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Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (0) (J. Sawyer. Sto: HMS Tartar);
1914-15 Star (285895 J. Sawyer. Ch. Sto., R.N.);
BWM and VM with MID oak leaves (285895 J. Sawyer. Ch. Sto., R.N.);
Royal Navy LS&GC GV, 1st issue (285895 James Sawyer, Actg. Ch. Sto. HMS Shannon)

MID LG 30 November 1917:‘Additional awards for service in the battle of Jutland.’

James Sawyer was born at Ipswich, Suffolk, on 6 June 1875, and joined the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class in Pembroke II on 1 September 1897. He joined HMS Tartar on 19 May 1898, advanced to Stoker on 28 July 1898, and served in her until 19 September 1901, earning his QSA As Stoker Petty Officer he joined HMS Medina on 10 October 1911, to convey King George and Queen Mary to India for the Delhi Durbar and tour of India in 1911-12. He served in the battleship Indomitable for the entirety of the Great War, including the battle of Jutland, until September 1919 when he went to Pembroke II for demobilisation on 18 October 1919.

Lovely group.
Even on official duty for the Durbar he was not entitled to the medal?

Regards

Picture courtesy of Noonan's

QSA (2) Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith (Lieut: H. W. James, R.N. H:M:S: Tartar) officially impressed naming;
AGS 1902 (1) Somaliland 1908-10 (Commr. H. W. James, R.N. H.M.S. Proserpine.)

Herbert William James was born on 3 April 1871, at Cransley, near Kettering, Northamptonshire, and entered the service aboard the Training Ship Britannia on 15 July 1884. On passing out of Britannia he obtained two 2nd Class and four 3rd Class Certificates, thus gaining 7 month's seniority. He joined H.M.S. Iron Duke (July 1886) and was promoted to Midshipman 15 December 1886, next serving aboard Audacious (November 1887), Imperieuse (February 1888), Rodney (July 1889), Monarch (November 1889), and Impregnable (March 1890). Whilst on his Pilotage Course in the latter ship he was promoted to Acting Sub Lieutenant 14 December 1890 and confirmed in this rank six month's later with the same seniority date. He served next aboard Superb (July 1891), Ruby (April 1892) being promoted to Lieutenant on 1 April 1893, Latona (July 1893), Centurion (February 1894), Colossus (June 1897), Inflexible (August 1897), Trafalgar (October 1897) and Tartar (May 1898).

Whilst in Tartar he was appointed 1st Lieutenant and landed with the ship’s Naval Brigade for service in South Africa, where he Commanded a Battery of Guns. At the battle of Colenso he had command of two Naval 12 -pounders, and continued with his Battery throughout the operations which culminated in the relief of Ladysmith. James was specially promoted to Commander on 21 October 1900, for services rendered during the war in South Africa.

In the rank of Commander he served aboard Victory (February 1901) for Signal Course, Excellent and Vernon (March 1901) for Gunnery & Torpedo Courses, Albion (June 1901), and President (November 1902) for Senior Officer's Course at Greenwich Naval College. He was next appointed to the command of Satellite (October 1903) and Proserpine (August 1906) which ship he commanded during the operations in Somaliland. He commanded Renown (November 1908) and Crescent (July 1909) and retired at own request due to failing health on 17 June 1910, with the rank of Captain. He died on 19 April 1911.

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (0) (T. Glasgow. Kroo: H.M.S. Tartar.)

Spink say approximately 21 Medals to the Kroomen of Tartar, of these 15 were returned to the Royal Mint for disposal, their recipients not being easily traced.

Tom Glasgow hailed from the famed Kroo/Kru Tribe of Sotta Krou in West Africa and were invaluable to the Royal Navy. They are recalled by Horatio Bridge, a United States Navy Officer:

'The Kroomen are indispensable in carrying on the commerce and maritime business of the African coast. When a Kroo-boat comes alongside, you may buy the canoe, hire the men at a moment's warning, and retain them in your service for months. They expend no time nor trouble in providing their equipment, since it consists merely of a straw hat and a piece of white or colored cotton girded about their loins.

