd Class on the Benbow in June 1899. As Ordinary Seaman and Gym Instructor 1st Class he served on the battleship Monarch, November-December 1899, during which time he qualified for the Q.S.A. Medal with clasp for Cape Colony (41 single clasp ‘Cape Colony’ to ship). He then transferred to the cruiser Tartar, January 1900-September 1901, which was also on duty off the coast of Africa. On the ship he was ranked as Staff Gym Instructor and was advanced to Able Seaman in July 1900. On 10 November 1900 he performed a rescue for which he was awarded the Royal Humane Society Medal in bronze. The citation (R.H.S. Case No. 31153) reads, ‘On the 10th November, 1900, a man belonging to the Royal Marine Light Infantry fell overboard from H.M.S. Tartar at the entrance to the Bonny River, West Africa. There was a strong tide, and the locality abounds with sharks. At great risk, Reed jumped in and supported him till they were picked up by a boat’. Further advancement followed,being promoted to Leading Seaman (Physical Training Instructor 1st Class) in October 1901 when at Vivid, Petty Officer 2nd Class in September 1904 when on Russell and Petty Officer 1st Class when on the same ship in January 1905. Based at Vivid I at the start of the Great War, he was transferred to the armoured cruiser Defence in July 1915. Still with the ship, he was killed in action at the battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916, when the ship, coming under fire from German battlecruisers, blew up with the loss of all on board - 54 officers, 845 ratings and four civilians. Petty Officer Reed was the son of Harry and Emily Reed of Plymouth and the husband of Eliza Jane Reed of 92 Hotham Place, Millbridge, Stoke, Devonport. His name is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.Sold with copied service paper.