Campaign Groups and Pairs 242
Three: Petty Officer G. Nixon, Royal Navy, who was killed in action 1 November 1914, when H.M.S. Good Hope was sunk in the Battle of Coronel
1914-15 Star (187637. G. Rixon, P.O. 1, R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (187637 G. Rixon. P.O. 1 R.N.); Memorial Plaque (George Rixon) in card envelope of issue, good very fine (4)
£300-£400
George Rixon was born on 11 July 1880 and enlisted in the Royal Navy in 1898, having been a milk boy; by 1911, he was a messenger for a torpedo factory on the River Clyde. He was killed in action on 1 November 1914 when H.M.S. Good Hope was sunk during the Battle of Coronel.
Early in August 1914 a force, consisting of the old armoured cruisers Good Hope and Monmouth, the light cruiser Glasgow and the armed merchant cruiser Otranto, all under the command of Rear-Admiral Sir Christopher Cradock, R.N., was sent to protect the southern trade routes and to intercept German cruisers operating on the high seas. In October 1914 the squadron was reinforced by the addition of the old battleship Canopus but reports of the ship’s lack of speed led the admiral to leave her behind as he searched for the German East Asiatic Squadron. The German squadron, commanded by Admiral Graf von Spee consisted of the armoured cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and the light cruisers Leipzig, Nurnberg and Dresden. Both admirals became aware of the proximity of the other on 31 October. At 6.40 p.m. on 1 November the squadrons made contact off Coronel, Chile and at 7.04 p.m. the battle opened at a range of 11,500 yards. As the German ships had a greater number of heavier guns, Cradock’s tactics were to close the range to allow his ships’ more numerous smaller calibre guns to come into play; this however was partly negated by the rough seas and high speeds which prevented many of the British armoured cruisers’ casement guns being brought into action. The British armoured cruisers were repeatedly hit as the range was reduced. As the range reduced to 5,500 yards, the Good Hope was on fire in several places and in a bad way. Endeavouring to reduce the range even further, so as to be able to fire torpedoes in a last ditch attempt to do damage to his adversary, the ship was repeatedly hit by heavy calibre shells and at 7.53 Good Hope blew up, taking the Admiral and all hands with her. At about 9.30 the Monmouth too was hunted down and sunk; the Glasgow and Otranto were able to make their escape under the cover of darkness.
Rixon is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. Sold with H.M.S. Caesar cap tally and various cloth insignia.
243
Three: Petty Officer J. G. W. Williams, Royal Navy, who was killed in action when H.M.S. Hampshire was sunk on 5 June 1916
1914-15 Star (160895. J. G. W. Williams. P.O. 1. R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (160895 J. G. W. Williams. P. O. 1. R.N.) in card boxes of issue; Memorial Plaque (Joseph George Weller Williams) in card envelope; Memorial Scroll, inscribed ‘P.O. 1 Cl. Joseph George Weller Williams H.M.S. Hampshire’, extremely fine (4)
£240-£280
Joseph George Weller Williams was serving in H.M.S Hampshire, when he was killed in action when the Hampshire, conveying Field Marshal Lord Kitchener on a diplomatic mission to Russia, struck a German-mine off the Orkneys on 5 June 1916 and sank within 15 minutes with the loss of 737 lives. There were only 12 survivors. Williams is commemorated on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial.
Sold with Borough of Croydon memorial card, King's letter; and a period cutting of Lord Kitchener in H.M.S. Hampshire. 244
Three: Able Seaman Harry Browning, Royal Navy, who was killed in action when H.M.S. Hampshire struck a mine and sank off the Orkneys, 5 June 1916
1914-15 Star (J.15337. H. Browning, A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J.15337 H. Browning. A.B. R.N.) extremely fine (3)
£140-£180
Harry Browning was born at Horsham, Sussex, on 30 November 1895. He joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 18 January 1912, and joined H.M.S. Hampshire as a Boy 1st Class on 3 January 1913, advancing to Ordinary Seaman in November 1913 and to Able Seaman in November 1914. He was killed in action when the Hampshire, conveying Field Marshal Lord Kitchener on a diplomatic mission to Russia, struck a German mine off the Orkneys on 5 June 1916, and sank within 15 minutes with the loss of 737 lives. There were only 12 survivors. He is buried in Lyness Royal Naval Cemetery, Orkney.
Sold with copied record of service two Post Card photographs of the battleship, another possibly of the recipient, and some modern photographs of his gravestone.
245 Family Group:
Three: Able Seaman W. A. Freeman, Royal Navy, who was killed when H.M.S. Hampshire struck a mine and sank off the Orkneys, 5 June 1916
1914-15 Star (J.7559, W. A. Freeman, A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J.7559 W. A. Freeman. A.B. R.N.)
Three: Able Seaman A. J. Freeman, Royal Navy, who was killed when the H.M.S. Bulwark exploded, 26 November 1914
1914-15 Star (J.22277, A. J. Freeman, A.B., R.N.); British War and Victory Medals (J.22277 A. J. Freeman. A.B. R.N.) good very fine (6)
£300-£400
William Arthur Freeman was born in Chichester, Sussex, on 18 January 1894, and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 14 March 1910. He joined H.M.S. Hampshire as an Able Seaman on 27 January 1914, and was killed in action when the Hampshire, conveying Field Marshal Lord Kitchener on a diplomatic mission to Russia, struck a German mine off the Orkneys on 5 June 1916, and sank within 15 minutes with the loss of 737 lives. There were only 12 survivors. He was aged 22 and is remembered with honour on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Southsea.
Albert John Freeman was born in Chichester, Sussex, on 11 November 1895, and joined the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 27 January 1913. He joined H.M.S. Bulwark as a Boy 1st Class on 4 October 1913, was advanced to Ordinary Seaman in November 1913, and to Able Seaman in October 1914. He was killed when the Bulwark blew up in unexplained circumstances on the Medway, near Sheerness, with the loss of over 700 lives. During the Great War the Royal Navy lost 4 ships to internal explosions whilst lying in harbour, the other three being, H.M. Ships Natal, Princess Irene and Vanguard. At the time there was much speculation that these losses were due to sabotage by enemy agents. However, the more likely explanation is that they were the result of the deterioration of the stocks of high explosives carried on board. Only fourteen men survived the sinking of H.M.S. Bulwark. Albert John Freeman was one of the few bodies recovered from the incident and is buried in Woodlands Cemetery, Gillingham, Kent. He was 19 years of age. The two brothers were the sons of Richard and Fanny Freeman of 52, Oving Road, Portfield, Chichester, and are both commemorated on the Portfield War Memorial.
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