In their canoes, they deposit these girdles in the crowns of their hats; nor is it unusual, when a shower threatens them on shore, to see them place this sole garment in the same convenient receptacle, and then make for shelter. When rowing a boat, or paddling a canoe, it is their custom to sing; and, as the music goes on, they seem to become invigorated, applying their strength cheerfully, and with limbs as unwearied as their voices. One of their number leads in recitative, and the whole company respond in the chorus. The subject of the song is a recital of the exploits of the men, their employments, their intended movements, the news of the coast, and the character of their employers. It is usual, in these extemporary strains, for the Kroomen attached to a man-of-war to taunt, with good-humored satire, their friends who are more laboriously employed in merchant vessels, and not so well fed and paid.

Their object in leaving home, and entering into the service of navigators, is generally to obtain the means of purchasing wives, the number of whom constitutes a man's importance. The sons of "gentlemen" (for there is such a distinction of rank among them) never labour at home, but do not hesitate to go away, for a year or two, and earn something to take to their families. On the return of these wanderers—not like the prodigal son, but bringing wealth to their kindred—great rejoicings are instituted. A bullock is killed by the head of the family, guns are fired, and two or three days are spent in the performance of various plays and dances. The "boy" gives all his earnings to his father, and places himself again under the parental authority. The Krooman of maturer age, on his return from an expedition of this kind, buys a wife, or perhaps more than one, and distributes the rest of his accumulated gains among his relatives. In a week, he has nothing left but his wives and his house."'

Glasgow is confirmed upon the Medal Roll as this no-clasp award being forwarded to him aboard the Beagle in September 1902. He perhaps settled - like many Kroomen did - in Cardiff after his service, as there are several men of this name who served with the Merchant Navy during the Great War.

Picture courtesy of Spink

QSA (2) Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith (Lieut: H. W. James, R.N. H:M:S: Tartar) officially impressed naming;
AGS 1902 (1) Somaliland 1908-10 (Commr. H. W. James, R.N. H.M.S. Proserpine.)

Herbert William James was born on 3 April 1871 at Cransley, near Kettering, Northamptonshire, and entered the service aboard the Training Ship Britannia on 15 July 1884. On passing out of Britannia he obtained two 2nd Class and four 3rd Class Certificates, thus gaining seven month's seniority. He joined H.M.S. Iron Duke (July 1886) and was promoted to Midshipman on 15 December 1886, next serving aboard Audacious (November 1887), Imperieuse (February 1888), Rodney (July 1889), Monarch (November 1889), and Impregnable (March 1890). Whilst on his Pilotage Course in the latter ship he was promoted to Acting Sub Lieutenant on 14 December 1890 and was confirmed in this rank six months later with the same seniority date. He next served aboard Superb (July 1891), Ruby (April 1892) being promoted to Lieutenant on 1 April 1893, Latona (July 1893), Centurion (February 1894), Colossus (June 1897), Inflexible (August 1897), Trafalgar (October 1897) and Tartar (May 1898).

Whilst in Tartar he was appointed 1st Lieutenant and landed with the ship’s Naval Brigade for service in South Africa, where he Commanded a Battery of Guns. At the Battle of Colenso he had command of two Naval 12 -pounders, and continued with his Battery throughout the operations which culminated in the Relief of Ladysmith. James was specially promoted to Commander on 21 October 1900 for services rendered during the war in South Africa. He is variously mentioned for his fine services, most notably in Lieutenant Ogilvy's Official Report for the actions at Colenso:

'Acting on orders received from Captain Jones, R.N., I reported myself to Colonel Long, C.R.A., who directed me to attach myself to him until the guns had been placed in a suitable position. I therefore directed Lieutenant James of Tartar, to lead the Battery behind the Royal Artillery field guns, and told him that we were to form up on the left of the Royal Artillery guns when they came into action. About 6 a.m., the guns being in column of route march with Naval guns in the rear, I was riding in front with Colonel Long about 450 yards from Colenso station, when he directed Colonel Hunt to bring his guns into action just in front of a deep donga running across our front at right angles to the railway. He then told me to come into action on the left, and proceeded to arrange our different zones of fire, while the Royal Artillery guns were getting into position. In front of us was a line of trees up to which our skirmishers had advanced, also a few artillery outposts. Just as I was about to direct my guns where to go, and as the Royal Artillery were unlimbering, the outposts turned sharply and a murderous fire, both rifle and shell, was opened on the guns and ammunition column. I immediately galloped back to my guns and found that the fire had caught them just as the two centre guns were going through a drift across another donga parallel to the before-mentioned one, but about 400 yards in the rear.

