Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

The Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal awarded to Petty Officer First Class W. Dudgeon, Royal Navy, who died when the submarine A1 sank with the loss of all hands on 18 March 1904 - the first submariners to die whilst in service

Royal Navy L.S. & G.C., V.R., narrow suspension (Wm. Dudgeon, P.O. 1Cl., H.M.S. Vernon.) impressed naming, a few letters double-struck, very fine £120-£160

William Dudgeon was born in Leith on 1 October 1867 and joined the Royal Navy as Boy 2nd Class on 10 February 1883. Promoted Able Seaman in H.M.S. Iris on 1 January 1887 and Petty Officer 1st Class on 27 March 1895, he was discharged dead on 18 March 1904 upon the loss of the submarine A1, which sank with the loss of all 11 hands following a collision with the SS Berwick Castle. Believed to be the first submarine casualty of the Royal Navy, the vessel was raised a few weeks later from the shallow waters of the Solent and the bodies of the identifiable crew - including Dudgeon - were placed in plain oak coffins draped in the union jack prior to burial at Haslar.

Sold with copied service record and private research.