The good Great War Battle of Jutland and Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve and London Private Fire Brigades Association double long service group awarded to Able Seaman Thomas Forrest, London Division Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. A pre-war reservist since October 1910, he was aboard the battleship Conqueror throughout the entirety of the war, and sailed in response to the German bombardment of Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby on 16th December 1914, and was still present with Conqueror for the Battle of Jutland on 31st May 1916 and later the inconclusive Action of 19th August 1916. He would later be awarded the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal during the 1920’s. Having been a warehouseman and worked for a hosiery manufacturer, when manufacturing ladies tights and undergarments, he seized the opportunity to become a member of the Private Fire Brigade attached to the company, as a result of which he manned the hoses and pumps where he worked, and was subsequently awarded the London Private Fire Brigades Association Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, an early award with the rim numbered ‘182’.
Group of 5: 1914-1915 Star; (L.7-2344, T. FORREST. A.B., R.N.V.R.); British War Medal and Victory Medal; (7-2344 T. FORREST. A.B. R.N.V.R.); Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, GVR Adm. bust; (7/2344. T. FORRESt. A.B. R.N.V.R. LONDON DIVN.); London Private Fire Brigades Association Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, silvered-bronze, rim officially numbered: ‘182’.
Condition: Good Very Fine or better.
Thomas Forrest was working in London as a warehouseman when he then enrolled into the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve with the London Division on 6 October 1910, and was rated as an Ordinary Seaman (No7/2344) on 1 June 1911, being then advanced to Able Seaman on 1 January 1913. With the outbreak of the Great War he was mobilised with Pembroke I on 2 August 1914, and was posted aboard the battleship Conqueror, a part of the 2nd Battle Squadron with the Grand Fleet. As such he was aboard her sailed in response to the German bombardment of Scarborough, Hartlepool and Whitby on 16th December 1914.
Forrest qualified gunnery and the use of torpedoes whilst aboard her, and was still present with Conqueror for the Battle of Jutland on 31st May 1916 and later the inconclusive Action of 19th August 1916.
On 31 May, Conqueror, under the command of Captain Hugh Talbot, was the seventh ship from the head of the battle line after deployment. The ship may have had engine problems during the battle because she was having trouble maintaining 20 knots as a signal from Jellicoe at 17:17 instructed Thunderer to overtake Conqueror if she could not maintain speed. During the first stage of the general engagement, the ship fired three salvos from her main guns at one battleship at 18:31 without visible effect. She then shifted her fire to the crippled light cruiser SMS Wiesbaden, although the number of hits made, if any, is unknown. At 19:12, Conqueror fired her main guns at enemy destroyers without result and then again, at different destroyers at 19:25 with her aft turrets. This was the last time that the ship fired her guns during the battle, having expended a total of 57 twelve-inch shells.
Forrest was posted off Conqueror and demobilised ashore on 4 March 1919, and went to work as a hosiery manufacturer. In addition, almost certainly under his employer in the hosiery manufacturing business he was a member of the Private Fire Brigade attached to the company, and as such was awarded the London Private Fire Brigades Association Long Service and Good Conduct Medal, the rim numbered ‘182’. Forrest also remained in the reserves, and was awarded the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal during the 1920’s when still an Able Seaman with the London Division.
