Baldwin & Sons
Auction 101 28 September 2016
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ORDERS, DECORATIONS AND MILITARY MEDALS, Campaign Groups and Pairs, A Royal Navy Casualty Group to HMS Hawke which was sunk by U-9 on the 15th October 1914 awarded to Stoker 1st Class Harry Robert Sparks, comprising 1914/15 Star (SS. 104457 H.R. Sparks Sto. 1. R.N.); 1914-1920 British War Medal (SS. 104457 H.R. Sparks Sto. 1. R.N.); Memorial Plaque (Henry Robert Sparks), note difference in first name "Henry" instead of "Harry". Medals toned, fine, the Plaque in card box of issue, about mint state. (2)
In October 1914, the 10th Cruiser Squadron was deployed further south in the North Sea as part of efforts to stop German warships from attacking a troop convoy from Canada. On 15 October, the squadron was on patrol off Aberdeen, deployed in line abreast at intervals of about 10miles. HMS Hawke stopped at 9:30am to pick up mail from sister ship HMS Endymion. After recovering her boat with the mail, HMS Hawke proceeded at 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) without zig-zagging to regain her station, and was out of sight of the rest of the Squadron when at 10:30 a single torpedo from the German submarine U-9 (which had sunk three British cruisers on 22 September), struck HMS Hawke, which quickly capsized. The remainder of the squadron only realised anything was amiss, when, after a further, unsuccessful attack on HMS Theseus, the squadron was ordered to retreat at high speed to the northwest, and no response to the order was received from HMS Hawke. The destroyer HMS Swift was dispatched from Scapa Flow to search for Hawke and found a raft carrying one officer and twenty-one men, while a boat with a further forty-nine survivors was rescued by a Norwegian steamer. 524 officers and men died, including the ship's captain, Hugh P E T Williams, with only 70 survivors (one man died of his wounds on 16 October).
Sold with an Original Certificate for "Wounds and Hurts" when, on 11 August 1908, his right hand was drawn into a block and tackle, resulting in a broken hand. The Original Certificate of the Inspector of Seaman's Wills dated 19 June 1919 after an application his widow Mrs Annie Charlotte Sparks of 5 Helen Street, Woolwich, London. An original "In Memoria" Booklet for the burial service of 15 sailors from HMS Encounter, who were drowned in Sydney Harbour 5 January 1909, Five Original Photographs of the HMS Encounter Memorial in Sydney and an original postcard photograph of Stoker 1st Class Harry Sparks, with the HMS Encounter cap tally plainly visible and copy Service Papers showing service on HMS Encounter and HMS Hawke.
Estimate: £250-300
In October 1914, the 10th Cruiser Squadron was deployed further south in the North Sea as part of efforts to stop German warships from attacking a troop convoy from Canada. On 15 October, the squadron was on patrol off Aberdeen, deployed in line abreast at intervals of about 10miles. HMS Hawke stopped at 9:30am to pick up mail from sister ship HMS Endymion. After recovering her boat with the mail, HMS Hawke proceeded at 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) without zig-zagging to regain her station, and was out of sight of the rest of the Squadron when at 10:30 a single torpedo from the German submarine U-9 (which had sunk three British cruisers on 22 September), struck HMS Hawke, which quickly capsized. The remainder of the squadron only realised anything was amiss, when, after a further, unsuccessful attack on HMS Theseus, the squadron was ordered to retreat at high speed to the northwest, and no response to the order was received from HMS Hawke. The destroyer HMS Swift was dispatched from Scapa Flow to search for Hawke and found a raft carrying one officer and twenty-one men, while a boat with a further forty-nine survivors was rescued by a Norwegian steamer. 524 officers and men died, including the ship's captain, Hugh P E T Williams, with only 70 survivors (one man died of his wounds on 16 October).
Sold with an Original Certificate for "Wounds and Hurts" when, on 11 August 1908, his right hand was drawn into a block and tackle, resulting in a broken hand. The Original Certificate of the Inspector of Seaman's Wills dated 19 June 1919 after an application his widow Mrs Annie Charlotte Sparks of 5 Helen Street, Woolwich, London. An original "In Memoria" Booklet for the burial service of 15 sailors from HMS Encounter, who were drowned in Sydney Harbour 5 January 1909, Five Original Photographs of the HMS Encounter Memorial in Sydney and an original postcard photograph of Stoker 1st Class Harry Sparks, with the HMS Encounter cap tally plainly visible and copy Service Papers showing service on HMS Encounter and HMS Hawke.
Estimate: £250-300