Great War H.M.S. Hampshire casualty pair and Memorial Plaque awarded to Stoker E.J. Banwell, Stoker, Royal Naval Reserve who was killed in action whilst serving aboard H.M.S Hampshire on 5th June 1916 when that ship struck a mine resulting in the death of 737 of 749 of those aboard were killed including Field Marshall Lord Kitchener who was being conveyed on a diplomatic mission to Russia via the port of Arkhangelsk. She struck one of several mines that had been placed by the German submarine U-75 on the night of 28th-29th May 1916.
Pair and Memorial Plaque: British War Medal and Victory Medal; (9050S E.J. BANWELL. STO. R.N.R.) Great War Memorial Plaque; (ERNEST JOHN BANWELL)
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine:
Together with:
Card box of issue for British War Medal and Victory Medal
Outer paper OHMS envelope addressed to Mr. F. Banwell, Chanchellors Cottage, Redhill, Bristol.
Ernest John Banwell was born in Walthamstow, Essex during 1892 and would be serving as a Stoker (No. 9050S) with the Royal Naval Reserve when he was killed whilst serving aboard H.M.S. Hampshire on 5th June 1916. He is now remembered on the Chatham Naval Memorial.
H.M.S. Hampshire was sunk by a mine on 5th June 1916 which resulted in the death of 737 of 749 crew including Field Marshall Lord Kitchener.
Shortly after the Battle of Jutland Hampshire was ordered to carry Lord Kitchener from Scapa Flow on a diplomatic mission to Russia via the port of Arkhangelsk. Due to the gale-force conditions, it was decided that Hampshire would sail through the Pentland Firth, then turn north along the western coast of the Orkney Islands. This course would provide a lee from the strong winds, allowing escorting destroyers to keep pace with her. She departed Scapa Flow at 16:45 and about an hour later rendezvoused with her two escorts, the Acasta-class destroyers Unity and Victor. As the ships turned to the northwest, the gale increased and shifted direction so that the ships were facing it head on. This caused the destroyers to fall behind Hampshire. As it was considered unlikely that enemy submarines would be active in such conditions, Hampshire's Captain Savill ordered Unity and Victor to return to Scapa Flow.
Sailing alone in heavy seas, Hampshire was approximately 1.5 nautical miles (2.8 km; 1.7 mi) off Mainland in the Orkney Islands between Brough of Birsay and Marwick Head at 19:40 on 5 June when an explosion occurred and she heeled to starboard. She had struck one of several mines laid by the German minelaying submarine U-75 on 28–29 May, just before the Battle of Jutland. The detonation had holed the cruiser between bows and bridge, and the lifeboats were smashed against the side of the ship by the heavy seas when they were lowered. About 15 minutes after the explosion, Hampshire sank by the bow. Of the 735 crewmembers and 14 passengers aboard, only 12 crew survived after coming ashore on three Carley floats. A total of 737 were lost, including Kitchener and all the members of the mission to Russia.
Confirmed entitlement to pair only.
