ROYAL NAVY DESERTER 167870 A ATTRIDGE QUEENS SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL HMS POWERFUL WW1

Queens South Africa Medal (1899 – 1902), impressed named A.J. ATTRIDGE. A.B. H.M.S. POWERFUL. Comes with copies of R.N. and Army service records, M.I.C. and medal roll

Albert James Attridge was born on 1/3/1877 at Portsea Hampshire. A hay sorter by trade, he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 6/5/1898 with the service # 167870. He served on a variety of H.M. ships and shore bases including St Vincent (training ship), Inflexible (Portsmouth guard ship), Volage (corvette), Victory 1 (accounts base), St George (first class cruiser), Swallow (composite screw sloop), Majestic (pre-dreadnought battleship).

H.M.S. Powerful (protected cruiser) 8/7/1897 – 8/6/1900, H.M.S. Powerful started service in the China Station and in 1899 landed naval brigades to participate in the relief of Ladysmith. Duke of Wellington, Excellent (shore base), Irresistible (pre-dreadnought battleship).

He attempted to desert whilst serving on H.M.S. Excellent 12/12/1900 and was recovered on 2/6/1901 being sentenced to 90 days. His 2nd desertion took place whilst serving on the Irresistible, from 8/3/1902 – 27/3/1903. His 3rd and final desertion was from the Duke of Wellington from 8/7/1903. The Navy struck him off the books as a result.

He further served in WW1 with the Army on the 11/12/1915. He declared his previous service in the R.N. but stating discharged as time expired! He was mobilised for service on 14/8/1916 with the 5th Durham Light Infantry (service #6161). He served in Salonica from 17/11/1916. He was compulsory transferred to the Labour Corps 21/7/1918 and then to the Royal Engineers 4/12/1918. He discharged April 1919.

Also entitled to the British War and Victory Medals (1914 – 18).