Great War Battle of Jutland, later sinking of H.M.S. Contest casualty Long Service and Good Conduct group awarded to Stoker Petty Officer T. Gale, Royal Navy who was awarded the Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in January 1911 and would be aboard H.M.S. Contest when she was sunk by U-106 off of the south west coast of England, being wounded in the sinking and it further being noted about his behaviour under very trying circumstances during the loss of the ship.
Group of 4: 1914-1915 Star; ( 281921 T. GALE. CH. STO. R.N.) British War Medal and Victory Medal; (281921 T. GALE. CH. STO. R.N.) Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, GVR, Admiral’s bust; (281921 THOMAS GALE. STO . P.O. H.M.S. VENERABLE.)
Condition: Very Fine
Thomas Gale was born in Powestock, Dorset, July 1875 and giving his trade as a labourer joined the Royal Navy for 12 years service on 15th January 1896. Initially serving as a Stoker 2nd Class on shore, he would transfer to H.M.S. Resolution on 20th August 1896 and would remain aboard until 30th June 1898 being advanced to Stoker on 1st November 1896. After a period ashore he would then transfer to H.M.S. Crescent on 2nd May 1899, being promoted Leading Stoker 2nd Class on 1st April 1901 and Leading Stoker 1st Class shortly afterwards before leaving the ship on 3rd October 1902. He would then be posted to Duke of Wellington on 4th October 1902, and would remain there until 13th June 1903. Several other appointments followed, with Gale spending time aboard Firequeen, Erebus, Good Hope, being promoted to Stoker Petty Officer on 1st July 1906 whilst aboard, and then Ariadne, in between short periods ashore.
Gale would transfer to Venerable on 1st November 1909 remaining aboard until 30th October 1911 and receiving his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal whilst aboard the ship on 25th January 1911, a short period ashore followed before transferring to Vernon on 3rd November 1911 for just over two years, leaving the ship on 6th December 1913.
On 1st March 1914 prior to the outbreak of the Great War he would be appointed Acting Chief Stoker and posted to H.M.S. Contest. He would still be aboard Contest when she took part in the Battle of Jutland and was damaged in a collision with another British destroyer, and was still serving later when she was sunk by U-106 off the south west of England on 18th September 1917 with 35 of the crew being killed and 60 survivors. His papers note him as having been wounded in the sinking and are further marked of the appreciation of his behaviour under very trying circumstances on the occasion of the loss of H.M.S. Contest.
Surviving his wounding in the sinking, he would Join the Royal Fleet Reserve on 4th April 1919 and is noted as having been pensioned on 10th June 1919.