When I arrived I found that all the native riders with the exception of those for Lieutenant James's gun teams had bolted. These guns had just crossed the drift, so I directed him to take up a position on the left and opened fire on Fort Wylie, from which the majority of the shell fire appeared to come. About this time my horse was shot through the shoulder by a rifle bullet. The two rear guns under Lieutenant Deas of H.M.S. Philomel, not having crossed the drift, I directed him to take ground on the left and open fire also on Fort Wylie. The two centre guns under Mr. Wright, gunner of H.M.S. Terrible, were unfortunately jammed with their ammunition waggons in the drift, the wheels of the waggons being locked and the oxen turned round in their yokes. I managed by the aid of some artillery horses to extricate these guns from the drift and to bring them into action on each side of the drift to the rear of the donga, one of the horses being shot while doing this. I could not manage to move the ammunition waggons, as the rifle and shell fire was too severe at the time, a Maxim-Nordenfeldt being particularly attentive, and sending three shells into the drift at every discharge.

Repeated messages for more men came back from the Royal Artillery batteries, and these were sent to the front by a Royal Artillery sergeant in charge of the ammunition column. After about half an hour's firing, as I should judge, the Royal Artillery guns were silenced, nearly all the men being apparently killed or wounded. Soon after this the fire from Fort Wylie slackened considerably. The Commander-in-Chief now rode up and directed me to move our guns and ammunition as soon as I could. The guns were got away each by a team of artillery horses, who galloped them up the hill to the rear. The waggons were far more difficult, owing to their weight, the large circle they required to turn in, and to the fact that they had to be got out from the drift and turned round by the guns' crews before the horses could be put on.

About this time a most brilliant feat was performed by two teams of artillery, who galloped to the front, against a most murderous fire, limbered up, and rescued two guns; a similar attempt by one other team, at least, resulted in the entire team, as far as I could see, being destroyed. The advance of the Infantry on an open plain, with little or no cover against a most heavy rifle fire from entrenched positions was also a magnificent sight. The conduct of our men without exception was particularly fine, the day being a very hot one and the work hard. The way Nos. 1 and 2 guns' crews of the Terrible got their waggons out of the drift under heavy fire from shell and rifle was quite up to the standard expected of all seamen.

I cannot conclude without mentioning the way Lieutenant James of the Tartar selected the best suitable position and opened fire with great effect. Lieutenant Deas, of the Philomel, unfortunately had a gun capsized as they were moving off to the left to come into action, but managed to mount it quickly and brought both guns into action. After the first few minutes these two officers took entire charge of their respective guns, and brought them safely out of action; Lieutenant James coming again into action on the left under the direction of Captain Jones.'

In the rank of Commander he served aboard Victory (February 1901) for Signal Course, Excellent and Vernon (March 1901) for Gunnery & Torpedo Courses, Albion (June 1901), and President (November 1902) for Senior Officer's Course at Greenwich Naval College. He was next appointed to the command of Satellite (October 1903) and Proserpine (August 1906) which ship he commanded during the operations in Somaliland - they were not short of action and suffered three killed in action in April 1908, against the pirates and gun-runners off the coasts of Africa. James would also have become acquainted with her famous mascot, that being a prized goat.

He commanded Renown (November 1908) and Crescent (July 1909) and retired at own request due to failing health on 17 June 1910, with the rank of Captain. He died on 19 April 1911.

Captain (later Brigadier-General) F. R. Patch, Royal Artillery, captured numerous striking images of the Naval Guns in the Boer War.

The pair to Commander James sold for a hammer price of GBP 2,400. Total GBP 2,976. R 66,680. AUD 5,730. NZD 6,340. CAD 5,190. USD 3,570. EUR 3,450.